Medication Recommendations?

[Smitie]

All,

I've been on Metformin for only a month and my Blood Sugar levels have not come down and my Dr wants to place me on a second medication. Does anyone have recommendations for that second med?

So far I've looked at a lot of different paths and I want to have as much information before I go see the doctor.

Here is my short list.
Sulfonyfureas - Quite a few old and new Drugs here but not much information on long term side effect.
DPP-4 Inhibitors - Don't like the link to cancer.
Thiazolidinediones - Don't like the Heart Issues.
Byetta - Needle and needs to be in refrigerated

Any comments or input would be great, again I'm not trying to play doctor just want to know what I'm talking about with mine.

Thanks,

Smitie

[Funnygrl]

Actos seems to be a common second med to add.

[Hammer]

Amaryl is another one. It falls under the Sulfonyfureas class of drugs. It's generic name is Glimepiride.

[princesslinda]

Byetta doesn't need to be refrigerated after its first use.
The needles are truly no big deal...much less painful than the fingersticks we do so frequently.

BTW, are you exercising and watching the amount of carbs you eat?

[Smitie]

I've been watching the carbs and put myself back on a low-card diet, I've already loss weight and I feel better.

- Exercising Daily Walking 1-2 miles.
- Cut out all sugars, everything I eat is low carb now.

My first two fasting Blood sugars where 311(Yearly Checkup) and 280(two days after my doctor called me and just cutting back on carbs).

I'm now averaging between 160-180 for AM checks and I'm three weeks into Metformin. My Doctor is recommending a second med and I’ll be meeting with her next week to go over the next steps. I would just like to get a feel for what people have been put on and any issues with the other drugs.

I know it takes time to get the numbers down but I was hoping to have good fasting BS number after the third week of med's.

Smitie

[Scrabblechick]

Smitie, it probably took six weeks for me on Metformin alone, with diet and exercise, to see a really significant change. I was trending downward and then, suddenly, it was like my body stopped fighting me, and my BGs really started to look normal.

[Hammer]

I've been impressed with Byetta. My doctor upped mine from the 5mcg pens to the 10mcg pens, and all my BG numbers have come down. I thought that Byetta would keep the post meal numbers from spiking too much, but my fasting numbers have improved. I just did a BG test that was about 3 hours after dinner, and it was 88. I've never been that low before.

If you're thinking about Byetta, like everyone said, 99% of the time, you can't feel the fine needle you use to inject it. The other 1% of the time, you can feel it, but it's very minor.

I was trying to think of something that I could relate that 1% of the time to, and it feels exactly like if you get a wood splinter in your clothing and as you move, the splinter touches your skin just enough to make you aware that something is stuck in your clothing, so you stop, rub the area until you locate the splinter, and remove it. Well that 1% of the time you do feel the needle, it feels like the splinter did.:)

[stavs]

I've been on Byetta for a month. I was on the following:

Glipizide
Januvia
Avandia

I have since dropped Januvia and Avandia, and upped to 10mg Byetta on Monday. My BG is lower and today I pulled a 76 before lunch, an 111 after lunch (2 slices of pizza and a root beer) and an 88 at 6pm. This is the lowest I've been, and mine were typiccaly inthe 200 range with the other three drugs. The needles are no worries. I cant say enough about the lizard spit.

Stavs

[matingara]

I've been watching the carbs and put myself back on a low-card diet, I've already loss weight and I feel better.

Have you just cut out sugars (in the short chain form) or have you cut down on ALL carbs?

how many grams of carbs do you consume per day???

:)

-- Joel.

[jazzbo]

Smitie,
I'm sort of new to this (diagnosed about 3 years ago). I tried the oral medications but still could not achieve good numbers. I'm not over weight and I stuck with the diet and exercise regimen. I just started Humalog 50/50, one shot at dinner time. My after dinner numbers are great after just a few days. My morning numbers are still a little high but I think we just have to do a little adjusting. The needles are so tiny and for me it does not hurt. I'm feeling so much better after just a few days. I kind of wish we had started this much sooner instead of waiting so long. The doctor thought the pills are easier and just assumed everyone has a fear of needles. Good luck!

[Smitie]

I've cut down on all Carbs and I would say my carbs per day is below 75 but I've not been counting. I know becasue I was under 20 carbs a day a few years ago when I did Atkins.

Smitie

[adiantum]

g'day smitie, have you been to diabetic education classes yet?
I ask this as I think maybe your not having enough carbs.
I was recomended to have 30 to 45 for breakfast , 30 for lunch & 45 for dinner.
I'm so happy for you that your feeling better :)

[pdxdennisj]

If you are paying for Byetta out-of-pocket, go for it. I suspect you would have extreme problems getting an insurance company to pop for it until you fail on oral meds - I went through two levels of Medicare Rx appeals before my insurance would cover it.
The sulfonaurides (sp?) are cheap and effective and most folks get a 5-10 year run on them before they fail. They have been around for ages and their shortfalls are well known - can cause hypos if you are not paying attention.

[Smitie]

I'm going to try and get Byetta from my doctor and see what happens, I'm consuming between 20-25 for breakfast and a little more for Lunch and dinner. My goal is to keep my carb under 100 a day.

Smitie

[stavs]

I just got back from dinner....12oz filet mignon, 4 slices of bread, three cokes, and french fries. 1 1/2 hours after my bg was at 122. Stuff is working so wonderfuly. I hope it works for you! Good luck!

Stavs

[Jocelyn25]

Honestly, Those are all very dangerous drugs. All Prescription medications are made with chemicals that cause more problems in your body and is very harmful to your health .

I use natural supplements and they have worked so much better than my old prescription drugs. My doctor is shocked at my levels, it's almost as if my diabetes is going away.

[princesslinda]

I just got back from dinner....12oz filet mignon, 4 slices of bread, three cokes, and french fries. 1 1/2 hours after my bg was at 122. Stuff is working so wonderfuly. I hope it works for you! Good luck!

Stavs

Stavs, be very careful eating that many carbs...even with Byetta! It might be interesting for you to take a 3 or 4 hr reading as well...I'm betting that you'll see your blood sugar starting to rise then. Byetta slows digestion and spikes, but if you overdo on the carbs, you'll still SEE the rise, just later than the 2 hr reading.

[princesslinda]

Honestly, Those are all very dangerous drugs. All Prescription medications are made with chemicals that cause more problems in your body and is very harmful to your health .

I use natural supplements and they have worked so much better than my old prescription drugs. My doctor is shocked at my levels, it's almost as if my diabetes is going away.

While it is great that you have found a treatment that works for you, its irresponsible to suggest that ALL prescription meds are harmful to your health. Everyone should find what treatment works best for them, and for some of us, medication is what works best.

[Janlaton]

Are you like the 12 oz steak 4 pieces of bread and fries person. If I ate that for supper I might be ok a couple hours later but am fasting would be through the roof. I think that person needs a diabetic education class!

My usual evening meal is 2 oz lean meat, 1 cup of green veg, 1 serving of carbs and a free beverage like water or unsweet herbal tea. I eat this about 7 pm. I do not eat anything before bed and my am be is between 90 & 100.

Discipline and exercise are the keys to working the #s down. I take avandia and glipzide to help the metformin work. The avandia helps the body use the insulin my body still makes. Most type 2s still produce some insulin. It is important that your body use this if at all possible. You may be insulin resistant and need a med such as this one to help use what you have. My #s took awhile to get where they are now. It takes a combination of the meds, diet, exercise and discipline. All come from listening to your body. If the doc says no to Byetta there may be a good reason. Ask why and get his logic.:confused:

[Kim_in_TN]

I just got back from dinner....12oz filet mignon, 4 slices of bread, three cokes, and french fries. 1 1/2 hours after my bg was at 122. Stuff is working so wonderfuly. I hope it works for you! Good luck!

Stavs


Although you are getting good results, don't you think you should tweak your diet just a bit as well? I'm just concerned, not picking!;)
_____________________

As far as meds ... Actos was added to my Met and although it did help bring down my BG, it also made me gain quite a bit of weight. It was mostly water weight which was impossible to lose while still on the med. I recently dropped the Actos and added Januvia, and lost all the extra weight! I am actually taking Janumet which is a combo of Januvia and Metformin!

Good luck! You will evenutally find the right mix for you! :)

[jacobsam622]

While it is great that you have found a treatment that works for you, its irresponsible to suggest that ALL prescription meds are harmful to your health. Everyone should find what treatment works best for them, and for some of us, medication is what works best.
I was just about to say the same thing and you beat me to it. Without the diabetic meds a lot of good people would be to put it bluntly dead.:mad: Nothing in life comes without some risk most of the drug warnings apply to less then 1% of the population. Your chance of getting hit by lighting is greater then dying from a reaction to meds. Just rememder a lot of those home remedies have the same death percentage as those chemically laced drugs.

Good job Princesslinda;)

Back to the topic the type of drug that is added would depend on whether you cells are the problem or the amount of insulin that is being produced. but none of these drugs will work if you don't put in the correct amount of effort I know this from experience.

[slipperyelm]

Concerned? Picking? Heck, I'm just jealous! But I imagine that is not the way he eats all the time.

"Your chance of getting hit by lighting is greater then dying from a reaction to meds." ....While I do not agree that no one should take prescription medicines, I certainly do think this statement is an exaggeration. Many more people die from medicines than from lightning.

To the person taking both Avandia and Metformin. You can get those combined in a single pill called "Avandamet." If the proportions match what you are taking anyway, you might save a little money by getting it in the combined pill.

[jacobsam622]

Concerned? Picking? Heck, I'm just jealous! But I imagine that is not the way he eats all the time.

"Your chance of getting hit by lighting is greater then dying from a reaction to meds." ....While I do not agree that no one should take prescription medicines, I certainly do think this statement is an exaggeration. Many more people die from medicines than from lightning.

To the person taking both Avandia and Metformin. You can get those combined in a single pill called "Avandamet." If the proportions match what you are taking anyway, you might save a little money by getting it in the combined pill. Where is your proof that it is exaggerated. 1 in 40,000 are struck by lighting every year.

[Hammer]

Hey there Stavs. If you think that you can get away with eating that way while on Byetta, don't think it will last.;) I tried eating like that the other day....just to see how the 10mcg dose of Byetta would work, and it didn't. My numbers went sky high and they're still higher than I had before eating one meal like that. My numbers were high for several days, so no more "testing" the Byetta for me.

Just to mention for anyone who thinks that taking prescription drugs is dangerous because they are chemicals.....if you think you're taking something safer because you're taking natural remedies, what do you think natural remedies contain? Chemicals, just like the prescriptions do. Just because something exists in nature doesn't mean it's safer or better for you than prescription medicine.

There are many dangerous and toxic substances that exist in nature that would kill you if you took them. Anything you take that is supposed to be a natural treatment for any ailment will ALWAYS have this disclaimer on it, "This product has not been tested by the FDA to verify any claims for treatment for the indicated ailment." Do you know what that means? It means that it has no medical basis to claim that it can treat the disease or medical condition that it's claiming to treat. In most cases, it's just snake oil. Get people to waste their money for our worthless product.

Do you really think that the multibillion dollar drug companies that have an unlimited budget for research were not able to discover this so called natural treatment for diabetes, but that some small insignificant company with no budget for research discovered it and is now able to offer it to you for the low price of just $29.95....and they'll double the order if you order now?:)

Come on people, anyone who believes in this natural junk is only being fooled into delaying the proper treatment, and that delay can cause you serious harm.

[stavs]

Stavs, be very careful eating that many carbs...even with Byetta! It might be interesting for you to take a 3 or 4 hr reading as well...I'm betting that you'll see your blood sugar starting to rise then. Byetta slows digestion and spikes, but if you overdo on the carbs, you'll still SEE the rise, just later than the 2 hr reading.

Definitely aware. I went back and checked my readings, and 4 hours after dinner it was 128. I've been a lot more careful with my eating, and have pretty much kicked my Pepsi habit. I used to drink over 2 liters per day easily. Since kicking that and taking Byetta, my #'s are way better. My 30 day average is around 125 now where I used to easily be in the 300-400 range.

I will also note that with the byetta I had serious fatigue, but since adding a multi vitamin that has gone away. A lot of people say multi vitamins dont do squat, but the next day after starting the centrum, the fatigue went away.

Also (I didnt read the next few posts). Thats not my normal diet anymore these days. :)

I've been watching what I eat, cutting out high fructose corn syrup, and some carbs (I love my bread and pizza!!!). The biggest hurdle like I said was the Pepsi. I was drinking entirely too much of it, more than my body could handle these days. I now drink the Wylers Lemonade with Splenda which is fantastic or water.

Stavs

[princesslinda]

Good job Stavs! Glad you were able to have that meal without complications. VERY glad to hear that you've made so many important changes to your diet. It does get easier for the most part (though I STILL miss Twinkies!;) ) as time passes.