how long for medicines to kick in ??

[kimbo]

Hi
About 6 weeks ago i started on 2x500g metformin and 2x80g gliclazide,then 3 weeks ago i increased glic to 2x120.
Over the last few days i have seen as big improvement as at the start i was 26.0 then after meds i was better but still often hitting around 17.Now as a result of the increase i can be around normal levels but still get the odd unexpected high (up 15).My bloods are between 8-10 when i wake up and go to 12-14 after breakfast.
I wondered if i should be having more consistant levels by now? i think i have got my diet ok.

[Harold]

Gliclazide or the family of drugs it belongs to compared to the other oral meds works fairly soon (days) after starting them.

Metformin takes weeks, usually about 6 to 8 to see substantial results and 8 to 12 weeks to get the full affect and adjust to the sides.

Both of these drugs list hypo's as a side so if you start having them cut back on the gliclazide. Gliclazide increases the amount of insulin your beta cells produce. Metformin increases insulin sensitivity, decreases the amount of glucose asorbed throught the digestive system, and decrease the amount of glucose released/produced by the liver.

"Consistant levels" an interesting concept and one we try to obtain, but not realistic. Even eating the same food and the same activity level we will still see the occasional high as well as see our average reading increase by 10 or 20%. So don't be too quick to change your meds when you see readings higher than you expect.

[Peter Lee]

For me, Metformin took 8 weeks to show a significant consistant effect. However this wasn't enough and the diabetes consultant added pioglitazone which after a week helped but wasn't enough. Then we added gliclazide 80mg at a time leaving one week to judge the effect. It was only when I was on 160mg in the morning plus 160mg in the evening did my sugars become acceptable and stable.

Hope this helps. Don't forget that everyone is different but if you compare my experience with Harold's advice then you will see that we are not too far apart in what we are saying.

Good luck :)