What Can I Expect from Taking Glimepiride? - Page 2

RobinP · #16 (**permalink**) 08-19-2009, 10:01 PM

I just started Glimepiride last Thursday and I have not had a low yet. In fact, it's not really doing a whole lot to my numbers and I take 3, 2mg pills a day. I think when I go back in 4 weeks, I'm gonna tell him that I want insulin. I'm sick of dealing with these pills.

mrfino · #17 (**permalink**) 08-21-2009, 03:28 PM

I started on glimepiride in November 2008 and stopped in early March 2009. I have been on metformin too since about 2000. Glimepiride began to work immediately and I got better numbers from it, but unfortunately I had no warning about the lows until I had one. I struggled to avoid lows. For the first time in the 14 years since my type 2 diagnosis I had a glimpse of what type 1's must feel every day. I didn't like the tightrope I was walking. And I gained about 15 pounds while on glimepiride.

In March I told my endo that I wanted to try something other than glimepiride. I went off it and started on Byetta. I am SO glad I made that change. My BG numbers are much more on an even keel with the Byetta than on glimepiride. I have lost about 20 pounds. I feel much better.

John

luckharm · #18 (**permalink**) 08-27-2009, 02:03 PM

Well, the saga continues. I had more blood tests this week and my A1C was 8.9 and C-Peptide test was .6. My doctor said that my pancreas is now producing little if any insulin and that I am now Type 1 1/2. She stopped the Metformin and Glimepriride and I started on 10 units of Lantus per day. She said that sometimes there is a "honeymoon" period after diagnosis, when you are able to control the disease with medications and then it stops working. She was surprised that my honeymoon period was only about 1 year, but it happens.

So, I have joined the ranks of insulin takers. I did my first injection today and it actually was not that bad. I am just happy to be finally doing something that will actually help me get this thing under control.

My blood sugar count this morning before injecting was 270. I'll report back in a few weeks to see how things are going.

Thank you for all the good advice.

jer.lawrence · #19 (**permalink**) 08-27-2009, 02:30 PM

That sucks to hear that you were originally mis-diagnosed, but I'm glad they caught it! Best of luck to you with your levels!!

Robin, you also may want to consider having C-Pep tested! I'm hoping that I don't go through the same thing that you guys have gone through, but thank you for sharing your experiences. Hope I can learn from them.

RobinP · #20 (**permalink**) 08-27-2009, 07:07 PM

I did have a C-Peptide test in March. It was 1.0

NewdestinyX · #21 (**permalink**) 08-31-2009, 07:00 PM

Really informative thread.. What's a 'pretty' good C-Peptide number? I mean for a 'controlled' Type 2. At what point do you become a 1.5? How low does that C-peptide have to drop?

After 7 weeks on Metformin 500 ER 2x a day and Actos 30mg once a day for 3 weeks... my numbers stay tightly between 150-180 all day -- after fasting before and after meals.. all in that range.. 30 points. Unless I go crazy carby then I can get up to 200. I'm beginning to 'surmise' what's likely at hand for me after reading so many of your stories and doing mega reading on the topic. I think my pancreas is compromised -- but not dead. The Met and Actos are reducing my resistance and preventing the liver from pouring too much glucose into the blood that's why I'm not spiking anymore. -- but there doesn't seem to be enough insulin to bring the numbers down to controlled range.

Now resistance could also explain numbers not getting down into controlled range except for the results of other testing I do -- with my exercise program. If it was 'all or mostly' about resistance -- then my weight training and anaerobically focused exercise would make only a moderate change in my BG numbers. Well in me it makes a drastic difference - as much as 50-60 point drop after 30 minute work out. That proves that my cell receptors are 'open' to receiving the sugar when my body asks for it. But to bring it into controlled range I'd need to exercise 3-4 times a day at that level which is not possible and even then -- the number STILL doesn't get under 100 ever. That tells me poor insulin production that's not being helped by any of these meds.

Flaws in my conclusion?

foxl · #22 (**permalink**) 09-01-2009, 07:39 AM

Hey dumb question -- is it Glim-EE-pur-Eyed, or

Glim-EH-pur-eyed?

foxl · #23 (**permalink**) 09-01-2009, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NewdestinyX

Really informative thread.. What's a 'pretty' good C-Peptide number? I mean for a 'controlled' Type 2. At what point do you become a 1.5? How low does that C-peptide have to drop?

After 7 weeks on Metformin 500 ER 2x a day and Actos 30mg once a day for 3 weeks... my numbers stay tightly between 150-180 all day -- after fasting before and after meals.. all in that range.. 30 points. Unless I go crazy carby then I can get up to 200. I'm beginning to 'surmise' what's likely at hand for me after reading so many of your stories and doing mega reading on the topic. I think my pancreas is compromised -- but not dead. The Met and Actos are reducing my resistance and preventing the liver from pouring too much glucose into the blood that's why I'm not spiking anymore. -- but there doesn't seem to be enough insulin to bring the numbers down to controlled range.

Now resistance could also explain numbers not getting down into controlled range except for the results of other testing I do -- with my exercise program. If it was 'all or mostly' about resistance -- then my weight training and anaerobically focused exercise would make only a moderate change in my BG numbers. Well in me it makes a drastic difference - as much as 50-60 point drop after 30 minute work out. That proves that my cell receptors are 'open' to receiving the sugar when my body asks for it. But to bring it into controlled range I'd need to exercise 3-4 times a day at that level which is not possible and even then -- the number STILL doesn't get under 100 ever. That tells me poor insulin production that's not being helped by any of these meds.

Flaws in my conclusion?

Grant ...

1) you do not become a 1.5 based on C-peptide -- you have to have antibodies. 1.0 is the lower limits of normal fastingC-pep, meaning not a whole lot of insulin produced right now ...

2) Insulin production can come UP, up to 6 months post-crisis, according to one study I found last week. If you rest those beta cells, and do not ask too much of them!

Lorac · #24 (**permalink**) 09-22-2009, 03:06 PM

I take Metformin and didn't know it could cause this problem. I have been having severe diarrhea for a couple months now. I've always had problems, my mother has IBS and I'm sure I do also, but lately it has been really bad. I thought IBS was getting worse now I'm thinking it's the Metformin. I haven't told my doctor because I was embarrassed. I don't go back for 3 months but if I'm still having problems I'm going to tell him.

I was on 500mg 2x a day for a little under a year - he upped my dose to 1000mg 2x a day about 3 months ago. I've also lost 10 pounds since my last visit in April. I was proud when he told me that at my visit earlier this week. Now I'm wondering if the weight loss is from spending most my time in the bathroom and not because of anything I've been doing!