Another Victoza thread

[PaulFromAspull]

Hi all

I've been diagnosed as type 2 for about 11 years, always on oral meds until recently when a lack of control (completely my own fault) directed my GP to send me to the local diabetes centre. It was the best thing that could have happened to me. Since the beginning of July, my blood sugars have dropped from the high teens - high twenties, to 5/6/7 on a regular basis.

I'm taking Metformin (2g), NovoRapid (14 units 3 times daily) and Abasaglar (42 units) to accomplish this, but I credit the significant recent drop (from 9/10 to the 5/6/7 range) to my diabetic nurse adding Victoza, ostensibly for weight loss (I'm a big lad and could definitely stand to lose weight) but she did say it would help with my blood sugar. Has it ever! I'm currently at 1.2, and per her instructions will go up to 1.8 on October 4th.

The only major side effect I've had is a lot of stomach ache and rolling gurgling stomach, but I can live with that. What else it's doing to me is, quite frankly, a little odd and unexpected. I haven't noticed any weight loss (yet) but food holds no appeal. I'm barely eating, only because I know I have to. Nothing smells good. Nothing sounds good. I have no desire to eat, and most food has lost all its appeal. When I do eat, I'm eating maybe only a third of what I used to eat, and even then I end up full a lot sooner than I think I will. Right now I have one of my favourite things bubbling away in the slow cooker and whilst intellectually I know it smells good, from a "food desire" point of view, I'm genuinely thinking, "meh, whatever."

I realise that's kind of the point - a suppressed appetite leads to less food leads to less weight - but it's weird to go from actively eating a lot and being one of those people who "enjoys his food" to virtually just not caring.

Okay, rant over, thanks for listening. I just wanted to share.

 

[trophywench]

Well - maybe, just maybe - if you could eliminate the gurgling, you might be able to fancy a bit of 'something nice' more?

People have said several times that ginger helps with the tummy things - they now do 'ginger thins' - very slim biscuits so not mega carb, there's also a ginger tea - dunno if eg Tesco sell it but Holland & Barrett presumably do. I've never tasted that so I've no idea what it's like, how palatable it is.

I hope some actual Victoza users see this and can chip in - calling @Hazel - cos she uses it and has lost shedloads of weight!

 

[Vicsetter]

Haven't noticed any loss of appetite or weight loss with victoza, however do occasionaly get the gurgling tummy which I have identified as down to fat intake, so crisps/fried batter etc will trigger it, keep a diary and see if it increases/decreases with certain foods.
I am surprised that you are on insulin and Victoza, I didn't think it was recomended by Nova Nordisk as it hadn't been tested in combination.

 

[PaulFromAspull]

Honestly, Vicsetter, I trust my diabetic nurse with my life - she's been great, and I tend to follow her instructions to the letter. Right now, she has me on Abasaglar (42 at night), Victoza (1.2, due to go to 1.8 next week), and NovoRapid x 3 (12 each), along with 1g metformin mornings and evenings. I think the ultimate goal is to drop as much insulin as possible. I just spoke to her and she told me to back off the NovoRapid as necessary to let the Victoza do its work. She said next week when I'm at full capacity for Victoza I'll likely reduce the insulin even further. For me, as long as I can get the balance right between different injections and oral meds so my numbers stay consistent (no 4's!), I'm happy. I'm not sure what Novo's stance is re, insulin and Victoza, but then no two diabetics are the same. What works for one won't necessarily work for another.