Determined

[everydayupsanddowns]

Sitagliptin works by increasing the amount of insulin released by the pancreas, and reducing production of glucagon in the liver.

The NHS website suggests that hypos with sitagliptin are rare, but can happen if you take it with other medications.

Side effects of sitagliptin

NHS medicines information on side effects of sitagliptin and what you can do to cope.

www.nhs.uk

 

[BeeBusy]

About 30 years ago an Endocrinologist told me I had no hope of avoiding diabetes. The better I managed my weight the longer I’d avoid it but by menopause it would definitely be diagnosed. I made it several years past menopause but when it arrived it arrived with fireworks (a1c 119) I’ve been put on metformin, sitagliptin, and now dapagliflozan and finding it impossible to lose weight. We’ve embarked on a pescatarian diet and I’m working as many carb substitutes as I can etc. I’m determined to get this under control. After that goal I’m hoping for remission. One step at a time

Hi there! How are you doing?

Menopause is really a b...

I'd write down the carbs in the meals, counting all of them, so that if you get a high blood glucose (BG), you can correlate it to the carbs in the meal. For that, I'd test my BG with finger pricks before the meal and 1 h after the meal. For many people and many meals, the BG is at its highest after 1h.

I say that, because if you only trust that making substitutions will solve the problem, it may be misleading. For instance, of you were eating 4 slices of bread and replace them for 4 slices of a low carb bread, the carbs in the new bread could still be enough to drive your BG too high. You'll only know if you test.

Some people prefer to test after 2h.

What I'm talking about is "eating by the meter". If a food spikes you, you avoid it, or try smaller amounts of it to see if it's ok.

Some foods like bread, cakes, cookies, sodas, fruit juices, potatoes, pasta, rice, many fruits, oatmeal, cereals have a lot of carbs.

 

[RJN123]

I’m prescribed Sitagliptin and as far as I’m aware, hypos aren’t a known side effect. My GP said, when reading the gubbins before prescribing it to me, that it is in fact clever enough to stop working when our own pancreas is working efficiently enough to produce the appropriate amount of insulin.

The drug has very few noted side effects. I’ve not had any problems with it.

Same here. I was strongly warned about gliclazide and hypos, but both my DNS’s said sitagliptin had little side effects.

 

[Hecate]

Blood thinners should make it easier to get your drop of blood out.
If your previous HbA1C was less than 3 months ago then another test would be too soon. It needs to be 3 months from making lifestyle changes or starting medication to be worthwhile.

My husband is on blood thinners, but almost impossible to get finger prick bloods out without squeezing ... his hands are also difficult to warm, he is very thin and fingers bruised with trying .... we are going to ask the doctor about one of the Libre 2 FreeStyle sensor thingies ....

 

[Leadinglights]

My husband is on blood thinners, but almost impossible to get finger prick bloods out without squeezing ... his hands are also difficult to warm, he is very thin and fingers bruised with trying .... we are going to ask the doctor about one of the Libre 2 FreeStyle sensor thingies ....

Getting finger prick technique right should make all the difference. Start with washing the hands in warm water and drying well. If you then massage the finger towards the tip and then prick just to the side of the pad. If you try with the middle finger and press the thumb on the pad and prick just to the side of the thumb apply gentle pressure if needed. Be ready with your strip and just touch the drop and it should be sucked into the strip. You only need a drop the size of a full stop for most monitors.
Does he bleed if he cuts himself accidentally?
If he is Type 2 then unlikely he would be able to get a Libre on prescription even people who are Type 2 taking insulin can't.

 

[Hecate]

Getting finger prick technique right should make all the difference. Start with washing the hands in warm water and drying well. If you then massage the finger towards the tip and then prick just to the side of the pad. If you try with the middle finger and press the thumb on the pad and prick just to the side of the thumb apply gentle pressure if needed. Be ready with your strip and just touch the drop and it should be sucked into the strip. You only need a drop the size of a full stop for most monitors.
Does he bleed if he cuts himself accidentally?
If he is Type 2 then unlikely he would be able to get a Libre on prescription even people who are Type 2 taking insulin can't.

Yes, we have tried all those things … nothing works. He has had diabetes long time always been a problem. If he cuts himself like with a knife it bleeds but mostly it just bruises. He is a mass of bruises anyway even wringing out a cloth can bruise him it’s just crazy and think he has not at almost 80 years old, has just had enough so not taking readings now …

 

[Leadinglights]

Yes, we have tried all those things … nothing works. He has had diabetes long time always been a problem. If he cuts himself like with a knife it bleeds but mostly it just bruises. He is a mass of bruises anyway even wringing out a cloth can bruise him it’s just crazy and think he has not at almost 80 years old, has just had enough so not taking readings now …

Have you ever been shown how to do it by the nurse at the surgery, it is often easier for someone else to do it.
If you ask and if they struggle they may be able to recommend a different devise, like a better finger pricker.
Alternative sites can be used like an earlobe but not easy to do yourself.
If he is bruising so much then it could be the dose of blood thinners is too high.

 

[Hecate]

My husband is a retired ambulance medic so yes he knows how to do it. The blood thinners are because he had a stroke last year and a heart attack some years earlier, he is also on beta blockers which do give you cold hands and feet. Makes me wonder with all the meds he has to take every day, just how much sugar are in those tablets

 

[Nayshiftin]

I used to use a finger pricker and it bruised me enough to feel i d not use it. Then accu chek showed me fast clix and I have never looked back.
It is best if your warm and dont just wash gands in warm water sosk them until you ferl warm and use a hot towel. Just washing the time it takes to dry on a cold towel you get cold hands quick.
At times I'm okay bit if Ive got cold that works for me. Fast clix is a staple like clix and its done. Worth every penny .

 

[Hecate]

I used to use a finger pricker and it bruised me enough to feel i d not use it. Then accu chek showed me fast clix and I have never looked back.
It is best if your warm and dont just wash gands in warm water sosk them until you ferl warm and use a hot towel. Just washing the time it takes to dry on a cold towel you get cold hands quick.
At times I'm okay bit if Ive got cold that works for me. Fast clix is a staple like clix and its done. Worth every penny .

Yup, that’s the pricier he uses. Has done for long time.

 

[Leadinglights]

My husband is a retired ambulance medic so yes he knows how to do it. The blood thinners are because he had a stroke last year and a heart attack some years earlier, he is also on beta blockers which do give you cold hands and feet. Makes me wonder with all the meds he has to take every day, just how much sugar are in those tablets

Should know how to do it then, sorry if you thought I was trying to teach my grandmother to suck eggs. Some people struggle and it is technique.

 

[Hecate]

Should know how to do it then, sorry if you thought I was trying to teach my grandmother to suck eggs. Some people struggle and it is technique.

No, no probs. I thank you for your reply. There might be others here who also found the replies helpful but didn’t want to ask. At the moment he is struggling with a chest infection which he just can’t shift. So even more extra meds to take. I can just imagine what his glucose figures are so he isn’t doing them for now … thank you, every answer is appreciated what he really cannot do is anything to do with computers or internet and it is time I switched off before I get a headache

 

[Nayshiftin]

No, no probs. I thank you for your reply. There might be others here who also found the replies helpful but didn’t want to ask. At the moment he is struggling with a chest infection which he just can’t shift. So even more extra meds to take. I can just imagine what his glucose figures are so he isn’t doing them for now … thank you, every answer is appreciated what he really cannot do is anything to do with computers or internet and it is time I switched off before I get a headache

Should know how to do it then, sorry if you thought I was trying to teach my grandmother to suck eggs. Some people struggle and it is technique.

Leadinglights even if someone says something 100 tines if its needed its far better than regretting having not said it. You do so much fir this group and i am very grateful for all you type. Thank you for your time patience and showing you care.
There are too many to name but many keep this forum top class.