Diabetes & Ozempic Review

[Lucyr]

I had my normal review with the consultant this week, overall went well. I had been deliberating beforehand whether to ask to try the higher dose of ozempic as I’m on 0.5 and not feeling it’s really doing anything much. We did discuss that and came to the conclusion of leaving it, mainly because my bgs aren’t too bad, way better than they were last time when I was struggling with burnout at a1c now 54 down from 79, it was 55 a month or so ago so it’s now stabilised.

We also talked about the reasoning of if it’s not broken don’t fix it... whilst I’d like a lower a1c my bgs are pretty stable, I’m not having hypos, im eating fairly well and mentally in the right place to try and lose weight, and just going back to swimming. A higher ozempic dose would likely mean a period of side effects whilst I adjust, another period of changing all my insulin doses and ratios if it did help, and to be honest I just don’t really fancy that stress when we’re just coming into a period of nicer weather, things opening up, and it being generally easier to make more lifestyle changes. So, higher ozempic dose is an option for the future but not right now.

The weight loss is my focus now I think, I’ve lost some this year, half a stone, but it’s been steady for a month or two now so want to get that dropping again. I’ve done it before so should be able to start losing again, just need a bit more effort on it I think!

 

[trophywench]

Hey Lucy - Ozempic has generally been brilliant for you - and I'm really pleased because it was about time summat worked well for Lucy's diabetes. But I'm with Dr Consultant here - if it ain't broke, etc!

And right now you're increasing your exercise again - so just more of the same luv!

 

[Lucyr]

Hey Lucy - Ozempic has generally been brilliant for you - and I'm really pleased because it was about time summat worked well for Lucy's diabetes. But I'm with Dr Consultant here - if it ain't broke, etc!

And right now you're increasing your exercise again - so just more of the same luv!

Yeah, I’m not convinced that the ozempic is doing much but at least I have no side effects whatsoever so may as well keep going with it!

 

[DaveB]

Hi. What sort of diet are you having to get the weight down?

 

[Lucyr]

Normal diet, 1500-1800 calories. I’m not interested in keto / very low carb it upsets my stomach.

 

[DaveB]

Normal diet, 1500-1800 calories. I’m not interested in keto / very low carb it upsets my stomach.

Seriously I would focus on the carb intake as calories aren't the best measure. You don't have to go VLC but set yourself a daily limit of, say, 150gm or similar and see how you go. Unless you keep the Carbs down to a sensible level you may find it difficult to lose weight as that food group is the main cause of weight gain and higher BS.

 

[Lucyr]

Seriously I would focus on the carb intake as calories aren't the best measure. You don't have to go VLC but set yourself a daily limit of, say, 150gm or similar and see how you go. Unless you keep the Carbs down to a sensible level you may find it difficult to lose weight as that food group is the main cause of weight gain and higher BS.

I’m not interested in limiting any particular food group thanks, it’s too easy for that to become an obsession.

Your information on being difficult to lose weight whilst eating carbs is incorrect. I’ve previously lost four stones whilst eating plenty of carbs daily, it’s just a matter of needing to be more active to burn more calories than you eat. It’s been difficult to be active enough in a very small flat whilst working long hours from home during a pandemic. Now that swimming pools are open and the evenings are lighter it will be much easier to burn some extra calories.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Sounds like a great review and a good plan @Lucyr

I know how disastrous (and ineffective) low carb was for you in the past, so I would keep doing what you are doing, and focus on the strategies that you have found work for you.

And yes - it will make things easier as the lockdown lifts and it’s easier to get out and about more and other forms of exercise and activity become available

 

[DaveB]

I’m not interested in limiting any particular food group thanks, it’s too easy for that to become an obsession.

Your information on being difficult to lose weight whilst eating carbs is incorrect. I’ve previously lost four stones whilst eating plenty of carbs daily, it’s just a matter of needing to be more active to burn more calories than you eat. It’s been difficult to be active enough in a very small flat whilst working long hours from home during a pandemic. Now that swimming pools are open and the evenings are lighter it will be much easier to burn some extra calories.

Hi and thanks for the reply. It's great that you can lose weight by just exercising so keep doing what works for you. Sadly for many T2s with a weight problem carb reduction will be the optimum way forward with exercise helping.

 

[SB2015]

I hope that you are able to get out and about more now @Lucyr and can get back to what you know works for you. I am also looking forward to getting back into swimming.

 

[Lucyr]

I hope that you are able to get out and about more now @Lucyr and can get back to what you know works for you. I am also looking forward to getting back into swimming.

Thanks it is so good to be back swimming! I’ve only been 3 times so far as my arms have been quite achey afterwards. I’ve started a seperate thread logging my blood sugar experiments with that but they haven’t been too bad.

 

[SB2015]

Thanks it is so good to be back swimming! I’ve only been 3 times so far as my arms have been quite achey afterwards. I’ve started a seperate thread logging my blood sugar experiments with that but they haven’t been too bad.

I shall take a look. I am on a new pump and haven tried swimming yet. I don’t think it will be very different from before, but sometimes it throws up anomalies.

 

[Bracknell Bob]

I moved onto this last November when my hospital consultant recommended it after being referred to her by my surgical team for my Charcot Foot. I needed to reduce my sugars for surgery which needed to go below 50 at the time. It was a fight to get my GP to approve this but they did after a battle, when I started my daily blood sugars were around 12 to 16, now they average between 4.2 & 6.4 which is a huge improvement.

My appetite is also greatly reduced, in fact I am not hungry most of the day & have to force myself to have something which is great while working from home as it means I am not picking from the fridge. I have a main meal each evening but during the day I have no appetite at all, so far I have lost about 2 stone now I do feel a lot better for it as such.

I have my next review with the Diabetic Consultant at the hospital in June so hopefully it will go well. When I spoke with my pharmacy this week they said more & more people are now being prescribed it & asked how it was working for me which seems to be a good sign now that it is openly available, it will also mean long term costs of medication & treatment will reduce too for a number of people.

For me it is working, I know it may not be the same for everyone, but do persevere with it, it took a number of weeks to really start to work for me.

 

[trophywench]

Hi and thanks for the reply. It's great that you can lose weight by just exercising so keep doing what works for you. Sadly for many T2s with a weight problem carb reduction will be the optimum way forward with exercise helping.

It isn't JUST with exercising Dave - Lucy's been trying to do it for years and years and sharing her journey with us on DSF - now AT LAST! - has found that Ozempic is assisting her.

They hadn't invented such things when she started. But - she has tried and tried and tried different strategies and drugs - don't knock it till you've tried it, for the very simple fact we are ALL different and what works for one won't necessarily work for another.