OK. You are on the maximum dose of Trulicity, and 3/4 maximum dose of Metformin.
Empagliflozin (which is from the same family as Canagliflozin that I take) reduces blood glucose through your urine. You have to drink a lot, so of course pee a lot!! I basically had to double my water intake once I started taking it.
I also take Linagliptin which is of the same family as Alogliptin. I would trust your diabetic specialist if they think Alogliptin taken with Trulicity would not suit you, possibly related to your other medical conditions.
I can only stomach (literally) 500mg SR Metformin.
Your total cholesterol is lower than mine! I believe medical practitioners would like to see total cholesterol lower than 4 in diabetics, but if you are not taking statins and have not been advised to take them, that's OK.
Your HbA1c (pardon me for saying) is high, and you are doing the right thing in thinking you need to take action. The best way you can help yourself is through looking at your food and exercise. It is suggested many Type 2 diabetics can lower their blood glucose by reducing their daily carb intake to less than 130gm a day.
I don't know what your diet looks like, but you can get an app which will record all your cals and carbs, by meal and by day. This is what I do, and have done since I was diagnosed. I keep digital scales and a clear bowl on my kitchen top and weigh most foods (except salads and above ground veggies) - no guesstimating.
Once you know where you are starting from, you can gradually reduce your carb intake (not too quickly as that can affect your eyes). Everyone is different so it's trial and error until you find out what suits your body. I experimented between 50gm and 130gm and currently have settled on 75gm, sometimes going up to 90gm. It may seem hard at first, particularly if you're a lover of bread, potato, rice and pasta, but it's amazing how quickly you can adapt to smaller portions or substitutes. I have a mixture of Tesco Slim shakes with water/almond milk, eggs in all forms with veggies (omelettes, crustless quiche, frittata), home made soups, salads. My evening meal contains at least half a plate of veggies with a protein source.
Exercise also helps. I started aquafit 4 years ago and go 2 or 3 times a week. We are all ladies of a certain age, all shapes and sizes! But it could be as simple as a daily walk (with or without dog). My 80+ neighbour cycles twice a week. I also have a mini exercise bike which I used in lockdown, or there are online videos (Joe Wicks).
People have said managing diabetes is a marathon, not a sprint, so it's best to take it one step at a time and build up. I hope this helps a bit, and I'm sure lots of other people will chip in. The Forum is a great place to get information, as is the Learning Zone, orange tab above. I post my food daily on the Food/carb queries forum, with lots of pictures.
Today's lunch and dinner: 250 ml homemade butterbean and sweetcorn soup: 115gm baked salmon, homemade ratatouille, 2 new potatoes
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