Side-Effects (when to worry, and when to not) + Blood Sugar Levels for different body types?

[BrainNotYetDead]

Hello everyone!

I'm curious to see whether anyone else has experience any of the below, it would be great to hear your experiences and share advice where applicable.

---

Here's the explanation/brief background:

I was taking Mounjaro, and initially, at the 2.5mg and then the 5mg dosage, everything was fine. When I hit 7mg, I suffered some really bad side effects, I was extremely breathless, I could barely make it up the stairs and my heart was palpitating. I've since stopped taking Mounjaro (with the Diabetic Nurse knowing) and I feel so much better, and I'm sleeping so much better also.

However, I'm also taking the maximum dosage of Metformin SR, as well as Farxiga (dapagliflozin). I understand that my GP just wants me to have better controlled blood sugars, but I feel over-prescribed, and the side-effects associated with these medications are almost (but not quiet!) turning me into a zombie. I also have concerns about the effectiveness of these medications. I've been Type II since January 2012 and during the last 13 years my blood sugars have increased, and this is because I overeat (I'm just being honest), and I definitely had a thing for sugary food.

I have been able to put my Diabetes into remission twice before, but it required a sustainable and bloody hard effort, and now my personal circumstances have changed for the better, I've just begun the process of trying my very best to get my sugars into the non-diabetic range as best I can, without Mounjaro, and I'm hoping I'll be able to reduce the Metformin and Farxiga (dapagliflozin) overtime.

Here are my questions:

1. There's something particularly awful this time about going into remission. I would normally expect some brain fog and dizziness and blurred eye sight, but this time has been on a completely different and incredibly difficult level. I assume it's because my sugars have been high for a while, and I'm definitely feeling better, but I'm curious to know whether anyone else has experienced this, and whether anyone has any thoughts on when you should put these side-effects down to the "body getting used to it", or actually, "this is quite serious, go see a doctor", and if you have seen a Doctor - did they/were they able to do anything to help? It's possible I've reduced my carb intake too much too quickly, but I've never been able to have "just a bit of a carb" - it's more-ish, and it also sends my sugars sky high.
2. I'm also a big man (build wise), I'm over 6ft 3inches tall (191cm), and a wide, sturdy build, and I can't help but struggle with this idea that all people (not matter their age or size), should have blood sugars between the range of 4-6mmol ( as a guideline ). It seems weird to me a little old lady of 70 with a frail and fragile should have similar blood sugars to a middle-aged man who is 6ft 3+?

 

[Inka]

Welcome @BrainNotYetDead 🙂 If your blood sugar has been high for a while and you then bring it down quickly, you can get what are called false hypos, where you feel like you’re having a hypo but your blood sugar is normal.But also, the flozin drugs require people to eat some carbs. If you’re not eating enough carbs then that could be contributing too.

Normal blood sugars are what’s normal for everyone (although they do make allowance for the very old who might have sugars slightly at the higher end). I’m trying to think of a comparison: let’s say blood pressure. We all have the same target normal blood pressure no matter our size - because high blood pressure is potentially harmful as are high blood sugars whether you’re tiny, huge, 30yrs old or 60yrs old.

 

[Robin]

I'm also a big man (build wise), I'm over 6ft 3inches tall (191cm), and a wide, sturdy build, and I can't help but struggle with this idea that all people (not matter their age or size), should have blood sugars between the range of 4-6mmol ( as a guideline ). It seems weird to me a little old lady of 70 with a frail and fragile should have similar blood sugars to a middle-aged man who is 6ft 3+?

The measurement of Blood glucose, I believe, is in relation to the rest of the composition of blood for a given quantity, ie, a percentage. If you measured the entirety of glucose in your blood stream, and found it was x, you’d also have to take into account the total volume of blood, which would be more in total than a petite person whose total amount of glucose would be smaller, but still in the same proportion to the total of blood they contain.

 

[BrainNotYetDead]

Welcome @BrainNotYetDead 🙂 If your blood sugar has been high for a while and you then bring it down quickly, you can get what are called false hypos, where you feel like you’re having a hypo but your blood sugar is normal.But also, the flozin drugs require people to eat some carbs. If you’re not eating enough carbs then that could be contributing too.

Normal blood sugars are what’s normal for everyone (although they do make allowance for the very old who might have sugars slightly at the higher end). I’m trying to think of a comparison: let’s say blood pressure. We all have the same target normal blood pressure no matter our size - because high blood pressure is potentially harmful as are high blood sugars whether you’re tiny, huge, 30yrs old or 60yrs old.

Thank you so much for your thoughtful response. I have never heard of a "false-hypo", so that's interesting.
I like your analogy for 'across the board' blood sugar levels, and thinking of it like blood pressure is definitely helpful, but then I also think of recommended calorie intakes for men vs. women - another 'across the board' number which surely must depend on the construction/make-up of the individual. It's just something I'm thinking about - but thank you again!

 

[BrainNotYetDead]

The measurement of Blood glucose, I believe, is in relation to the rest of the composition of blood for a given quantity, ie, a percentage. If you measured the entirety of glucose in your blood stream, and found it was x, you’d also have to take into account the total volume of blood, which would be more in total than a petite person whose total amount of glucose would be smaller, but still in the same proportion to the total of blood they contain.

Thank you! Very interesting. I don't suppose you're able to share where you found this information from? Just incase I fancied doing a little more digging?

 

[Robin]

Thank you! Very interesting. I don't suppose you're able to share where you found this information from? Just incase I fancied doing a little more digging?

I found the information in my own brain! I thought it through, and decided logically that must be the case.

 

[Inka]

Thank you so much for your thoughtful response. I have never heard of a "false-hypo", so that's interesting.
I like your analogy for 'across the board' blood sugar levels, and thinking of it like blood pressure is definitely helpful, but then I also think of recommended calorie intakes for men vs. women - another 'across the board' number which surely must depend on the construction/make-up of the individual. It's just something I'm thinking about - but thank you again!

Calorie needs can vary, eg a man walking to the South Pole might need 10,000+ per day; a pregnant women and a breastfeeding women will need more than a similar non-pregnant or lactating women, etc etc, but blood glucose, like blood pressure, is different. Both of those have a normal range necessary for the health of the body.