T2 not quite newbie, but needs help/advice regarding drugs

[Jessica Rabbit1]

Hi. Im a not quite a diabetes newbie. Was diagnosed as a T2 four and a half years ago at 58, lost over 5 stones, got my eating back into some order and within 6 months has managed to get my T2 into remission. Kept it there during covid, looked after myself and my diet and felt very well. Went for my annual blood test and review and was shocked to find out my Hb1ac was 104, and my mmol tested at 25 in the doctors surgery!!!!! Having tested in the mid 40s up until then my doctor had me called straight back in. Apparently this is hereditary as my dad suffered from diabetes in the same way.

Was put immediately onto 4 slow release Metformin tablets a day, taken once a day and 4 slow release Glicaside tablets taken twice a day. The first six weeks (diagnosed mid October) were grim with a horrible metallic taste in my mouth, a lot of nausea, very upset stomach and a loss of appetite. After that six weeks it levelled out a bit, but I still have days where those horrible feelings return, and yesterday was one of them. Plus Im finding I need to eat little and often, or those feelings return if I get hungry and I feel really unwell for a whole day. Thankfully my mmol is now 5.8-7.5.

Im pretty fit, I weight train properly 3-4 times a week at the gym, have a great PT who has helped me with weight loss and nutrition, and I have a horse who I ride 4-5 times a week, do watch what I eat, dont drink at all (out of choice), dont smoke and walk my dog every day so Im pretty active. Ive just needed to make sure I check my mmol regularly, as managed to give myself a couple of hypos after some heavy weight lifting with my PT, and also after a very long, fast hack, but as long as I check it, I can manage. Went from nearly 17 stones in 2019 to 11.7 stones now, at just under 5 foot 6, and doing a fair bit of weight training Im not massively huge these days (thank goodness).

What I am asking is that how long do I have to put up with the side effects of these drugs? The feedback Ive got from other T2s is that go with it, its vile but it does go. I have my next review appointment in January so will bring it up then, but I just wondered if any of you out there could give me some advice on this. It may well be that I need to change my medication, if thats the case thats is fine, but would love to hear other T2s experiences. Thank you.

 

[Alijp]

I'm in the process of transitioning from insulin onto Metformin, started off with one tablet per day for a week and now up on 2 per day, should be on 4 per day between Xmas and New Year. I must be one of the very lucky ones because apart from one bout of diarrhoea a couple of days after starting on them I haven't had any stomach issues at all. I have noticed a slight metallic taste in my mouth occasionally though.

 

[trophywench]

You complain about the side effects of the medication to your GP and tell em how miserable they are making you - there are now shedloads of newer T2 drugs available - as well as insulin.

Speaking of the latter - what tests have actually been done to determine whether you are still producing insulin? It's perfectly and more than likely possible in my view, that you aren't now producing your own and were misdiagnosed as T2 in the first place, whereas you may actually have something termed LADA - Latent Auto-immune Diabetes of Adults. This very often responds to Type 2 drugs to begin with then a bit later morphs into behaving exactly like Type 1 and ONLY responding to the standard requirement for 'ordinary' Type 1 diabetes, ie insulin jabs - when all the technology of treating Type 1 diabetes 'suddenly' also becomes available to the patient - insulin pumps, CGMs, whatever's available and needed.

 

[Inka]

The answer is personal to you @Jessica Rabbit1 and depends on how bad effects you’re getting, how much you’re prepared to put up with, and how much they’re helping.

I think if it were me, I’d investigate other options. I hope you get it sorted x

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @Jessica Rabbit1

I’m a little befuddled about your timeline, and whether you started on the Metformin / Glic this October just gone, or 4 years ago?

Many forum folks who start with a bit of a reaction to oral meds find they do settle down after a while, but we also have members who find their side effects just continue and one or other of the oral meds never really suit them

Metformin is the one I associate most with a metallic taste in the mouth. Several anti-diabetes drugs seem to cause a little gastric upheaval, at least temporarily.

Perhaps it would be worth chatting to your Dr about discontinuing one of your meds (eg SR Met) to see if your symptoms improve?