Taking 3 different tabs for type 2

A

Amanda BH

New Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hi I’ve been on Metformin SR 2 x 500mg morning and evening for years, they then added on a 10mg Empagliflozin in the last couple of years and now want to add 2 x 40mg Gliclazide. I can find no information on taking this cocktail, anywhere. Has anyone on here been taking this combination?
The choice I’ve been offered is add the Gliclazide or 10 units of insulin ‍♀️
My last fasting HbA1c was 72
 
Hi Amanda, I'm not on that combination but it is a recognised combination within the NICE guidelines where the combination of metformin and another medication aren't helping get your HbA1c down sufficiently. And as you say, the suggested alternative to triple therapy with non-insulin medications is to add insulin in


I'm pretty sure there will be others along who have taken or are taking that or a similar triple combination soon :care:
 
@Amanda BH welcome to the forum. I am still very new to diabetes. When you say fasting Hba1c is this just the normal test? I thought Hba1c was non fasting?
I got to 4 metformin last week with mixed results and reduced to 2 SR metaformin and an SGLT2 pill on Saturday. It was explained to me as being beneficial for my medical profile. I have high blood pressure although it is well controlled. So far I feel very well but haven't tried testing my blood yet. I am likely to go on a statin next week. My Hba1c were 69 end of June 64 end of July and 58 last week.
If asked I would say I would prefer not to go on insulin because despite previously being a blood donor I don't like the idea of injecting myself.

However, people here who use insulin appear cheerful and pragmatic. Hopefully someone will know the competing benefits.
 
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If you have now been offered another oral medication I assume there is no more you can do regarding your diet, sadly many GPs don't recognise the importance of diet in reducing blood glucose and keep adding more and more medication to counteract a too high carb diet for people to tolerate.
However if you are doing all you can on that front then the additional meds may be needed.
It would be worth looking at your carb intake by keeping a food diary of everything you eat and drink with an estimate of the carbs to see how far you are from a suggested no more than 130g carbs not just sugar per day. Many people do not realise that it is all carbs that convert to glucose and only take account of the 'sugar' so are having far more carbs that they can tolerate despite medications.
 
Hi @Amanda BH
like probably all T2’s and yourself, Ive been on Metformin ever since first diagnosis, then for me Glicazide was also introduced (for a while) I didn’t have a problem with it, but I only took it for a few months because at the time I was severely overweight, someone in the HCT decided it wouldn’t help in weight loss so for me Glicazide was dropped and I stayed on Metformin alone for about another 10 yrs before insulin was also introduced,
more recently like you now im also on Empagliflozin (I think it’s quite new) so taking that alongside my other meds,
I get the impression they are trying to get most T2 diabetics to take Empagliflozin alongside Metformin
for me this for a while for me came in the same tablet at a higher dose age of I think 25mg, but they reduced it after I spoke to DSN & GP, and on that one I’m taking just 10mg a day

prior to insulin being introduced I was back then very anxious and upset, and Hba1c probably higher than yours is
insulin for me has been ok been ok,
a few years ago I was taking a lot but now not much just 6/8 units,
but then again I’m eating a much healthier diet and lost a lot of weight

if any of my experience helps
 
Oral meds do tend to work well in combinations @Amanda BH

So the options you are being offered are quite common, especially if a person’s HbA1c check is not moving towards the recommended target.

Do you have an inkling about whether you’d prefer another oral med, or to try insulin?

Have you been trying additional menu tweaks to try to help your meds work more effectively?
 
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