Use of prescribed meds

Status
Not open for further replies.
G

Garnionda

New Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Carer/Partner
My partner has type 2 diabetes and is currently using Dexcom G7 to monitor progress. He uses his prescribed meds to address highs rather than using them at intervals suggested by specialist nurse. Is this okay?
 
Garnionda said:
My partner has type 2 diabetes and is currently using Dexcom G7 to monitor progress. He uses his prescribed meds to address highs rather than using them at intervals suggested by specialist nurse. Is this okay?
Click to expand...
Welcome to the forum.
You need to be specific as to what those meds are as there are many different diabetic medication and they act in different ways.
Also what dietary regime is he following.
When you say 'highs' when do they occur and how high.
Sorry for all the questions but without that information nobody can say if it is might be OK or not
 
Partner is on 4 methotrexate, 1 sitagliptin and 4 gliclazide a day. Highs have been well above 10. His main concern is the hours - up to 12 - before number is back in range
 
Garnionda said:
My partner has type 2 diabetes and is currently using Dexcom G7 to monitor progress. He uses his prescribed meds to address highs rather than using them at intervals suggested by specialist nurse. Is this okay?
Click to expand...
To me it would seem ok. The info that comes with my Diabetic med says take the two tablets together, but I take them morning and night. At the end of the day what impact does this have what he is doing. People abuse prescription meds, but equally you can be very flexible with them. Ask a doctor.
 
Garnionda said:
Partner is on 4 methotrexate, 1 sitagliptin and 4 gliclazide a day. Highs have been well above 10. His main concern is the hours - up to 12 - before number is back in range
Click to expand...
Sounds like he needs to take the meds when they are prescribed not just when he feels like he needs them if his blood sugar is high.

Perhaps if he took them as prescribed rather than waiting to see if he goes high then he wouldn’t go as high in the first place.
 
methotrexate is not a diabetes drug, so what interaction is it having with your partners blood sugars.
 
Lucyr said:
Sounds like he needs to take the meds when they are prescribed not just when he feels like he needs them if his blood sugar is high.

Perhaps if he took them as prescribed rather than waiting to see if he goes high then he wouldn’t go as high in the first place.
Click to expand...
Yep. Try sticking to the prescribed times and see what happens.
 
Both those medications encourage to pancreas to produce more insulin but act in slightly different ways. But they should be taken as prescribed. The sitagliptin, once a day usually with breakfast and the gliclazide half the dose with breakfast and half with evening meal. Unless they are slow release in which case they would be taken with breakfast only.
The criteria people use is that blood glucose should be no more than 8-8.5mmol/l 2 hours post meal if it is then the meal is too carb heavy.
With those medications there is a possibility of low blood glucose but that doesn't sound as if it is a problem. If it is higher than desirable then although he is counting the carbs he has they may still be too much, do you know what he is having.
You mention the methotrexate which is often used for inflammatory conditions which can be autoimmune, so I wonder if he may be misdiagnosed and be Type 1 as autoimmune conditions are sometimes linked.
What is his HbA1C as that may indicate some thing if still high despite those medications.
 
Before I was put on insulin I was on Metformin and Gliclazide. I mentioned to the DN that I had taken my evening dose before I had a late lunch a few times, instead of taking it with my evening meal. I would also have had a very light evening meal to compensate. My DN said I was not to do that as that is not how these medications work. They need to be taken at the prescribed times, i.e. with breakfast and evening meal.
 
Rather than doing what you are told I would suggest doing what works best.
 
RichardsUsername said:
Rather than doing what you are told I would suggest doing what works best.
Click to expand...
Knowing how the medications work means you can make an informed decision about how to take them and whether it is a good idea to change what is prescribed.
I did hear that a pharmacist had told somebody that is was perfectly fine to cut slow release medication in half to make them easier to swallow, clearly they don't work properly if that is done.
 
Leadinglights said:
Knowing how the medications work means you can make an informed decision about how to take them and whether it is a good idea to change what is prescribed.
I did hear that a pharmacist had told somebody that is was perfectly fine to cut slow release medication in half to make them easier to swallow, clearly they don't work properly if that is done.
Click to expand...
Just a suggestion on top of best practice. As you have just indicated a professional, pharmacist gave incorrect instruction.
 
Garnionda said:
Partner is on 4 methotrexate, 1 sitagliptin and 4 gliclazide a day. Highs have been well above 10. His main concern is the hours - up to 12 - before number is back in range
Click to expand...

It doesn’t sound like your partners medications are quite in-step with his menu - but of he isn’t taking his meds regularly as prescribed then that can be very difficult to ascertain. Some diabetes meds work by building up in the system to a specific concentration, which is regularly topped-up and maintained to help support the function of the metabolism.

I suspect it will be easier to see if the balance of meds and menu is working well if he takes the tablets at the recommended times - then adjustments can be made to either dose or meals to better balance food and tablets 🙂
 
Is he getting any exercise? Is he active? If that's an option I would suggest putting that into your tool box. Potentially the highs will then take a lot less time to reduce.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top