[Diabetes-Talk] Questions regarding Victoza and ending treatment

Fri Jun 14 21:31:16 UTC 2019

Hi Terri.
First, the high BG alone could contribute to the swelling in your legs. One place you could start would be to do one injection of long-acting insulin, usually at night. That way you're not yet doing insulin with every meal but you could have a better basal insulin. And frankly, most type two's I know say they feel so much better once they start insulin and wonder why they resisted. My hubby has been unable to tolerate a bunch of Type 2 meds, including Trulicity. He hasn't yet started Victoza because using Tresiba long-acting insulin is starting to help. I hope this gives you options when you talk with your doctor.
Veronica

"Guide Dogs, First Hand", Veronica Elsea's classic album is now available on iTunes, along with other music from her and from the Guide Dog Glee Club. 
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-----Original Message-----
From: Diabetes-Talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Jamie Gurganus via Diabetes-Talk
Sent: Friday, June 14, 2019 1:58 PM
To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'
Cc: jamielgurganus at gmail.com
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-Talk] Questions regarding Victoza and ending treatment

Terry,

     I exercise with a woman who is type2, and she started on Trulicity  several months ago.  She said she is doing great on it.  She does still take the Metforman with it though.  Having been insulin dependent most of my life, I am not up on all of the options for oral medications.  The Trulicity is a weekly injection that she gives herself.  If I am correct the one that you just stopped was what she stopped taking on her own, because it had a $600 co-pay each month.  She said the Trulicity only costs $50 a month.

  				Jamie

-----Original Message-----
From: Diabetes-Talk <diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Terri Stimmel via Diabetes-Talk
Sent: Friday, June 14, 2019 3:29 PM
To: Diabetes-talk <Diabetes-Talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Terri Stimmel <princessterri76 at gmail.com>
Subject: [Diabetes-Talk] Questions regarding Victoza and ending treatment

Hello everyone,

As my subject says, I have some questions regarding Victoza. I have been taking this medication for at least three years now. Maybe a little bit longer. I have been taking 1.8 units for quite a while now. Not long after I started it actually. In the beginning, for about the first two or three weeks of starting it, it made me very ill! I almost quit taking it. That’s how bad it was. I was extremely nauseated, and was throwing up almost every morning. Anyway, I have stuck with it over the years. It did help me lose a little weight. And it did help control my blood sugar pretty well.
However, it has always seemed to make me pretty constipated, and I could still have nausea. But I think part of that is due to being so constipated. I got tired of feeling this way. Plus, anytime I have ended up in the hospital, they don’t have this medication. So then I am off of it for a few days. Which is never helpful when you have to restart it. So after a lot of consideration, and talking it out with my boyfriend, I decided to stop the Victoza. I did not want to be nauseated anymore, or constipated. Which now this does seem a lot better.

However, my blood sugar is quite high now. I do not eat a diabetic diet. I never really have. But I do try to watch what I eat to a point. Anyway, I have an appointment set up with my doctor for the 20th of this month. Already had an appointment toward the end of this month anyway. But, I did call them and told them that I stopped the medication. So they tried to get me in a little earlier. I know he is not going to be thrilled about this. I want him to understand that I did not do this to be noncompliant. And also, in my last couple visits, I did try to explain to him why I wanted to stop the medication. I wanted to get back on the Met Forman. But he did not feel this was a good choice for me again. He said it was too dangerous. So in a way I felt like he wasn’t hearing me. Which is usually not the case with him. So I really think I just need to express myself more.

With all that said though, I have noticed that along with my blood sugar being high, sometimes over 400, my legs and feet have been swollen. Now I can deal with this every once in a while, or maybe a day or so. But usually it is not an ongoing thing. So this be a strange result, or reaction from stopping the Victoza? Or is this just a coincidence most likely?

Any thoughts or suggestions are appreciated. I would just like to know others experiences who have maybe had to stop this medication. I want to find out what alternatives might be out there besides a medicine that can make you feel so awful!

Thank you,

Terri

Sent from my iPhone
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