[therave3154]

I was diagnosed with Type II diabetes 3 weeks ago and am having serious issues with the medications.

Was given Metformin to try which sent me running tot he bathroom with severe diarrhea within an hour of taking it. Then was switched to Glumetza, a time release form of Metformin and it did the same thing and made me feel awful, so I stopped it....Endocrinologist I was sent to switched me to Tradjenta, but that's sending me to the bathroom too along with stomach pains.

Anyone taking anything that is a lot less harsh...I can't continue to take these medications as I work in retail, work 3-4 nights a week, which means I am eating dinner at 10 p.m. every night so I can take medication in case I have a bout with diarrhea. I can't eat earlier at work or else I'm in the bathroom for 30 minutes which I can't do at work.

PLEASE HELP ME!!!!

 

[John.in.France]

Hello and :welcome:

I'm sorry but without a bit more information, it's difficult to say a lot. Can you give us more information on what your blood glucose figures looked like three weeks back and other than medication what guidance you were given particularly in respect of diet? What was your HbA1c, blood glucose reading and do you have any other issues complicating the matter?

Metformin is the safest of medications on offer to us but it can cause what is euphemistically called gastric distress when taken particularly with a high carbohydrate diet. The extended release version is normally a bit kinder in that respect but again, ideally used with a reduced carbohydrate diet.

Tradjenta is not a drug that I've heard many good things about and for instance, have a look at this page Updates to Blood Sugar 101: Kombiglyze and Tradjenta--Ineffective, Expensive, DPP-4 Inhibitors with Scary Side Effects The page is from the blog of the writer of Blood Sugar 101 , a site well worth exploring to get your head round this complex condition.

On the forum you'll find a bunch of friendly, nosy folk, happy to help with suggestions of what worked for them but they do need to know a bit more about your own situation rather than play guessing games.

Most of us subscribe to the idea of cutting back our carbohydrate intake along the lines of LCHF for Beginners - DietDoctor.com This approach lets us cut back and sometimes eliminate our need for medication entirely so it's an idea worth examining.

Again, :welcome: Please explore the forums and let us try to help you.

 

[therave3154]

My blood sugar was 188, which isn't super high,A1C was 9.9...I am on a low carb diet...and am following it...not cold turkey which wasn't recommended ...I'll have one slice of pizza or something else once a week just to ease into this....no other complications, but I can;t go on like this running to the bathroom....I agree with you on Tradjenta....I told my endocrinologist of my concerns with Tradjenta but she says its safe. I won't take it anymore based on that article and what I've felt with it.

 

[therave3154]

One more thing.... When I was diagnosed, it was from my physical blood work... I had no symptoms....

 

[silvertiger]

Hello and welcome!

188 is very high, 140 is where damage to your organs and tissues starts. You need to aim for a maximum BG of 140 at all times.

A low carb diet is OK, but almost impossible to maintain unless you add in healthy fat.

As a start, be sure to check out these sites:

Blood Sugar 101

LCHF for Beginners - DietDoctor.com

They contain a lot of great info about diabetes and the way to stay healthy.

Many of us here follow a low carb, high fat diet. It keeps your BG low and is heart healthy! Yes, you have been deceived all these years.

The Fat Question: Why fat doesn’t make you fat | Eat Naked Now

 

[John.in.France]

As you say, 188 isn't super high but that HbA1c suggests that on average you were running at around 230 for quite a while, so yes, action called for

Now the point with the low carb/High fat diet is that it has to be sustained until your body swaps over to using fat rather than sugar as its main fuel source. That takes about three weeks, and if you allow yourself that slice of pizza once a week, you start again at square one so you stay in the transition phase. This is particularly true if you've been careful during the rest of the time. That surge of sugar (and that's what it is) gets grabbed by your liver and used to the full - in the wrong way for us.

Have a look at this idea for making the change How to Lower Your Blood Sugar You do need a meter. If you haven't got one, I believe Walmart do an inexpensive Relion meter that will do the trick.

As regards your doctor's comment about drug safety, the bottom of this page makes some pretty telling comments that would give me serious reservations about it DPP-4 Inhibitors Januvia, Onglyza, Trajenta, Combiglyze, Janumet, and Jentadueto but...

In the short term, I suggest you focus on the diet. Some of our other members who use metformin will be able to give you ideas on how they coped with the issues it causes, so please watch this space...

 

[VeeJay]

Welcome, therave3154

You might want to check out the Diet Forum (the "meal" threads) and the Recipe section here on Diabetes Forum. There is no reason one has to have a "cheat meal" to be able to stick out a low-carb diet. And everytime you endulge in a high-carb meal you set yourself back to nearly square-one, with all the carb cravings that accompany it.

With BG levels soaring to 188, it would be in your best interest to set a goal of below 140 at all times, and do what it takes to achieve it. Your eyesight, your toes and feet, your kidneys... they will thank you for it.

 

[therave3154]

Part of my problem was that I had GOUT for a couple weeks before my bloodwork...and with gout, you're supposed to eat the opposite of diabetic...high carb, low fat/protein...so I bet it shot my sugar levels up because I was eating pasta and pizza a lot...

 

[Roxanne0312]

What are you eating? What is your a1c numbers? I had the same problems and now taking only insulins and it's been a much nicer experience.

 

[John.in.France]

OP confirmed

188, which isn't super high,A1C was 9.9.

 

[Shanny]

Part of my problem was that I had GOUT for a couple weeks before my bloodwork...and with gout, you're supposed to eat the opposite of diabetic...high carb, low fat/protein...so I bet it shot my sugar levels up because I was eating pasta and pizza a lot...

Not sure where you're getting this information, but I too, have gout and I have no conflict with my LCHF way-of-eating. I've been prescribed allopurinol for my gout, and it has kept me free from flare-ups for several years. Has your doctor prescribed anything for yours? If not, why not?

 

[Roxanne0312]

OP confirmed

Wow I was put on insulin with an a1c of 9.5. I guess I freak out when i see high numbers. 254 fasting this am, and yes i'm freaking out .lol

3 hours later was 125, two hours later 160 with no food taken in. But my retina specialist said my numbers are great.

 

[mbuster]

Welcome to the forum therave3154. A 9.9 HbA1c is pretty high, and you were very close to symptoms unless you were already having some and were attributing them to something else. First priority should be controlling you BG to less than 140 at all times. Damage and complications will come on slowly and surely if control is not achieved. Complacency about controlling is a common error most people have because damage occurs slowly. There is just a total lack of patient education about diabetes once a diagnosis is made.

Metformin can cause digestive upsets, especially with high carbs still in the diet. Maybe I missed it, but how much met were you taking? May be best to start at a small dosage and build it up over time. Also spit it up into 2 doses and take it with meals, not all at once or on an empty stomach.

Gout can be set off by too much protein. Using apple cider vinegar can help with keeping lactic acid from building up and there are medications that can keep gout suppressed.

 

[therave3154]

Do any of you have a recommendation of medication I can give my doctor since any version of Metformin and then Tradjenta gave me diarrhea badly?

Also, I hate the pricking of my finger....I'm squeamish with the blood stuff....and I'll admit it...any other meters that work without doing it?

 

[grammaB]

Hi therave3154 and welcome to the forum!

Sadly the only way we have now of checking our bg is with a blood glucose meter which requires a drop of blood. Try setting your lancet at the least deep setting required to get that drop. That may help it be not so bad. It will become second nature after a while.

It is really only in the beginning that we are testing 10-12 times a day as we build our personal safe food profile. Once established, maybe a month or two, you will not need to do such extensive testing. Do test all new foods though and occasionally go back and retest safe foods as ingredients can change.

 

[mbuster]

Well, there is insulin, but I'm guessing you wouldn't want to do that if you didn't have to since you have problems with getting blood to test your BG. As far as I'm concerned, insulin or metformin would by my only two safe choices. It is the side effects, even if only potential, that would keep me from ever using anything else.

How much met were you taking and how were you taking it? ?mg ?times a day before, with, after meal? Just in case you didn't catch it in my post. Also how long were you taking the met?

 

[therave3154]

I took metformin for a week switched to glumetza which is the same stuff just a time release....made me feel awful and diarrhea like crazy an hour after taking it....Was on 500 my to start then supposed to double it but never did cause it made me so sick

 

[Roxanne0312]

Do any of you have a recommendation of medication I can give my doctor since any version of Metformin and then Tradjenta gave me diarrhea badly?

Also, I hate the pricking of my finger....I'm squeamish with the blood stuff....and I'll admit it...any other meters that work without doing it?

You'll use to pricking your finger. I sure like to do it myself, can't stand anyone else doing it, especially a nurse. I think they get too much enjoyment out of it. LOL

 

[margilowry]

Hi there!

I'm chiming in because I, too, have been recently prescribed metformin. I take the generic for the osmotic extended release because I could not handle the "regular" fast-acting metformin in therapeutic doses.

Everyone is affected just a little bit differently by this drug, at least as far as side-effects go, but most everyone has some sort of gastrointestinal upset. Some get major heartburn pains, others, the opposite end -- like yourself.

I have found through my own dose titration that too many carbs in my daily food intake will make me have diarrhea. I also have found that if I have a bit of dairy, either in the form of cheese or yogurt with my meal and taking the pill *after* I have eaten helps with the stomach upset/heartburn.

I hope this helps!

 

[therave3154]

I may have to try metformin again cause Tradjenta was even worse and has bad side effects......there has to be something that's less harsh on stomachs