I can't believe what I did or didn't do

Avatar for cl_maryfrances40
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
I can't believe what I did or didn't do
7
Thu, 07-12-2007 - 1:53am

This morning I got really early because of cramps in my leg and then I couldn't go back to sleep. Plus that I was dawning this morning which means that at 5:30am my blood sugar was 110 and at 8am when I ate my breaksfast it was 125. Drats! Anyway I was getting ready to go to work, talking and playing with Abby and eating my breakfast. I took the three oral diabetic meds that I am on but I totally forgot to take my insulin and my symlin.


I realized at 1pm what I had done or better yet what I hadn't done. What really surprised me is that I had a 68 blood sugar at 10:30 and I had to treat that. This is the first time that I have ever forgotten to take my insulin.


For everyone's learning curve when you are on long acting insulin and you forget it like I did, you can't just take it or even reduce your dose because the insulin lasts 22-24 hours and so when you take it the next day like you are supposed to you will over dose on the insulin because of the residual in your system.


So I am quite red faced. But as I told one of you yesterday, there are no saints around here and we can all blow at one time or another.






iVillage Member
Registered: 07-12-2007
I just registered with iVillage and hope to gather a lot of information on all subjects related to Diabetes and what works best for weight loss. I am taking a relatively new diabetes drug called Duetact. Do you know much about it? Before taking it, I was having horrible attacks of PVC's and PAC's. For some reason, since taking Duetact, they have subsided - thank goodness! They were driving me crazy! I was diagnosed with Type II DM about two years ago and it's been so hard trying to lose weight. My BMI is 27.25 and while I am not obese, I do need to lose about 25 pounds. I spoke with my doctor recently about not being able to lose weight, despite a strict diabetic diet and exercise. She informed me, that, unfortunately, a side effect of Duetact was weight gain, primarily, fluid retention. I also take Diovan HCTZ that has a diuretic in it and I still can't seem to lose the weight. Any suggestions as to what else I might do? I am a liftime member of Weight Watchers, but I stopped going to the meetings when I realized I couldn't shed the weight each week because of the medication. I really do like not having the PVC's and don't want to change the medication, Duetact. Sorry about such a long message. Any info you have will help...Thanks.
Avatar for cl_maryfrances40
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003

Hi and welcome to the board.


As you know from Weight Watchers you didn't gain the weight over night and you won't lose it that way either. The key is eating the proper portion size and increasing your physical activity. I don't know the drug that you mentioned but I will look it up tomorrow. It is almost midnight where I am and so I need to go to bed. But I didn't want you to think that I wouldn't answer your message.


Please pull up a chair and join our conversation. We are here to help you in any way that we can. I will get back to you about what I find out about your medication.


Cheers and a hardy welcome,


Avatar for cl_maryfrances40
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003

This took some sleuthing to find out what you were taking. Your drug is made by Takeda who is a big firm in making diabetic meds. Comes out of Japan. Duetact is a combination drug with Pioglitazone and glimepiride. Pioglitazone is commonly called Actos. It is also made by Takeda. Glimepiride is a sulfonylurea who's common name was Amaryl. It has apparently gone generic and is no longer made by the original company. What this means is that the patent on the drug has run out and so it is not economically feasible for the original company to make it anymore.


Duetact come with two doses of the glimepiride, 2 mg and 4 mg. There are cardiac problems with both of the compounds although less with the glimepiride. Actos was not implicated in the recent concerns about its sister drug Avandia. It has also been out on the market longer than Avandia. The number one complaint with Actos and Avandia by patients is weight gain. So I am not surprised that you haven't been able to lose anymore weight. The sulfonylurea also cause weight gain, usually in the 15 pound range.


Why this would have an affect on your PVC's and PAC's is a mystery to me. I don't know that blood sugar fluctuations would trigger either of these. Ask your doctor about this. I would recommend that you be followed closely for any heart problems/heart failure with this medication. I am not sure if this was offered to me that I would take it. I used to take Amaryl but it began to drop my blood sugars too low after I was started on long acting insulin and so I am now on a different drug. I liked the fact that it came in so many dose sizes that you could really fine tune it to what the person needed.


These are just my thoughts. Any advise I may give is not a substitute for medical advise from a health care practitioner of your choice.






Avatar for cl_maryfrances40
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003

Thanks for your email. I am glad that you are doing well on the medication. Actos is indicated for people who can't tolerate metformin. The reason that your blood sugars are higher in the morning is because of insulin resistance. Actos is used to breakdown insulin resistance.


I am pretty cautious with some of these meds. Plus, I really don't like the combination meds because if you have a problem you never know which one caused it. But it has been found that patients are more compliant when they can take a combination med and of course it is cheaper because you only have to pay one deductible.


But HOORAY if you are doing well. That's all we can ask for. Please continue to come and visit us and report in on how you are doing.


What board are you a cl of?






iVillage Member
Registered: 11-28-2005

In regard to:


 

Amy

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-12-2007
I know what you are going through with trying to control your blood sugar and lose weight, too. It is SO frustrating! I am a lifetime member of WW also, since 1980. I was even a leader at one time. The points system was new to me when I rejoined a year ago. I finally dropped out again because I couldn't lose the weight. The diabetes meds I am on interferes with weight loss. It sometimes feels my metabolism has just shut down! WW now has the "CORE" program that eliminates most "bad" carbs (the white ones). I now eat only brown rice, whole wheat bread, and more fiber. My blood sugars are within range now and I don't have so many lows. I am still not losing the weight like I would like to, but I'm not gaining either. I am a Type II diabetic and was diagnosed about two years ago and finding the right meds has been an up hill battle, but hopefully this one will work. I hope you are able to give the "Core" plan on WW a try. It might help. Keep in touch and good luck!
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-28-2005

In regard to:

 

Amy