Victoza

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MollDoll81
MollDoll81 Posts: 43
in Motivation and Support
Hi all.
I'm a 31 year old type 2 diabetic, sitting here around 230 lbs (I've played with 15 pounds back and forth over the course of my journey as a diabetic, though I'm down from an all time high of 265ish).

After five years of varying success with a Metformin and later added Januvia regimen, I've started experiencing my blood sugars coming up at night while I sleep- waking sugars are often 200, and am at a very high A1C reading of 10. I have been INCREDIBLY fatigued lately, sleeping nearly 11 hours every night, and dragging tail throughout my work days, and being lazy on my weekends.

My doctor is wanting to start me on Victoza, with high hopes that it will not only assist me with getting my sugars under control rapidly, as well as helping out with some weight loss. I was to go in on Monday, but the appointment has been rescheduled to this coming Friday.

I'm nervous. I'm nervous about moving to an injectable medication, and feeling a little bit of chronic-disease-burnout and frustration. I'm frustrated because sometimes this takes SO MUCH WORK just to keep things on an even keel, and I'm not even managing to do that well. I'm scared of the side effects and the warnings of lab critters developing thyroid cancer on this medication. I love the positive reviews that Victoza gets, but changing medications usually makes me quite nauseated.

Does anyone have any experience with Victoza? Would anyone be willing to share with me what I may want to anticipate as far as nausea (how bad? how long?) or other side effects? Has anyone struggled with fatigue while on it, or has your energy level evened out or improved? Has anyone had really good results?

And would anyone want to add me as a friend as I dive into this next round of fun times with type 2 diabetes:wink: ? I could use the support, as most of my well-meaning and lovable family and friends don't quite know how a long-term disease can mess with your head sometimes, and think it should be as simple as taking a walk and not eating cake.

Thanks for reading this novel. I look forward to any experiences or advice. :flowerforyou:

Replies

  • DebraLosesIt
    DebraLosesIt Posts: 60 Member
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    I love you Molly and wish I could help.
  • MollDoll81
    MollDoll81 Posts: 43
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    Thanks darlin. :flowerforyou:
  • bunnymum150
    bunnymum150 Posts: 311
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    Victoza is a medicine category GLP-1 agonist. This is a wonderful class of medications! This class of meds works in a variety of ways:
    *helps restore first phase insulin production (this is the insulin that is secreted right after eating)
    *helps suppress glucagon production (glucagon is a hormone that signals the liver to release sugar)
    *helps with satiety (will make you feel full quicker than in the past
    *gut activity (helps slow the passage/breakdown/absorption of food/carbs, there by having a lesser rise in BG levels after eating)
    *helps with weight loss

    other meds in this same class
    bydureon: once weekly injections
    byetta: twice daily injections (breakfast and eve meal)
    victoza: once daily injections (pick a time and give daily at the same time)

    if you decide to go with bydureon, it may be several weeks before you see significant changes in your BG levels as it takes some time for med to get to therapeutic level. at your 3 month A1C after starting bydureon your A1C will show some improvement, but there should be a significant change at your 6 month A1C after starting bydureon.

    I would definitely suggest going with a GLP-1 than starting basal insulin (lantus/levemir) as the GL-1 meds work/target so many areas of the body that are issues with type 2 DM. With insulin, you are just replacing insulin, and as more glucose/sugar gets in to your system, it is as if you are eating more, and we all know what happens when we eat more and do not burn it off.....

    I would also suggest meeting with a certified diabetes educator (nurse or dietician) for a balanced meal plan to assist with your BG and weight loss goals.

    Thank you for asking and allowing me to share with you - I am a CDE (certified diabetes educator) and love working with people whom really want to learn.

    With that being said, i have a wealth of knowledge, but still need the support of MFP to reach/achieve my goals and have recently found that tracking is the key for me. this is the first time on my weight loss journey that I am doing this primarily for a lifetime of great health, and not primarily to look better for an event.

    Best to you!:heart::smile:
  • MollDoll81
    MollDoll81 Posts: 43
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    Thank you Bunnymum!
  • tmlandgraf
    tmlandgraf Posts: 79 Member
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    I have type 1 diabetes (going on 23 years) but my doctor had me try Victoza a couple years ago to see if it would help with weight loss. The Victoza did make a difference with my appetite and it did help with a slow weight loss. The naseau would only effect me every now and again but when I did feel it, I would just drink some water and take some deep breaths which usually did the trick. As a type 1, I am used to injections since I am 100% insulin dependent, so the injections didn't bother me. The needles are very small for the Victoza, if that is any sort of comfort. I would be willing to go back on it if my insurance would continue to pay for it - it's very expensive if they won't cover it which for most type 1 diabetics, they won't (it's really only approved for type 2 but shows benefits for type 1's). I got away with it for about a year before the insurance picked up on it and stopped paying for it.

    I hope you find the answers you are looking for. Good luck to you!
  • MollDoll81
    MollDoll81 Posts: 43
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    Thank you so much!

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