I'm having problems managing Type 2 Diabetes with medication

Posted by jeannetta @jeannetta, May 19, 2020

Does anyone have problems with diabetic medication? i feel like i am being murdered.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Diabetes & Endocrine System Support Group.

@templely

Good morning yes I'm a diabetic since 2016 and the doctors really didn't tell me until 2017 so I'm on metformin and I take it off and on cause of the danger side affect. I walk everyday, drink plenty of water with lemons. and eat an healthy meal but that's some times hard for me. can you give me some Ideals on meals.

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Hi @templely and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect.
You might be interested in reading and posting to this discussion about diabetes and healthy food choices.
- Type 2 diabetes & questions about how to better manage diet https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/diagnosed-one-year-ago-with-type-2-diabetes/

I agree with @dorisena about the recommendation of the Mayo Clinic Diet book (https://marketplace.mayoclinic.com/shop/healthy-lifestyle/book/the-mayo-clinic-diet-second-edition_295400)
Or more specifically
- The Mayo Clinic Diabetes Diet https://marketplace.mayoclinic.com/shop/healthy-lifestyle/book/the-mayo-clinic-diabetes-diet-second-edition_296100

You might also be interested in this one:
- Mayo Clinic The Essential Diabetes Book https://marketplace.mayoclinic.com/shop/diseases-and-conditions/book/mayo-clinic-the-essential-diabetes-book-second-edition_295100

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@dorisena

There isn't enough room to share all the good food out there for diabetics. You can make it easy by reading lists on the web and learning which carbs are better and which are worse. I recommend the Mayo Clinic diet book which is practical and is for everyone because you can choose a comfortable number of daily calories and then follow the number of proteins, vegetables, fruit, bread, and dairy for your goals. Also you can find free recipes for just about any food on the web and I seldom use a cookbook anymore except for my old reliable recipes. It is a great hobby learning how to eat for good health if you give up buying food in boxes, packages, and mixed with Heaven Knows What for your meals. You can make tasty meals in the oven that have good flavor. I do use chicken boullion to make tasty soups out of leftovers. Now that we are stuck at home so much, it is a fun hobby to learn to cook well. Dorisena

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How I wish I could acquire your habits. I'm not fond of cooking anymore. I'm 77, and I don't have much enthusiasm for it or many other of my old hobbies. Marie

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@loaks

Jeannetta, as I was sitting here contemplating what to do about my painful gassy stomach and the rolling pain under my ribs...I read your post! I've not done well with the medication Metformin or others. I said something to my pharmacist and she said try half a Metformin. I did and it's been pretty ok.
In the beginning of taking Metformin my stomach was really unhappy and I was nauseated. I talked to a gastroenterologist. She prescribed prilosec. It helped a little after two weeks but I was so uncomfortable I called her again. She said stop the Metformin for 3 days to see what happened. All the problems went away. It felt good but I started back on it. Just yesterday something has happened to cause me to have gas, pain under my ribs and I'm not able to eat much. I decided to stop the Metformin a few days and give my system a rest. I realize I'm not supposed to disobey orders but I've had it!! I'm not sure but I've been a bit upset at losing my nephew on Sunday so maybe that's part of the problem.
I was so surprised when you mentioned the pain under your ribs.That's been my experience, too.
Leslee

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I am so sorry for your loss. Anxiety and stress certainly don't help our gastro. system. I took metformin for 8 years and had horrible gastro. symptoms. My dr. diagnosed me with IBS and it was really bad. After diet change, got off of metformin and all my symptoms went away. It was wonderful. Stayed off for 2 years, but had a bad virus which attacked my organs. Blood sugar and pressure went sky high. They put me back on metformin and my stomach bloated up like I was ready to deliver a baby. Nauseated, diarrhea and same symptoms I had before. Got off of it... Tried trulicity and was horribly sick for a week until it wore off. It gave me same symptoms as metformin. Waiting for my dr. appointment to come up....

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@mummy43

How I wish I could acquire your habits. I'm not fond of cooking anymore. I'm 77, and I don't have much enthusiasm for it or many other of my old hobbies. Marie

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Mummy, it is not that I cook so much but that I have this raw food from the garden and I need to use it up. Some times I just chop and eat the raw veggies and cook the next day. Or I cook more at one time and eat the leftovers the next day. A good size pot of soup can last several days or I put a serving or two in the freezer for when I just don't want to dirty the kitchen. If you purchase more fresh food, you will like the flavor better. Buy something different, like Brussel sprouts and find a recipe with cheese on it. Put it in the oven. You can put different things in plain brown rice to make it more interesting and flavorful. I like my odd combinations I put together. My family thinks I am a little weird but they have learned to accept my throwing extra veggies in a dish. Beside, it looks pretty when you add red sweet peppers to green veggies. I add peas to French onion soup. Or maybe, little scraps of meat. It all tastes good to me these days. Dorisena

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@loaks

I'm seeing my primary care Dr in 9 days and I was going to ask him about it. I feel like he can help me as much. The endocrinologist always seems in such a hurry. She said she could write me a prescription for a dietician but hasn't. I wasn't sure if she was waiting until I saw her again in late July. I've only seen her twice. I felt like she couldn't see me more. It's been a struggle to figure this all out. I have learned more from the forum.
I wasn't real happy about another problem with my liver. The endocrinologist had it checked and the numbers were much higher than the normal it should be. I tried to ask about it but she sorta just blew it off. I asked again the second appointment and she said I needed to talk to my primary care doctor. Ok I am and I'll also talk to him about the diabetes too and see if he'd write the prescription for the dietician.
I'm struggling with fatigue and my hair seems to be coming out. I'm not sure if those are liver problems. I wonder sometimes how I'm so patient!! Good thing I am or I'd scream.
Thanks. Leslee

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@loaks Hello Leslee,

It has been a while since you last posted about questions regarding your Type II Diabetes. How are doing now? Did you get some questions answered by your doctor or get in to see a certified dietician?

I would enjoy hearing from you again. Will you post an update?

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@mummy43

How I wish I could acquire your habits. I'm not fond of cooking anymore. I'm 77, and I don't have much enthusiasm for it or many other of my old hobbies. Marie

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I have had friends who decided they didn't need to go to the effort to cook anymore, and one of them soon was very sick. Since I live alone, I have learned how important it is to care about myself and treat myself well with cooking. No one else is doing it for me. So I practice treating myself well. I am worth the effort. On the days I don't want to cook, I eat dishes I put in the freezer that provide what I need for a balanced diet. Yes, I don't have high interest in my old hobbies, but am learning it is o.k. to go easy some days, so long as I don't deprive myself of good health care. Once in a while my granddaughter offers to get take out from a restaurant and she is learning what I will and won't eat, so that is a good feeling. Most people don't consider my diabetic needs, or they forget my condition. Mummy, you are worth the best care there is, and you will feel good when you do it whether or not the sweeping and dusting ever gets done well.
Dorisena

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jeannetta, I realize this is an old post but here’s my 5cents.
I have tried just about every medicine. I can tolerate Glipizide but it wasn’t enough. Then metformin. Oh my Lord. I tried it every way: once a day twice a day, morning or evening, break it in half, before or after meals. But I couldn’t live with the IBS type symptoms and disasters. Think adult diapers!!!
Then
Victoza - lost weight then lost my gallbladder
Invokana - constant yeast and bladder infections
Ozempic
Trulucity
Januvia
Others…

In every case I had the severe version of some side effect.

Went to endocrinologist and she said maybe I should have gastric bypass surgery. ??? Believe me when I say I know I’m overweight. I wear an XL or 1X, but surgery? So I quit that doctor.

My regular doc suggested we try one that wasn’t so bad before. So I tried Januvia again. After a week of joint pain it settled down. But my numbers didn’t improve and I was constipated. Hmm?

I read that there was a combination drug of januvia (constipation) and Metformin (intense diarrhea) so I decided to try a combination as I had both prescriptions. Januvia in the morning and metformin at night. So far it seems to be working well. Next I’m going to cut out the glipizide and see how I do.

I am trying to exercise more as I build up strength since knee surgery and kidney stone surgery last year.

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Is lantus better than generic? I had 1 endo tell me it is & another endo tell me it's the same?

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@verify

jeannetta, I realize this is an old post but here’s my 5cents.
I have tried just about every medicine. I can tolerate Glipizide but it wasn’t enough. Then metformin. Oh my Lord. I tried it every way: once a day twice a day, morning or evening, break it in half, before or after meals. But I couldn’t live with the IBS type symptoms and disasters. Think adult diapers!!!
Then
Victoza - lost weight then lost my gallbladder
Invokana - constant yeast and bladder infections
Ozempic
Trulucity
Januvia
Others…

In every case I had the severe version of some side effect.

Went to endocrinologist and she said maybe I should have gastric bypass surgery. ??? Believe me when I say I know I’m overweight. I wear an XL or 1X, but surgery? So I quit that doctor.

My regular doc suggested we try one that wasn’t so bad before. So I tried Januvia again. After a week of joint pain it settled down. But my numbers didn’t improve and I was constipated. Hmm?

I read that there was a combination drug of januvia (constipation) and Metformin (intense diarrhea) so I decided to try a combination as I had both prescriptions. Januvia in the morning and metformin at night. So far it seems to be working well. Next I’m going to cut out the glipizide and see how I do.

I am trying to exercise more as I build up strength since knee surgery and kidney stone surgery last year.

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Now I'm on synjardy & I have constant uti/yeast! Anybody had better results??

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Haven’t tried that one.

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