Four days ago, I was dreadfully ill. So much so that I barely got out of bed. My illness has been on-going for about three years now - about the time the company changed our insurance.
It started with a drug called Victoza. I went in to see the endocrinologist and he told me I was doing things the "old school" way. He switched me from R and NPH insulin to Humalog and Victoza. From the Victoza website:
The following percentages come from the studies in which people took Victoza only, not in combination with other diabetes medications; thus, these numbers probably most fairly represent the actual likelihood of Victoza causing these adverse reactions. In other words, the results are not skewed by the simultaneous use of other diabetes medications.
In these studies, the most common Victoza side effects included:
Nausea -- in up to 28.4 percent of people
Diarrhea -- up to 17.1 percent
Vomiting -- up to 10.9 percent
Constipation -- up to 9.9 percent
Upper respiratory tract infection (such as the common cold) -- up to 9.5 percent....
Gastrointestinal problems (particularly nausea, diarrhea, or vomiting) usually are most common when people first start taking Victoza and generally improve gradually with time. Also, such reactions are more common with a higher Victoza dosage.
I had such reactions as I had a high dose of Victoza. I complained to my doctor about what was going on in my body and he had me get an endoscopy, a procedure done under anesthesia in which a scope in placed down your throat to look at the digestive tract.
The results of the endoscopy showed that my stomach wasn't "churning" properly. Because it wasn't, I was diagnosed with GERD and Gastroparesis. My diet was changed to help deal with the symptoms both conditions created.
The condition didn't improve a whole lot. When I went for a follow-up visit with the endo doc, he casually mentioned that Victoza was known to slow the churning of the stomach. He switched me from Victoza to Toujeo. I fared much better with the Toujeo. Toujeo, though, is a Tier 4 drug and after a year on it, the insurance refused to cover it and the "coupon" for the drug was no longer valid. At one point, I went to pick it up at the pharmacy and I was told the special insulin would be over $1,000 a month.
Nice. Nowhere does it mention side effects similar to the Victoza, but I went right back to the exact same ones I'd had before.
To think, all this started because a smart-ass doctor decided he didn't want me to do things the "old school" way. What I was, was a guinea pig for new drugs.
I resent that. A lot.
So, since I was so ill with these side effects a few days ago, I decided to live dangerously and take back my health. I have gone off all my drugs. I am monitoring my blood sugars very carefully. I am paying attention to what I'm eating. My stomach hasn't reacted with the symptoms of GERD or Gastroparesis.
I'll slowly add back some of the prescriptions until I figure out which one is making me sick. Today, I added back my Humalog. At this point it appears to be keeping my daytime sugar levels in check. A few more fasting blood sugar readings and I'll add back the Levomir, at much smaller amounts until I find a dosage that won't produce the side effects.
In the search for a new job, I can't afford to randomly call in because of side effects. If the side effects are caused by the Levermir as I suspect, then I will go back to "old school" and begin using NPH as a long acting insulin. Again, being very careful and watching for any similar side effects.
I don't believe I will have them as I did not have them when I was on NPH before. However, I'm uncertain what these new drugs have done to my digestive tract. Hopefully, my body can recover and there won't be any lasting effects.
As a number of you reading this blog are diabetic or pre-diabetic, I'll keep you informed.