does meds affect glucose: evening... - British Heart Fou...

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does meds affect glucose

Shoshov profile image
28 Replies

evening everyone. looking for your input if possible. about 6 months ago i had all my diabetic meds stopped as was told i’d reversed my type 2 diabetes. since day 1 iv gradually put on a stone in weight without any changes to diet. gutted is an understatement to say the least. fast forward to last week when i was called into practice nurse as blood tests showed my blood glucose test had risen from 53 to 64. this has floored me and i don’t know it has risen. iv had lots of medication changes over the last year and am currently on : atorovastatin 40mg. lanzoprasol 15mg. clopidrogel can’t remember doze. asprin75 mg and 10x2mg isosorbide for the last few days. can anyone shed any light on possible cause for this. iv also been checking blood daily and it’s around 15 from my usual 5-6. i’m going to call my diabetes team on monday but just wondered if anyone else had experienced similar. thanks for reading long post. i’m not good at condensing things ❤️shiona

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Shoshov
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28 Replies
MichaelJH profile image
MichaelJHHeart Star

By blood glucose going from 53 to 64 I assume you mean a random BG going from 5.3 to 6.4, which is barely relevant. If you are talking HbA1c then it is not good.

The effect of statins only comes in where people are in the pre-diabetic stage where it can tip them over the edge. This may be reversible at the end of the day with lifestyle changes. At the end of the day it is better to take Atorvastatin with Metformin than not take Atorvastatin if you look at the risks/benefits.

Shoshov profile image
Shoshov in reply toMichaelJH

hi michael. it’s HbA1c unfortunately. as i said there’s no obvious reason for it.ill need to call diabetes team tomorrow i think. iv been on atorovastatin for years so can’t see it being that. only other one is clopidrogel. best get it checked anyway. thanks. hope your enjoying your wee break ❤️

If the medications you were taking for your diabetes were assisting you to get to normal blood sugar readings then it is a strong possibility that stopping them will send your blood sugars up. You were not cured of diabetes but all that you we’re doing put it into remission. Stop what you we’re doing and it’s out of remission. My GP wanted me to stop taking metformin as my blood sugars were in normal range. My Endocrinologyst said that I should continue to take the daily max of metformin to ensure that my blood sugars did not rise and also, from recent research, protect my heart and give myself some cancer protection.

Shoshov profile image
Shoshov in reply to

hi osidge. i was taken off dapagliflozin and ivabradine as they thought it was lowering it too much. i suffer from low bp and dizzy spells which low glucose didn’t help. it’s a vicious cycle seemingly. i’m very symptomatic to many drugs which doesn’t help. thanks for your knowledge. i’ll check it out with diabetic team tomorrow ❤️

in reply toShoshov

Perhaps replacing dapagliflozin with extended release metformin - if the standard release is problematic.

Shoshov profile image
Shoshov in reply to

been there. i was being treated for chrones when on that. never again.

in reply toShoshov

I saw some promising research recently that is suggestive that dapagliflozin could be used for heart failure.

Milkfairy profile image
MilkfairyHeart Star in reply to

Yes the research was carried out by Prof John McMurray a BHF funded researcher.

escardio.org/The-ESC/Press-...

NorthantsSteve profile image
NorthantsSteve

Hi Shiona. What a pain. I doubt it’s your heart meds that are causing a rise in blood sugar (outside possibility it’s statins but unlikely). It’s possibly you dropping diabetes meds (others will be able to advise) that’s led to weight gain and higher levels of sugar etc.

Shoshov profile image
Shoshov in reply toNorthantsSteve

that’s my thoughts. i like getting all the feedback from the group. it helps rationalise things. thanks❤️

WardijaWardija profile image
WardijaWardija

Hi Shoshov. I too have diabetes, but on insulin for the last 25 years as I no longer generate my own.

I am on the same drugs, plus some, as you.

On occasions when I have lost a significant amount of weight, by dieting - I have to greatly reduce the amount of insulin I give myself, which I guess is the equivalent to your Dr. taking you off the diabetic meds.

As someone who has a daily challenge controlling my weight - and calories ! It's the bane of my life 😣, I might suggest you keep a food diary of everything that passes your lips. As when I do this, I find I am consuming way

more than I genuinely think I am . . . Even when I too would probably say I haven't changed my diet. Us humans are very good at subconscious self-deception 😊 Just an idea.

Reading your blood glucose levels turn me green with envy as they are pretty darn good, especially if you're not taking any diabetic medication.

If you feel they are a bit too high, this could be due to the statins you take.

My diabetic consultant would be hanging out the flags if I could sustain levels such as yours. He advocates that any reading under 7 are just fine.

I guess if you're concerned you should seek specific medical advice.

Best of luck.

Shoshov profile image
Shoshov in reply toWardijaWardija

yeah i’ll call experts tomorrow. thank you❤️

Frenchbulldogsx profile image
Frenchbulldogsx

Hi

I looked into atorvastatin as my glucose levels rose to border line diabetic and I'm not diabetic. I shared my findings with the diabetes nurse and she spoke to my gp who changed my medication to Rosavastatin. Upon my next blood test the glucose levels had dropped dramatically..... There is a lot of information on the Internet.

Shoshov profile image
Shoshov in reply toFrenchbulldogsx

as iv been on atorovastatin for years i wouldn’t have thought it would change things now but who knows. it’s a delicate balance isn’t it. might run it by gp as anything’s possible i suppose ❤️

Handel profile image
Handel

I think it's wise to get your diabetic team on board and flag up your concerns about weight gain. I lost a stone worrying about my husband when he had serious heart problems (thought that weight loss was associated with cancer which I thought had returned!!!).

It took me less than 3 weeks to put that flipping stone back on!!!

Good luck. I'm sure things will resolve. Keep in touch xxxx

Shoshov profile image
Shoshov in reply toHandel

i’m sure they will Handel. thanks for input❤️

BigGary profile image
BigGary

When in hospital following my heart attack one hospital stopped all my type 2 diabetes mess and said I would need insulin as they heart drugs would affect my sugers. Then sent to a specialist heart unit who promptly put me back on the metformin! So who knows . I'm on 80mg statins which does raise the sugar levels for me.

Shoshov profile image
Shoshov in reply toBigGary

it’s a bit of a quagmire gary❤️

45sue profile image
45sue

Hi - the research does show that statins can raise blood sugar & put people into the diabetic range.

Shoshov profile image
Shoshov in reply to45sue

yeah i realise that. iv left a message with diabetic team. so await call back. good job i’m not in dire need🤣

in reply toShoshov

What did they say ?

Shoshov profile image
Shoshov in reply to

haven’t got back to me. hopefully tomorrow ❤️

in reply toShoshov

Oh, I would have left a message to be sure.

Shoshov profile image
Shoshov in reply to

yeah i did

in reply toShoshov

No problem your welcome.

Shoshov profile image
Shoshov

hi. i hear what your saying but i eat a low carb and low fat diet. if i’m honest i’m practically vegetarian and have an appetite problem. i love soups and most days i’ll have it for lunch and dinner. always lots of fresh veg in. don’t know where iv gone wrong hence the post. thank you for taking time to answer❤️shiona

Shoshov profile image
Shoshov

i get my fat from butter and milk. my mind is in a confused state at the moment can can’t seem to join the fits in what your saying. don’t give up on me🤣

Shoshov profile image
Shoshov

thanks deano

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