Would this drug be safe for hypothyroid folks to try?

[vocalEK]

huffpost.com/entry/what-is-...

Don't know if it is available in the UK. In the US it was first released as a Type 2 Diabetes treatment, Victoza. Now, double doses by injection are marketed for weight loss as Saxenda.

[diogenes Remembering]

This describes the contraindications for saxenda.

Possible thyroid tumors, including cancer. Tell your health care professional if you get a lump or swelling in your neck, hoarseness, trouble swallowing, or shortness of breath. These may be symptoms of thyroid cancer. In studies with rats and mice, Saxenda® and medicines that work like Saxenda® caused thyroid tumors, including thyroid cancer. It is not known if Saxenda® will cause thyroid tumors or a type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) in people.

Do not use Saxenda® if you or any of your family have ever had MTC, or if you have an endocrine system condition called Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2).

Who should not use Saxenda®?

Do not use Saxenda® if:

you or any of your family have a history of MTC

you have MEN 2. This is a disease where people have tumors in more than one gland in their body

you are allergic to liraglutide or any of the ingredients in Saxenda®. Symptoms of a serious allergic reaction may include: swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat, fainting or feeling dizzy, very rapid heartbeat, problems breathing or swallowing, and severe rash or itching

Talk with your health care provider if you are not sure if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. Saxenda® may harm your unborn baby

Before taking Saxenda®, tell your health care provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:

have any of the conditions listed in the section “What is the most important information I should know about Saxenda®?”

are taking certain medications called GLP-1 receptor agonists

are allergic to liraglutide or any of the other ingredients in Saxenda®

have severe problems with your stomach, such as slowed emptying of your stomach (gastroparesis) or problems with digesting food

have or have had problems with your pancreas, kidneys or liver

have or have had depression or suicidal thoughts

are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Saxenda® may harm your unborn baby. Tell your health care provider if you become pregnant while taking Saxenda®. If you are pregnant you should stop using Saxenda®

are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if Saxenda® passes into your breast milk. You and your health care provider should decide if you will take Saxenda® or breastfeed. You should not do both without talking with your health care provider first.

So at this stage I would be very cautious before using it.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

And this article

healthinsightuk.org/2015/02...

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Trying a low carb, low sugar, high protein and good fat diet would likely be safer and yield better results

diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-di...

[MMaud]

@VocalEK - What would be your objective, in terms of trying Victoza?

[greygoose]

Although it doesn't exactly say so, I get the impression that this is for people who have put on weight due to over-eating - or suspected over-eating. How often is this true of those with hypothyroidism? With reduced appetites, and naturally slow emptying of the stomach, due to low stomach acid, I wonder if this would make any difference to a hypo. And, if hypo weight gain is due to mucin/water-retention, I'm pretty sure it wouldn't. So, is it worth the risk? Doesn't appear so to me.

[Hidden in reply to greygoose]

That’s not all. It helps with insulin and leptin resistance, both of which are known to inhibit fat loss and cause weight gain.

[greygoose in reply to Hidden]

Doesn't sound like a good idea at all, then, does it.

[Hidden in reply to greygoose]

On the contrary, it helped me lose weight when everything else failed. I am surprised how many people with no experience of this drug can be so biased. Plus, in my experience, hypo patients rarely have thyroid hormone imbalance only to deal with, but often also insulin and/or leptin resistance, cortisol issues etc which affect their ability to lose weight.

[greygoose in reply to Hidden]

Not biased, cautious. We have enough to deal with, without launching ourselves into the unknown depths of a new drug. Besides, the last thing I need is an appetite depressor. Quite the opposite.

[Hidden in reply to greygoose]

Well, this thread is not about you. I certainly needed an appetite suppressant, and maybe the OP does as well. It`s not unknown to me, it works very well for people with insulin and leptin resistance.

I hope the many negative replies do not discourage the OP to explore this option further. If necessary, find forums discussing these drugs where you will hopefully get more understanding and benefit from the experience of other users.

[greygoose in reply to Hidden]

And a very merry Christmas to you too.

[MMaud]

To be honest, were I to be looking for something to help with weight loss (which I'm fortunate enough not to be), I'd rather not choose anything that meddles with my metabolic process quite so much.

Were I in that place, I'd rather look at Metformin. Metformin is commonly used to help with T2 diabetes, PCOS and other conditions where insulin resistance is evident.

It also helps the liver limit the amount of sugar it makes, but is also known to reduce insulin resistance, which is a real factor in metabolic conditions.

Of course,not everyone gets on with Metformin (or anything else for that matter), but in most regards it is a gently drug, and may have other benefits.

[Treepie in reply to MMaud]

An Israeli scientist reckons metformin helps prevent heart attacks,stroke and cancer.

[helvella Administrator in reply to Treepie]

Takes me back to the doctor(s) who said that statins are so safe they should be added to the water supply. (Yes, I did hear that myself.)

I rather doubt there is anything so effective AND safe.

[Treepie in reply to helvella]

It was an article in The Times colour mag about the scientist. Having gone through chemo earlier this year and had atrial flutter as a result plus my diet controlled diabetes went out of control, I was not altogether unhappy to be put on metformin.

[helvella Administrator in reply to Treepie]

If there is a positive reason, and due care and consideration, I entirely support its use.

It's more the blanket "prevents" regardless of the individual.

Hope your diabetes responds well to it.

[Treepie in reply to helvella]

Thank you. I will find out if it is having an effect late next month.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Treepie]

Metaformin Often quoted as an answer to ageing

This article suggests more caution

nytimes.com/2019/06/19/well...

[Treepie in reply to SlowDragon]

Interesting .A 3 mile walk is all I do that counts as exercise these

days !

[Hidden in reply to Treepie]

I try to walk at least a mile most days, but weather - and sheer laziness - doesn't always encourage one to go out! I used to be very active - ran everywhere - but not now

Shopping may be a substitute, I usually make a point of going up and down all the supermarket aisles even when there's nothing there I want.

The gym at the local centre is far too noisy for me - never could understand why so many people seem to need very loud banging music to exercise. Might improve muscles but at the cost of hearing loss!

[Treepie in reply to Hidden]

Putting off my circuit at the moment as the rain comes down yet again. A GP who was a keen walker said to me that there is no such thing as bad weather for walking if you have appropriate clothing so I will have to get the waterproofs on!

[Hidden in reply to Treepie]

It's getting around to it is the problem. Have developed a headache an hour or so after getting up the last few days, but seems better today so no more excuse!

[Hidden in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks, though you have to pay to access. But it does say there is a problem if taken by "Healthy older adults". Which we are not!

[Hidden in reply to Treepie]

Do you have a link or something to that information please?

[Treepie in reply to Hidden]

If you mean the article on the Israeli scientist ,sorry no.It was several months ago in the Saturday edition.

[Hidden in reply to Treepie]

No worries, just it sounded interesting x

[Treepie in reply to Hidden]

It was ,maybe if you contacted the Times they might oblige with a copy .

[Hidden in reply to Treepie]

This has strayed from the original topic, sorry, vocalEK , but I found this article about Metformin perhaps improving cardiovascular health:

everydayhealth.com/type-2-d...

[Treepie in reply to Hidden]

I was initially unhappy about taking yet another drug, not so much now!

[Treepie in reply to Hidden]

I googled Sunday Times article about Israel scientist and metformin .It did come up from May but was subscription . Leaving out Sunday Times came up with an article on the same chap in Wired from 2017,

which said his principle aim was to push back aging as this in turn would push back diseases such as heart and cancer to nearer the end of life. At least I think that was the plan!

[Hidden in reply to Treepie]

Hmmm

[MichelleHarris]

I’ve heard from my medical student stepson that Metformin is good for everyone from middle age onwards. I asked my GP but he said No.

[MMaud]

Oh, I am certainly not advocating Metformin as any sort of silver bullet, cure-all or panacea, but along with dietary changes it can help those who have previously struggled with weight loss trim up a bit.

In other countries it is more heavily utilised than in UK, but bearing in mind it's most significant impact is to reduce insulin resistance, coupled with the proportion of adults carrying additional poundage who happen to also be insulin resistance, it has it's place on the table of options.

For the avoidance of doubt, I have never taken Metformin or any other medication designed to aid weight loss.

[Serendipitious]

An article by Dr Westin Childs, but I dont know if I trust him on this or anything now for that fact. For example, he advocates intermittent fasting as something that everyone can easily do for weight loss without causing any health issues i.e affecting the adrenals (more so the case in women), which is what happened to me, but here you go:

restartmed.com/saxenda/

[Hidden in reply to Serendipitious]

In other articles, he also advocates Victoza and Saxenda for weight loss.

[Serendipitious in reply to Hidden]

Weight loss is his thing!

[Hidden]

Yes, I am on it, started on Victoza, switched to Saxenda. I have lost 15 kilograms in three months and have gone from size EUR 48 to 42 in that time. EUR 42 equals size 16 in the UK. I really needed help to lose weight and see noticeable results quickly. I gained 30 kilograms following high dose steroid treatment in late 2018 and developed diabetes 2.

People with Hashimotos are not

more likely to develop thyroid cancer than others according to prescribing doc.

The drug has reduced my appetite by approx 50% and eliminated the need to snack. I am not dieting as such, just eating less.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I should add that I also had all the signs of leptin resistance, although I could not find a lab testing it. That`s why I preferred liraglutride which specifically targets leptin resistance (the latter makes weight loss impossible according to Dr. Childs) rather than Metformin.

[Batty1 in reply to Hidden]

I think it's wonderful that you have lost weight on this medication when diet and exercise did not help, sadly some people just can't shed weight no matter how hard they try.

I think taking this medication is like any other medication you must always keep in the back of your mind " THAT ALL MAGIC COMES WITH A PRICE" and we as individuals need to figure out what we're willing to pay.

Keep up the good work!

[Hidden]

I saw their TV ads. The side effects are HORRIBLE!