Ozempic

[Jh51543]

I have Type 2 Diabetes and the beginning of Stage 4 Kidney Disease. My endocrinologist just took me off Metformin to try Ozempic. Has anyone with kidney problems taken Ozempic? Has it helped the kidneys or just diabetes?

[Bassetmommer NKF Ambassador]

HI JH, Yes, I am on Ozempic. I started in September, and it seems to be doing a fantastic job with my glucose levels. NO highs or lows. Just nice and even, with morning levels most days under 100. When I eat late or heavy carbs at night it has gone up to115. I only am just now moving up to .5 a shot. TAKE IT SLOW. The side effects can be nasty. I started with .25. I had nausea and dizzy and it did not do much for killing my appetite. I am also taking it to lose weight. The worse symptom was constipation...... oh really bad. I found that in time, my body got used to it, but I help with a few things. I eat milled flax seed with my oatmeal and on my dinner. I eat fruit, including prunes once in a while. Prunes are a potassium bomb, so I limit them. I eat plant based so you would think fiber was not an issue. On days when I am so backed up, I take senna. I was using a tea (Smoove Move) but it was a bit harsh. Now I use a stool softener and Senna Kote. Join the Ozempic Facebook for lots of help and support.

My labs in October showed improvement in my GFR and creatinine. I do not go to the lab until January. I feel fantastic. I am stage 4. Good luck.

[Confuseddiabetic]

I also was taken off met Forman. I am on Trulicity once weekly and five units of insulin at night. My diabetes is better controlled with the renal diet.

[HSV21 in reply to Confuseddiabetic]

I read that Stage 4 should not take Metformin and mentioned it to my PCP and she agreed to take me off. However my glucose was not being controlled very well even with it, so I went on Ozempic. It depends on each person, however I have had mostly an easy time of it. Still waiting for the pounds to melt away though. I just did my 0.5 shot this past Friday. When I first started Ozempic I did have 2-3 spells of spontaneous vomiting but none after that, so far. My GFR and Creatinine have not moved however. I am on a plant based diet with 3 oz. protein per meal, but usually do not eat that much protein. I need more veggies though. I agree about the constipation, it is horrible and I have to take Dulcolax and stool softener, My nephro ordered a bottle of Miralax, but I have not used it yet. May have to. He said if I lose 30 pounds my GFR should get better due to less body mass. So that is my goal and I hope and pray Ozempic helps me get there. My glucose is ideal, even in the morning which has always been my worst time of day for high numbers. I take Januvia with it but have dropped the Glipizide as all three take me too low. My fasting glucose this morning was 85. Nephro said if I do get sick regularly, to stay hydrated and monitor my blood pressure. If it goes too low to stop Lisinipril. But, so far so good. Try to tolerate the Ozempic and good luck to you.

[nascar4433 in reply to HSV21]

On the constipation issue...I take pain meds regularly, which tend to cause the same issue. I use Miralax (or generic like Walmart brand cuz it's half the price for the same thing) daily, and it works great. It doesn't cause diarrhea like some products do. I mix it into my Gatorade Zero daily...no grit, no taste. Since I use it daily I I don't have to use very much, usually 1/2-1 tsp. If I don't take it for several days I'll increase it slightly, and it works great. Instructions say to use a cap-full, but I'd be on the pot all day if I took that much. You'll be able to tell what your own body needs and regulate the amount from there.

[barbara55109]

Yes. I'm trying to get on the kidney transplant list and they want me to lose weight. I'm at stage 4 CKD, GFR 20. My weight loss endo started me on Victoza, moved me to Ozempic and now I'm on Wegovy (the weight loss dose of Ozempic. My A1C is the lowest it has ever been. I try to go the Y every night. I do get terrible low blood glucose at the Y or when I walk a lot. I have to eat smarties candy (same as glucose tabs, but cheaper) I didn't lose any weight until I hit the full weight loss dose of 2.4 a week. I eat once a day because they told me I wouldn't lose any weight unless I got below 1000 calories. I haven't had nausea or vomiting and I can't get the GI issues because I have a permanent ileostomy and am just one big GI disaster in the first place. I poop in a bag. I do get very tired and stomach cramps from the Wegovy, especially in the first few days after the shot. If it weren't for trying to get on the kidney transplant list to live longer I wouldn't take the Wegovy. I was perfectly happy being a size 18. I have always been heavy. I'm the same size my mom was her whole life. But to kidney transplant dr. I'm too fat to deserve a kidney and to live - despite no medical evidence to support their decision. I do not weigh 600 lbs, I weigh 210.

[HSV21]

I was reading yesterday about the weight problem and kidney transplant. There are hospitals that will take patients who don't meet the weight criteria. Mayo Clinic is one of them. You can get on the list for more than one transplant center or so I am told. There is a new robotic surgery method that is minimally invasive that some centers use with overweight patients.