Novo Nordisk is well-known in the diabetes community for its insulins, Novolog and Levemir, used to treat mainly type 1 diabetes. But in the last year, Novo launched a new kind of injectable, a “first line of defense for people with type 2 diabetes” called Victoza (generic: liraglutide). It’s a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) drug designed to stimulate insulin secretion when hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) is present.
Victoza is still the new kid on the block here in the US, having just been approved by the FDA on January 25. It was approved in Europe last July, and has already been used by a fair number of patients there.
The big question on the market, and among doctors and patients now is, how will Victoza stack up against Byetta, the most well-known injectable drug for type 2 diabetes? Byetta has been very successful as a weight-loss aid, but the nausea it causes makes it intolerable for some people.
One big difference is that Victoza has a longer half-life, so it can be injected just once a day, at any time. Byetta, by contrast, hast to be taken at every meal.
How Well It Works
Through an online query, I was lucky to hear from Raymond, living with type 2 diabetes in England: “The doctor prescribed Victoza for me on the 6th of February and I have been taking 0.6mg per day at 8am. I have been able to reduce my insulin from 160 units per day to 100.”
The side effects, he says, were some nausea and stomach pains which lasted only about a week. “My appetite and hunger has been reduced and I seldom finish my evening meal. Most mornings I have to force myself to eat breakfast but I know I must keep a regular eating pattern. The Victoza I believe has really helped me as I was fast becoming insulin-intolerant.”
So what happens when patients combine Victoza with their usual oral anti-diabetes drugs? Funny you should ask. Diabetes Care recently published online the results of the LEAD™ 6 extension study, showing what happens when patients switched from Byetta to Victoza, in addition to the oral drugs. The data showed:
• Mean A1C decreased from 7.2% to 6.9%
• A greater percentage of patients reached their A1C targets (42.5% vs. 57.9%)
• Patients also experienced further reductions in fasting plasma glucose, body weight, and systolic blood pressure
Potential Risks
OK, so Victoza received two thumbs up from both Raymond and Diabetes Care — but there are still some concerns. Victoza was given a Black Box warning: “Because of the uncertain relevance of the rodent thyroid C-cell tumor findings to humans, prescribe Victoza only to patients for whom the potential benefits are considered to outweigh the potential risk.” Although the marker for thyroid cancer present in patients was high, it was still within normal range, according to the authorities. Still, the only way to find out is to continue ongoing cancer monitoring for the next 15 years (!)
There have also been discussions that drugs like Byetta and Victoza can cause an increased risk of pancreatitis. In response, the drugmakers state: “There is no clear association between this class of drugs with pancreatitis. We know that increased risk of pancreatitis with people with diabetes is three-fold over people without diabetes.” So while there is a warning that pancreatitis is also a risk, no clear cause and effect have been proven.
The Business Case
Alan Moses, Chief Global Medical Officer for Novo Nordisk, explains Novo Nordisk’s POV on Victoza: “Medications for patients are imperfect at best. They don’t treat underlying abnormalities of the disease. There are side effects that are not well perceived by patients: weight gain, hypoglycemia. If patients are already overweight, then gaining weight is the wrong direction. It may further exacerbate their disease state as well. Those issues are some of the reasons why Novo Nordisk decided to pursue this therapeutic area.”
So Novo believes that Victoza is a fix for all those problems? Mr. Moses admits that the company also became interested in working on Victoza because their insulin products are predominately used by people with type 2 diabetes later in the course of the disease. Victoza gives Novo an opportunity to start at the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, hopefully to extend the ability of a person to use their own insulin. “We provide patients with reliable, efficacious products the whole life-cycle of diabetes, ” he says.
Who Will Benefit?
My own endo shared her initial thoughts: “I’m trying it on new GLP-1 candidates so I can get some experience with it. I try it especially on people whose fasting blood sugar is higher than I’d like (over 100) since I think it works better on fasting blood sugars, though possibly not as well on postprandial BGs. Need more time to get a real feel for it clinically.”
Still new, it may take time before we know how Victoza really works out for people. Anyone out there tried Victoza yet? Or been recommended to do so by your doctor? How have you found it? Please take a moment to share your thoughts in the comments section here.
** UPDATE: June 15, 2011 **
The FDA has just issued a safety warning on Victoza, associated with possible risks of thyroid cancer and pancreatitis. Please see our coverage by clicking here.
Jane,
Thanks for the advice. I do make certain I get the good foods in me, it is just very hard to eat some days. My body is going through a big change from about a 2500 cal a day to a 1000 and it notices the difference. I take in chicken, turkey, buffalo… good protiens and I make a point of having a full meal at dinner time as I sit with my son. I do not want him at nine years old to feel like mommie has a bad problem. I just have to eat really slow to avoid a tummy ache where I don’t eat at all. The burning is not from the needle it is from the med. itself. I barely feel the needle go in and I hold it for the 6 sec.s recommended before removing it. There is a radiating burn which follows anywhere between 5 and 15 min. after injection. The meds stay in the fridg till I need the next pen, so its not the storage either. I have some great areas on my thighs that have a lot of fat and I have made certain to aim for those when I inject, so it’s really not that either. I know have to wait another week to talk to my endo, rescheduled appt.s on their end, and I have recorded everything that has happened since I began. That includes eating, sleeping, workouts, side affects or any general icky feeling I may have had. I have documented it all and I am going to give it to my endo when I see him. Back to the eating, mornings are weird as I am either waking up hurngry and eat very little into the evening or I don’t eat all day and the dinner meal pretty much sums up what calories in food I have taken in. I keep to whole foods w/occassional indulgence like icecream cake for my birthday! Thanks Carvel! If I do get hungry in between meals I have a fav. snack, apples and peanutbutter and sometimes I add honey to the mix. That helps me get through a surgar craving if it comes up. So far I have only had two surgar cravings and I could barely get through the apple and peanutbutter. So I am consciencly trying to get something in me, it’s just half of what I had consumed before. I need to keep the example for my son at dinner so he doesn’t get bothered in my lack of eating. When I get really tired and I pull out what I have frozen from previous meals and make it for dinner so my son doesn’t see too much a difference in how mommie feels. Its bad enough I can occassionally drop on a dime and go into a deep sleep in the middle of a conversation with him. Fortunatly with V I have only done that once, dispite the exhaustion I am experiencing. I just think its a dramatic caloric change where my stomach is not feeling it, but my added workouts (from 3xs to 5xs a week) and 1/2 the caloric intake is affecting my brain and body. I really believe once I have gotten to a normal weight (around 140ish) I can stop taking V and praying I can start living a little more normal. (if there is such a place)
oops! I meant to address Diane in my last post! My apologize Jane!
Ruth,
I am so glad to hear you have your machine up and running! That is great! I went on a jog/walk about 8ish lastnite and I think I found a walking buddy! I have gotten up to 2.4 miles in a jog/walk. Although when I got home yesterday I was beat. Going from my eliptical to a jog/walk is totally different in how it hits the muscles. OUCH! I think tonight I will ride my bike, my heals are aching from old sneakers. I gotta give my feet a break. From what I read with exercising it is best to keep a 2 hour cushion before and after eating when you workout. This allows you body to metabolize the calories correctly. I end up working out late at night because of my schedule. Just keep it simple and light and challenge yourself after the first week! I hated that part. I got myself to walk the 2.4 miles and it took me an hour! YIKES! but I did it. When I would jog a block then walk a block, it hurt. I would only give myself small challenges at first like jog one block up and one block back till I felt the need to add hand weights. Then it went back to walking only and a week later back to a jog then a walk. Its hard, but I am going to keep trying my best to exercise no less than 40 min. 5x’s a week. Three times a week was much easier on my body, but after a month of doing this w/V I am seeing results. I think it will take a good 3 months to see a real change, but I am patient!
In general:
I have a general idea for all the foodies, would anyone like to do a meal ideal exchange? We could email ideas to each other to help change out what we eat as guilty foods (processed or refined) for whole foods that taste really good? Turly, I swear by eating an apple w/peanutbutter & honey. If ya really need a crunch to it toast up 1C oatmeal w/a sprinkle (1/8tsp) of dark brown sugar and top it on the raw apple slices. The crunch is great from both the sliced apple and oats! If its not sweet enough maybe add a drizzle of honey, but it is another yummy way of replacing any refined sugars.Blessings to all!
Donna, you better believe that your low calorie intake is affecting your brain and body and it is not necessarily a good thing. I would go to a registered/licensed nutritionist/dietician as soon as possible and get a weight loss plan prescribed for you. Truth to tell, although we do not like to think of ourselves this way, most of us have an eating disorder involving compulsive overeating. We are not in sync with what our body needs to get by. It is best to go to someone else to have our weight reduction monitored and to learn how to eat properly as well as respond appropriately to our body’s signals. Trusting ourselves to make the correct food choices without outside monitoring and support is not a good idea. Physicians don’t normally provide this service. But there are others that do. This forum is also not a good place to really get the kind of guidance that is needed.
Donna, BTW my cousin is also diabetic. She eats like a bird and she is morbidly obese and the weight does not change. It is what she is eating and not eating, how she is exercising and not exercising that is keeping her this way. She refuses to consult experts and so nothing changes. I also am acquainted with someone who suddenly dropped dead of CHF while dieting, exercising and self treating the flu. In fact, our muscles and other organs can become severely affected by problematic dieting while the fat may remain a problem.
day 5 of v.6 for me and FBG=132. That is best I have sen in 6 months. I work nights so just woke up and head is killing me. Dehydration I think.
Last night was interesting at work with my side effects but I made it and am praying it will get easier.
Diane,
You may want to reconsider your way of stating what I am and who I am as you are reading way too much into the idea of what your perceive is right and wrong. I am not ignorant or ill informed, I do not owe you any explainations and I am only posting in support here, so I would suggest that future comments of what you think I am or someone else is should be kept to yourself. I found your response offensive and belittling to my understanding of what my body and brain are doing during this time. I am very clear of what is off balance and you have dug a little too deep in assumptions on everyone’s end within this posting to state so bluntly that we all have eating issues. This is not so and eating “like a bird” could me eating a candy bar and calling it a day. I would like to give those posting here the benfit of the doubt knowing what is healthy for them in dietary intake and what is not. Just because my appetite has dropped being on V and my caloric intake has created a crazy drop does not mean I am happy about it. I do not see myself posting here if this is the type of crazy responses that are far from supportive. To assume what I know and don’t know and what you think I should do about what you think is an eating disorder is crazy. You have no idea what my education level is and I suggest you stop trying to jump in and diagnosing anyone on this site regardless of your education level, if there is one at all.
Text can be so limiting, emotions can be read in so many different ways. I believe, know, that if posts are taken personally and it becomes a back and forth dialog on who’s right, who’s wrong, who said this or that, the blog will disappear. Many depend on this blog for information and other’s experiences.
We are all sensitive to food issues. DM Type IIs typically (typically) have food issues and eating troubles. We are all having our troubles with Victoza. Let’s just get by this and use the blog for what it’s for – information and help and comraderie about this new drug.
Too, we all have our own pedigrees but to pronounce them here is just moot. Who cares. We are all fighing illness whether we dropped out of high school, or have our doctorates. Bottom line guys? We are all injecting a new drug we are all kind of scared of. Bury the angst and let everyone keep depending on each other.
Day 6 on V0.6 and I think I have some new hope. Although when I woke up last evening I felt horrid and that lasted quite a bit into my work shift, this morning I feel great. Appetite is back, actually just had my first fullmeal in days. Still having cramping on and off. Crackers for the nausea are a lifesaver. Even Ritz. Only takes one or two and the nausea is gone. Diarrhea is not gone but less often and much less quantity ( sorry TMI). The manufacturer says there are no effects on blood sugar at this dose but I think they are wrong.
I started Victoza about a month ago. Love, Love, Love what it has done to reduce my appetite and the shedding of (…now) 7 pounds. I’m Type 2 and am also taking 1000 mg of extended release Metformin each day. What I’ve noticed is that I feel great after my daily injection of Victoza, but when I take the Metformin, I always encounter nausea and have thrown up at least once a week since I began taking both medications. I suspect that the Metformin is the culprit and although I’ve been on Metformin for several months, the nausea has not gone away. I’ve contacted my Doctor for a consult in the hopes that we can reduce the Metformin dosage. I will, however insist upon keeping the Victoza in my daily regiment.
I started Victoza at 0.6 and family problems precluded me from committing to it at first. The 3 or so days I was on it initially I could hardly choke food down but chose sweets if I had to eat. BAD. Also extreme fatigue, maybe some down feeling. Had nausea but nothing like some of these folks. Started back on it a week or so later and certainly not the same reaction. I’m up to 1.8. Haven’t lost anything, am not feeling any aversion to food like I did the first time. I wake up very hungry, craving sweets, very fatigued, slight nausea, cloudier than usual in the head. I’m bummed, but I’m going to stick it out a few more weeks and start the treadmill. The fatigue and mental blah is the worst thing about it for me. I’m not taking in as much sugar as I was beforehand but still craving it. I’m also going to switch from before bedtime to in the morning. Love these postings, very helpful, thank you all!
hey Junebug – keep your head up! it is all going to get better. the posts are helping me cope daily. I dont get an opportunity to post everyday but i definitely try to keep updated with how everyone is doing.
I really wanted to let you know too that I tried to inject at night and it didn’t work for me either. I immediately went back to morning injections and though all the symptoms returned, I’m now almost at 2 months and beginning to cope better. My appetite is still down and the nausea and bm’s are still there but definitely not bad as before.
I also had a few days of depression but looking at how my health and body are improving helped me to get back on track. I also started drinking a little diluted juice in the mornings on the way to work after injecting and it has helped immensely. (still being careful of sugar intake)
I feel you on the cravings though. I have them and then when I actually see it in front of me, it turns my stomach. Yay me!!! This feeling I hope lasts forever and forever!!!!
Anyway – I’m rooting for all of us. We are going to win this fight! Happy Holidays everyone.
Yesterday marked my second week on Victoza and while I’m not ready to declare it a miracle drug, I think, for me, it may be close to that. My fasting BGs have regularly been under 100, where before I was lucky if they were under 130. I haven’t pushed my carb intake too much, but it seems that no matter what I eat, my postprandials are under 120. That’s just astonishing. I’ve dropped six pounds and generally feel great all day, especially in the morning.
No severe side effects for me. The first day my tummy felt like I’d eaten a piece of green fruit all day, but nothing too terrible. I’ve had a couple of bouts of the squirts and I don’t know if that’s the Victoza or not taking my Metformin with meals, or both, but it subsided fairly quickly.
I’ve been on a road trip the past two weeks and really haven’t done a good job of eating (and testing) right. Now that I’m back home, I’m looking forward to getting completely back on track and getting back to the gym. For the first time in years, I’m already looking forward to seeing the results of my next a1C!
I’m with Gloria — Keep up the fight everybody!
SUMMARY OF MY FIRST WEEK- Finsihed week one of V 0.6. Was really sick at first but much better as the week wore on. Wt loss 6#’s. Appetite only slightly decreased by weeks end. Never vomitted, wanted to more than once. Diarrhea initially but improved over span of the week.Taking in the am due to erratic work schedule. Always injecting upper belly. Initially taking 1000 of Glumetza but stopped when nausea was really bad and havent restarted. Blood sugars greatly improved from before V but never less than 100. Seeing them creeping back up w/o the Glumetza but worried the combo made my side effects much worse.
Upper resp infection all week but it is going around here and I had slight symptoms before my first dose. Menstral cycle all week ( sounds like I had a awesome week huh? LOL) but it was lighter than usual. Not sure if V played a role. Maybe the dehydration. I do have PCOS. On a side note yesterday I felt euphoric and actually resigned from a job that I have hated and not had courage to step down from. Literally felt like I was on cloud nine. It was odd. Other fleeting things over the week that I am not sure if they are V related are– intermittant chest pain, tip of tongue feels funny– kind of a tingling but not really- on and off.
Sorry to write a book but I have searched so much for people’s experiences on V and there usnt much out there so I think it is important to share.
Hi All! I have just started week two and now up to 1.2. I had some very strange feelings early in the afternoon…shakey and jittery and just kinda weird…has anyone experience this? Is it the larger dose or lower sugars? I admit I did not check my sugar level at the time but I ate a snack and felt a litle better. Also…has anyone experience a strange taste from the victoza? I get strange kinda tin or metal tastes. Just wondering!
I am a little over 2 weeks in and FBS stabilized to 125 until this morn when it dropped to 111. Weight has been dropping off. Energy has been getting up there and have increased my work outs. Food is still not appetizing but with a good mail order diet plan, I am making sure I get the proper nutrition. No other side effects than loss of appetite when I take Metformin on time with meals and the V. at the same time each night. Concentration and memory has improved so less likely to forget. Fatigue and afternoon sleepiness has dissipated. Extremely happy with this med.
Sharon,
No strange taste but same sort of feelings. My sugars were not low at the time but a few crackers make a world of difference. I think it is just the V but it could be my body acted hypoglycemic b/c it hadn’t been that low in a while even though by normal standards my numbers were not low.
Yes! Thank goodness for crackers! I always keep a few with me. It has really helped with the neausa! I’m sure its b/c of the lower numbers and although its better for me the lower numbers make me feel strange! I have just gotten used to higher numbers although 155 to 180 is usually high for me at fasting times I know that is still high…WORKING ON IT! Thanks for your response!!!
Sharon,
I’ve had some episodes of feeling like that — like I was going hypo. When I’d check, I’d be in the 90s. I think it’s just our bodies adjusting to something closer to a normal level of glucose in our systems. I some weird taste like that my first week and tried to chew some gum, which for some reason tasted awful. It’s strange — wintergreen gum tastes horrific, but everything else tastes pretty much like it always has for me.
I have been using Victozin for about 1 month now. I was using 36u of Novolog and 50u of Lantus every day, now I don’t use any incilin. I am about 40 pds over weight and have lost 15 pds so far. It’s been a blessing for me. I do suffer from some headaches and stomache upsets in the middle of the night. I find that I have to be very careful with what I eat before going to bed or else I’ll be in the bathroom all night. I never had nausea. My blood sugar levels have been the best in years and I have always been well controlled. I really love this drug.
Oddly I dont think the crackers make us feel better by boosting the blood sugar b/c I feel good if I eat just a half of one. All I can think is that restart peristalisis in the gut and things moving along help.
Up to 0.6 PLUS 4 clicks and first day I have felt queasy in a while.
Hi everyone,
I have really appreciate being able to read about everyone’s experiences with V and how your bodies are handling it.
I’ve been on 1.8 for about 4 weeks and still have lots of gas and loose stools, but nothing that can ‘t be tolerated.
I continue to lose weight, though not as quickly as I did at first. Not eating as much, but not having the lost appetite that I did at the beginning. More like I can stop myself more reasonably when I am eating.
I crave ice cream, not sure if this is related to V., but seems like it calms my stomach down. But have been able to eat a low fat or diet ice cream treat and satisfy that craving.
I feel like it is working fine for me. Haven’t been checking my sugars that much (something I know I need to work on), but when I do my fasting blood sugars have been good.
I just wanted to let everyone know how much I apprecate the honest sharing of your experiences here, it has normalized the exepreince for me. So thanks,
Smiles, Mo
Mo– I have read a lot of people with ice cream cravings so not unusual.
Mo…not sure about ice cream being an answer! I have tried to use Activia yogurt and it really helps. Seems to kind of calm the stomach too and I like to imagine that it is Blue Bell Ice Cream!!!
I’ll have to try Actvia, it is worth a shot! Thanks for the idea!
Smiles, Mo
I have been on the Victoza since June. I am doing great. I have almost no nausea the only thing I do get is sometimes a little twinge of nausea, but it goes away with in minutes and does not come back. I have not really paid any attention to when it comes and goes I guess because it does not stay that long. I feel great my BS are 95 – 116 which are great. I have lost some weight, not as much as I would like, but I also stopped smoking about the same time I started taking the Victoza so I am kind of fighting the hunger thing. I noticed on a post someone was craving ice cream. My craving seems to be fresh fruit. I guess I better get over that though. Frest fruit season will be over soon. All in all I am doing well. I also notice that some people were going up to the 1.8 and were having problems. I wonder if maybe those will go away with time like the 1.2.
Have been on Victoza just two weeks – beginning about 8/27- with little to no side effects. Experienced very slight nausea once and checked it with a hard candy as that was all I had available. Had not eaten breakfast so food had nothing to do with it. I had been warned about the possibility by my Endo but it didn’t register right away and by the time it did, I was back home and fine. That was about the third day on Victoza and have only experienced VERY mild stool effects on something like the sixth or seventh day — spent a good portion of the day being cleansed but not with diarrhea at all…just cleansed completely. I do recall sleeping the first week during the day but now can’t seem to grab a nap…to awake. Also wake up during the night this second week, but am able to get back to sleep. As we are retired, don’t have to worry about getting to a desk and staying awake, but cannot nap right now anyway!! I have to date ( 2 1/2 weeks) lost about 8 1/2 lbs. and practically all of my appetite. I was never an early morning breakfast person so ‘brunch’ has always been the norm for me but now that consists of 4 oz. of yogurt with fruit most of the time, along with my rather large cup of coffee. I am taking Victoza and all my meds in the morning with the exception of Levemir, which I take nightly after I have eaten all I’m going to eat. My fbs dropped on the first week at 0.6 just a bit, but by this 5th day at 1.2, they have gone down significantly — fasting between 84 and 115 whereas before Victoza fasting could be as high as 150. Next week I’m to go up to 1.8 and am prayerful that the results will be even better — no hunger, no cravings, no nausea or any other side effects. The loose stools that some have written about would be fine with me as my body had moved to holding all food for two to three days before releasing. I’m a sedentary computer lover and reader and am thankful that snacking no longer bothers me. Strangely enough, I don’t like ice cream really but noticed that I DID buy two different of ice cream treats resulting from a ‘taste’ which developed when I saw them in the store — the only two that I’ll have anything to do with. However, eating them was a totally different story — they ended up inside my husband! I much prefer fresh fruit, popcorn and drinking a diet soda, lemonade sweetened with Stevia or VERY cold ice water. Have frequent burping which was usual for me but it has seemingly increased since I started Victoza….but not eggy, metallic-like or particularly bothersome. Same with bloating — there but nothing uncomfortable or painful. Feel full most of the time and when I eat it is FAR less. My husband is concerned but I am truly satisfied with better and LESS food. Think the HE needs to lose some of his appetite AND weight too!! Maybe seeing my endo will get him on Victoza as well and then he’ll understand and appreciate. Have more energy as of this week, have a better mental attitude as oppression seems to have lifted and if this continues might be FAR less sedentary. Am currently wearing a pair of jeans LOOSELY that had become rather snug on me. THAT is saying it all….sugars down, weight down but I’m UP!! Praise God!!
Looks like most people like this drug: http://www.diabetesmine.com/…/consensus-on-victoza-victory-over-diabetes-worth-the-discomfort.html
Okay, I have been getting better with the sleepy and exhausted feelings V has given me. It increased during my MS and now I feel normal again. I am optomistic about getting to my goal weight within six months so I inquired about the withdraw affects of V. I was told it would be very similar to hypogly. affect. Has anyone else heard this? Just curious as I’ve been told for my self that I would not be on this for long and its’ not a life long drug. I just want to prepare myself mentally for the time when I stop taking the injections. If anyone else has heard anything about what could happen when you go off of V I would love to hear it.
To Donna. That’s amazing that you can plan to just go off a drug. That would mean you can control your blood sugars successfully another way. I think most are taking it because it happened to be the newest thing to control our blood sugars and wow, it works! Insofar as a hypoglycemic reaction to stopping it…logic (at least to me) dictates that it would be the reverse – hyperglycemic (high sugars as opposed to low) because you stopped the med. Unless of course when you are removed from V, you begin another drug in its place. Or, you have won the battle and no longer are diabetic. Either way, lucky person. I plan to stay on it as long as I am diabetic, or until I can lose my weight, exercise better and control my blood sugars myself. I’m grateful for the drug. And like everyone else, praying that it keeps us safe.
I started V today. No side effects thus far so we will see:) I have about 100 lbs to lose and I need to get my Blood Sugar under control. I take one met in the evening and the V in the morning.
I love food but I am going to try the raw diet for 30 days and see what happens. I’ll keep everyone posted after about 2 weeks on raw and Victoza.
feeling great, been on V less than 2 weeks, titrating from 0.6 to 1.2 and am on second day of 0.6 PLUS 8 clicks. FBG=120! This is major for me as I was seeing 320′s proior and that was with 1000 of met a day. Not taking met b/c I think the combo was what was making me so sick early on. Appetite comes and goes but goes mostly. Wt is down 8-10#’s. I do feel I need to up my fluids and I might need a stool softner over the next few days if things dont get moving more. Might just restart the Met as that always moves things. So far I am impressed and it has been well worth the initial misery.
It’s so interesting that so many crave ice cream. Yogurt is a good alternative – especially now that the whipped versions can be frozen. (nothing like good old ice cream though) Also, I think the person who advised to up the fluid intake is very right on. I added a stool softner with my pm meds for all the obvious reasons. I’m praying hard to get past the binging. Orange tic tacs believe it or not are helping. The taste is so flavorful, it helps. And whoever said it was well worth the initial misery was absolutely right. ANYTHING is worth making us healthier…ie low blood sugars. There is danger even taking aspirin..iti’s all about knowing your body and watching for changes.
Just started my 4th week of taking the V. Was hesitant at first starting it up because of some of the listed side effects. After reading this Forum I decided to start it. The first week was .6 and then increased to 1.2 then. Little dizziness the first two weeks and loose stools. Sugars have dropped from 200 down to 110-125. Appetite loss and really can’t wait for my doctors appointment next month to see A1C and weight loss. Hope it keeps working.
Ruth,
This withdraw reaction is what was confirmed by a pharmacist and a doctor, I want to see if anyone else has heard the same. It reacts with shakes (when your BSL are low). I would assume because of the protien and sugar info. exchange is no longer controlled by V and the pancreas works on its own. That is to say the weight is down and the eating is normal and the body still does not process protiens slowly and the sugar levels are not going to be controlled at this level either. Withdraw does not happen to all people. No there is no other way to control it presently for me. Please don’t over read into my goals. I cannot afford it and I have to stop soon, so I am setting mile markers to achieve what I can and hope that the expected results will happen. It is an optomistic view that when my weight goes down I will have better control over my body. For how long I can control it cannot be decided, but that is where it stands. In theory if my weight goes down I should have better control of my numbers for a multitude of reasons. I have never been a stand still person and I have had to deal with this for nearly a decade untreated without medication and trying to make things work naturally (not insured). I am having great success with the weight and exercise as each week passes. I am in day 43 and I feel myself still very tired, but able to keep up the workouts and eat a 1/3 of what I used to satisfy my needs.
2 weeks today. at 1.2 MINUS one click. Had to go slow and has been well worth it. FBS are 120-135 down from over 300. Wt down 10#’s total. Appetite comes and goes. Worth the inital misery
Donna…just an fyi from this camp about stopping meds… My endo told me I could skip a dose here and there if I wanted – that was in the beginning (June) However, I have inadvertently missed a day just by forgetting and thank God, there wasn’t a reaction. I think as with any change of meds or the withdraw of any….as a diabetic, we need to test REGULARLY and eat well balanced meals and snacks so we avoid lows (and highs) . Event those who have gone off insulin because of weight loss, etc., managed. Let’s all think positive. I think we all need to be mindful of our bodies. It’s good Donna that you are thinking of stopping it by reasons of meeting your goals. I think we are all thinking the same thing. Life without medicine would be …. bliss.
I am a 70 yr old female who started Victoza on 5/14/2010. I previously was taking Avandia. Due to the side effects of Avandia, weight gain and possible heart attacks, I was switched to Victoza. I started on the low dose 0.2ml for approx 1 month and then was boosted up to 1.2ml where I remain at this time. The side effects I have been experiencing are persistent diarrhea and some lower abdominal pain. Just recently I was hospitalized for left eye vision distortion which was primarly diagnosed as a TIA, it was later proven not to be a TIA and diagnosed as Migraine aura. I have never had a Migraine in my entire 69 years. Again this week I have been experiencing difficulty with vision, unable to focus and double vision, again I have been diagnosed with a Migraine aura. I am being scheduled for an MRI Brain Scan for definite diagnosis. Could this be a side effect of the Victoza?
Lucille,
It does mention head aches (not specficlly which kind) were a side affect. I have delt with migraines for years, usually twice a month and they can last for a day or two. Its miserable and I feel for you. I have been lucky enough to say that V has kept these at bay and I have only recently had a migraine during day 39 of my injections. I was so upset as I was enjoying the freedom of not having one for so long I forgot how exhausting they were. Getting sick and not wanting to eat, sleep, or breath is a horrible feeling w/these migraines. I wish you the best with your tests and hopefully this is only a temp. side affect.
Ruth,
Thanks. I am keeping an ever watchful eye on what I eat and I have increased my veggie and water intake. I am not a big meat eater, but I get at least an ounce in at dinner. It was weird yesterday, I have not had a craving or gotten really hungery in a long time now (42 days) and I was really hungry about an hour before bed. I had 1/2 peanutbutter & sunflower seed sandwhich on wheat and had a cucumber w/greek dressing (homemade). It made my belly happy, but in def. of V I really didn’t eat much at dinner, maybe 1/2 oz of grilled meat & about 4 fries (baked). I just could not eat at dinner for some reason, but when I was ready to sleep it hit me hard with hunger pains. I took my injection shortly after my snack and off to bed. Odd when I woke up, I had an itchy spot at the injection site. It felt like one of the other bloggers issues, rashing and itichy, but occured 12 hrs later not right after the shot. I wonder why this happens? I see the doc. on Wed. so I really hope my weight is progressing in negative numbers! And I am going to give him a disk of what I have gone through since day one. I’ll post my weight loss if its worth mentioning at all. I have been trying so hard to get my metab. going that I am afraid of looking when I’m weighed. I have refused to step on a scale, my son jumps on it every time we go to Publix and I lovingly decline when he asks me to join in. I’ll know soon enough.
I also have been having attacks of diarrhea and lower abdominal cramps leading to same recently but I thought it was the combo Metformin and Victoza together. Then I read that this is one of the common side effects of V. I have experienced floater and blurry symptoms in my right eye but many months previous to my starting V. therapy and it turned out to be vitreous detachment which is common in elders and is extremely annoying. Anyway, I will put up with the diarrhea until after I have lost another 40 lbs or so.
HELLO,TO ALL YOU DEDICATED TO YOUR HEALTH,OUT THERE
I HAVE BEEN ON VICTOZA,SINCE JULY 20,10. I HAVE ALL OF THE SIDE
EFFECTS,THAT WERE LISTED, PLUS ONE MORE SERIOUS ONE,SHINGLES.BUTTT,,,,IT IS A MIRACLE DRUG FOR ME,
MY BS ARE 84-104
BLOOD PRESSURE IS 112/71
LOST 16 LBS
BEEN TAKEN OFF METFORMIN,
BEEN TAKEN OFF GLIDEPRIDE,
AM FEELING VERY WELL NOW,,,
ALTHOUGH THE SIDE EFFECTS,AND THE SHINGLES,WERE HORRIFIC,
I CAN EASILY SAY THE RESULTS ARE OUTSTANDING,AND I WILL STAY
ON VICTOZA UNTIL MY DR. GIVES ME FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS.
YOU DO HAVE TO HAVE A LOT OF FAITH IN THE DR.
GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE,AND I REALLY ENJOY THIS FORUM
JANIE USA
Hello Everyone I’m in Denver CO for training with my job. Victoza travels well…and I’m following my same routine. But unfortunatley for me, my binging and incorrectlye eating remains I know I’m doing wrong, I know that I have to change, I know I know I know. Food is my drug. It’s just awful. Thing is, when I do eat “cleaner” and in moderation, I feel WONDERFUL. Woke today with a 239 BS taking Victoza. Even that will probably fail me. Please pray that mentally, I can get a grip on this eating. I’m very happy in my life, I have a wonderful job, a loving husband, a great son, siblings…I don’t know why I binge. But I do and have and that’s why I’m in the spot I am. When I began V, it was a miracle. Literally. Low sugars, low low appetite, and now, I can eat a horse and nothing happens. I hate how I am eating. I just ask for caring and good thoughts to help me. Thanks everyone.
Ruth,
First off, I hope you’re enjoying your time in Colorado. Welcome to my adopted home state, if even for a few days! Secondly, hang in there! I can totally relate to feeling much better when eating right, and eating less. When I stray, I know I am going physically and mentally depressed afterwards. I try and remember that BEFORE I stuff the doughnut in my face!
If for nobody else on this thread, you’ve been an encouragement for me. Keep up the good work, step away from the tastycakes and focus on the wonderful future you can enjoy as a healthy mom and wife! I’m praying for you!
To Daniel…what an incredibly uplifting post. Thank you. Though I’m eating a muffin as we speak, I did NOT visit the candy bar counter or the cake rack LOL. I am trying. Lunch was terrible here so the muffin had to suffice. It will. I’m trying to remember, DAniel, how wonderful I feel mind and body when I eat clean food. Sugar is the enemy. For everyone, not just diabetics. Thanks again, it meant a lot. And for the prayers, God bless you. From me.
Hi Ruth! and all my cohorts! You are still in our prayers Ruth, you can do this! I lost 11 lbs! I cannot believe it! I was jumping up and down as I haven’t had any luck with loosing weight in 12 years! I ate right and exercised, but wow, V has helped me loose weight! My doc is very optomistic that I won’t need it for long as I am at 177 now and my goal is 140. I’d like to get to 130 to have room to swing a bit with weight and not feel guilt if a gain 4 or 5 lbs. My BP is 118/80 and my sugar level was at 98, a long time fasting as the last thing I ate was at 9pm Tues. and my BSLs were taken at 12:45pm today. So pending on what my liver was doing to compensate for insulin from not eating in such a long time I am doing great! YIPPY! Praise God! I have found a love for Ensure as it keeps me honest when I don’t eat, I am at least getting in what I can w/the drink. My days are so active that I forget about breakfast and lunch 4x’s a week so I went to our local store and bought a few protien bars and Ensure so I am constantly taking in something to avoid that empty feeling and the attempt to eat something really bad when I actually feel hungry. It’s been working for the past three days.
Ruth,
Some people develop antibodies to the Victoza and I wonder if you have done this.
I also am seeing my “honeymoon” period fade, appetite is back but I am still seeing good BG control.
My suggestions for those craving is to start and live by the south beach diet. Do the 2 week phase 1 and I think if you stick with it you will be amazed how the irratic binging improves. Some people judge the diet w/o knowing much about it but it really is just healthy eating…good grains, low fat etc. When I am faithful to it I feel the best ever. Somehow cant wrap my mind around being faithful anymore but I will get back to the beach one of these days and kcik myself for every leaving.
I have been on victoza for 3 weeks now and have had diarhea and some nausea iam also type two diabetic with having a triple bypass 14 yrs ago now . Having said all this i came so close to having bariatric sugery . But V seems to be working on my side , With little or no side effects now i plan to stay on it till i can get this weight off .I just want to end this with stay with it if you can and dont feel guilty if you can’t I’m presently down 7lbs and really want to continue , I hope this helped some one out there ,
To all of you. First and foremost, I thank you from my heart for your prayers. The Lord hears them and blesses me. I will investigate, Jane, the antibody thing. Seems my sugars are ok, but because of binging, my am sugars are terrible. I fear I’m losing the battle. The south beach diet didn’t work for me as I do not eat vegetables. Salad maybe, but I supplement my poor diet with Glucerna shakes, (every am) and sometimes for lunch. When I’m food compliant, I use a shake before bed. I love the chocolate, just like chocolate milk. The bad things is they are pricey. Just found out today that my insurance will cover Victoza for $75 for a three month supply. I feel inordinately blessed today, as if God graced me with that…so that has invigorated me to I hope get a grip. So many people are struggling to pay. My endo has been supplying me with it since June. I can’t tell you how grateful I have been. I’m going to watch today…and know in my heart I will feel better. Unfortunately, Donna, I have 100 pounds to lose. Because I dress well, and practice good grroming, I fool myself into thinking well, I look good. Well, I am a heavy person who could die early all because of food. I try to think of it that way too…who wants to die of food???? I love you all. Ruth
I have been on the drug nearly a month. At first it was great on 1.2, low appetite, FBS going down everything. But now it is beginning to feel like heroin. I need more to get the same effect. My FBS is going up and I am getting hungrier. I have been maintaining my diet plan and haven’t gone off it but the cravings have returned and I have to go up and up on the med. Pretty soon, no more room. Once I hit 1.8, that is it.
Pam,
Funny you should post this. I just passed the one-month mark and am almost to 1.8, too. Today, for the first time, I was STARVING almost all day. It’s the first time I’ve felt any real hunger at all since starting. I read someplace else that somebody suspected that the appetite control aspects of Victoza seemed to be more sensitive to the heat. This person was keeping her pens refrigerated most of the time, if memory serves.
I’ve been storing my spare pens in the fridge and will start a second pen tomorrow. Hopefully I’ll be able to report back that my hunger levels, or lack thereof, have returned to normal.