After attempting to get Invokana through a clinical trial (and getting placebo instead), I have been able to start through my regular endocrinologist. I know it was hard for her to do off label, but I so appreciate the chance to try!
I’m on day 2. So far I’ve been able to reduce my basal by 40% and my boluses by 50% at each meal. My sugars have been stable (and in a great range). I have been on nearly half the insulin I was.
I lost 1.5lbs, surely it was all water. I’m trying to drink a lot to stay hydrated and avoid side effects. I’m also starting a probiotic tomorrow just to avoid potential infections associated with this drug.
I also attended a webinar recently on weight loss for insulin users. They didn’t go into the mechanisms of weight gain with insulin, but did say that cutting insulin down would help to lose weight. They had a suggestion of exercising right after eating and cutting the bolus down (letting the exercise utilize the glucose instead of the insulin). I’ve tried it a couple of times (before starting this new med) and was able to cut my meal bolus down by 50% or more.
Once I stabalize on this drug and confirm that my rates are good, I will try it again. Shoot, I might even be able to have a meal for 1/4 the insulin I did in the past! I don’t know if the effects of invokana will last or if my body will adjust and I’ll need more insulin again, but I sure am enjoying this “vacation” of heavy boluses and all the peaks and valleys that come with it.
I’ll keep you all posted on how it goes. My goal is to lose 15 pounds, I’m down 3 so far.
Wow.... I've been fighting weight gain. I was diagnosed last month with Cramping Fasciculation Syndrome. My neurologist started me on an new drug to help. But said no exercise of any kind for 3 to 5 weeks. Then just walking short distances for another month. Then after that I can start light jogging and other exercise. I've gained almost 10 pounds and my Basal is up really high now. I would love to try this drug in the short term just to help cut the insulin down till I can start working out again. Thanks for the info.
I think it is great that it works for you. I looked up the mechanism of action and it looks like it causes you to excrete glucose through the kidney at a rate of 50-80 grams of glucose as well as increased diuresis. This means that for type 2's with hypertension they may be able to reduce other medicine, especially if they are taking a diuretic. I couldn't find any references that compared the Invokana to decreasing carb intake.
Yes, that’s how I understand it to work as well. I eat relatively low carbohydrate already, and have tried that for years as a way to try to reduce bolus insulin and lose weight, unfortunately to no avail. This is helping to reduce basal insulin also, something that I haven’t been able to do so far.
I’ve been working out daily and will continue to do so. I think that an “all hands on deck” approach is going to be the best thing for me to achieve some success. I have been struggling with all the traditional techniques not working for a long time. I’m happy to see a tiny bit of progress. I hope it continues and represents true weight loss and not just water loss!
