Type one and Victoza

I am wondering how many type ones are on Victoza? I just started it in December and have been able to decrease my insulin totals. I am using it off-label but have seen a tremendous decrease in my blood sugars.

If you are a type one on Victoza -
1. What was your TDD of insulin - both basal and bolus?
2. How much are you taking? .6?, 1.2?
3. How much have you had to reduce your insulin doses?

Thanks
Susan

I also am using Victoza off label for about a year. I have gotten very lazy about knowing my totals of insulin I am using a pump. I started using it for my weight and it has worked I would guess it has reduced the amount of insulin I am using.

I have been using Victoza off label since May (when I was first diagnosed T1). It is prolonging my honey moon period. I have never been on insulin. I took 1.2 and my A1C dropped. However I had such severe constipation that we reduced my dose to .6. We will do another A1C the end of Jan. I know my sugars have gone up though so I suspect I will be back on 1.2 then.

Thanks for your reply. Have you seen weight loss fairly quickly? I have noticed the effect on my appetite especially at lunch and dinner. Breakfast too - but not as pronounced. So far I am on .6 and it is working. :)

It is cool that it has been able to extend the honeymoon phase. I had a phase like this 20 years ago - and wish there had been drugs like Victoza. I did go on insulin to help rest my pancreas - but turns out it was not the beta cells that my body was attacking - it was my own insulin!

Yes I dropped 15 pounds the first month. Since then the weight has been steady.

I have had type 1 for 20 years, I'm on a pump, and I just started Victoza on Monday. I'm having a really rough time so far on the lowest dose.

But in terms of decrease of insulin, my basal rate total has gone down from 24 units a day to 15! And my insulin to carb ratio is about 25%-40% less (depending on the time of day; I have 6 different ratios).

I am nauseous all the time. I have to force myself to eat, and when I'm low it's awful. I have been testing 8 or 10 times a day, playing with my settings so I'll figure that out soon. But the nausea... awful.

I know it affects people in different ways, but does anyone know of how long to expect side effects for?

It does effect people differently. Most of my side effects were gone after 3-4 weeks. I know it sounds like a long time when you are nauseous. If the nausea is real bad, get an anti-nausea drug from your doc. Switching the timing around may help too. I've read people have good luck at all different times--it depends on when your worst side effects hit. For me, I take it first thing in the morning because my worst side effects were about 8 hours later. I've been on since May and have no side effects now. Hang in there. For most people it gets better.

Thanks so much for your reply. I've been reading about when people take it, but I've also been taking it in the morning. I'll probably give it a full week before I switch up the timing. The difference in insulin consumption is amazing, I really want to stick with it. Thanks again!

I am down to a total of 15-18 units a day.... and have lost weight. I am happy with Victoza - I am noticing less nausea but, if it food that has a weird consistency or tastes "off", I feel sick to my stomach. I had the same issues with Symlin when it worked.... Am happy to see the effects of the Victoza! Hopefully your nausea will subside....

I just started taking Victoza today. I'm really excited about the possibility of decreasing my TDD of insulin. I will check back in a week or two to give a report of how it's going. :)

Hello again. :) I'm in my third week of taking Victoza. At first, I felt totally "off". I still don't feel 100% normal, but I'm feeling a lot better. I still feel a wee bit nauseous, especially at lunch, but not like how strong it was the first week. Even though I still don't feel completely normal, my good numbers make me want to stick it out. I've lost 11 pounds so far, which I am so happy about because all of my weight loss efforts seemed like they were for nothing before Victoza.
1. My TDD of insulin was 22 units - basal and 24 units - bolus
2. I'm taking 1.2
3. For bolus, I'm now taking about one-third less insulin than I had been taking. It almost seems as if I'm only taking my basal now. My basal is the same during the day, but I had to play with my night basal a little.

So far I'm really loving how my numbers are reacting. Normal numbers in the morning are something I never really had! Sadly, my insurance doesn't cover it, but my doctor is going to fight them on that. Hopefully, he will win because my numbers have never been better.

Congratulations on your great numbers! I found it took about 6 weeks before I stopped feeling 'Off". In fact, I stayed on .6 a long time. My endo just upped me to 1.2 so now I'm going through all the side effects again. I feel so tired with it it's hard to have energy to do anything. I know it will pass, but I hate going through it.

Thank you! :) I am so happy that you mentioned that you have been feeling so tired. Not that I'm happy that Victoza is making you tired, but because I was getting exhausted for seemingly no reason and I didn't know why. Hopefully we will get through these symptoms soon.

Hello everyone! I started Victoza today at 0.6. Slightly nauseated but bearable. I'm already NOT HUNGRY. This is the first time in a very long time I've been able to walk past the junk food and say "hey! I'm craving strawberries... Instead of cookies".

I'm a type 1 on a pump. I take a varied basal rate throughout the day but my totals are usually less than 24u a day basal and about 15-40u a day bolus depending on my activity and what I eat. I already noticed my usual blood sugar at noon was 115-145 today it was 76.

I feel a glimmer of hope.

After three days on Victoza I've already had to decrease my basal by about 0.2 my blood sugars are great now and I'm only on 0.6 dosage. I was mildly nauseated but very constipated. I am not hungry for the first time in years.

Hi, I started Victoza 5 weeks ago.
I'm Type 1(for 25yrs) on a pump for last 6 years ...Taking victoza for weight reasons alone. I started on 0.6 and now this week (week 5) Ive gone up to 1.2. So far I've no weight loss and no reduction of basal insulin doses though it has made me constipated and for the first few days I wasn't passing much urine at all, then started with a urine infection along with a yeast infection - lucky me! The nausea is present and my meals are far smaller but yet - still no weight changes. Drinking 2L water extra a day since uti, and sometimes suddenly become very tired for no apparent reason.
Anyone else finding it torture? I'd put up with it if weight was reducing! Comments please?

Is anyone else having bad breath with this?

I'm so happy that your numbers are coming down! :) It was such a great feeling (and still is) when I started seeing my usual random numbers actually be in the normal range. It seems like constipation is one of the more common side effects. I've been seeing that people are getting mild laxatives. I've been taking enzymes and acidophilus with my vitamins in the morning and that seems to have done the trick. I've been on Victoza for almost two months and my digestive system appears to be getting back to normal. And actually, yes to the bad breath question. There was about a week or so where I was experiencing that, but it went away. I hope this helps. Hang in there!

Oh no! I'm sorry that you have to deal with both of those infections at the same time. :( I wonder if both of the infections are inhibiting your weight loss. Have you talked to your doctor about it? The fatigue is definitely a common side effect. I would just get soo tired for no reason. Thankfully it does go away though. Unfortunately, we just have to push through the initial side effects. Agreed, these side effects royally suck. I almost stopped taking it a couple times, but decided to just stick it out. Have you seen any weight loss since you started the 1.2 dose?