Wow…getting results in just a few days that Byetta never delivered in two years…5 lbs. lost, numbers in near-normal range. Have to have a bedtime snack to not go hypo. Just hope this progress is for real and that Victoza won’t lose effectiveness over time [if the total weight loss is significant, this might not matter…]
Wondering if any other new users are experiencing anything similar. It’s great to finally find a medicine that helps… My doc didn’t say too much about it, but I’d been waiting for “once-a-day Byetta” for quite awhile.
Okay! Two weeks on Vic. Average blood sugar numbers coming down rapidly. Haven’t done much exercise due to a crazy temporary schedule, but but at least there’s a noticeably smaller appetite. I find I really can’t stuff myself and push food away at some point. That’s a huge change for me…no question of seconds. Weight loss, not my primary goal, but hey I’ll take it, is hanging in there at about 6 lbs. My last HgA1c was 7.9 down from 9.1 but that was before starting Victoza and was the result of more careful monitoring — I was guessing and guessing wrong. Will measure the A1c again on August 1st.
Average B/S after 2.5 weeks is 145, with fasting average at 107. These numbers are record lows for me. Weight down about 10 lbs. I could not be happier with these results! This week I’ll use the home test for A1c. Fingers crossed, it will be in low 7’s.
I’m on Vic. and it’s a crazy drug. I’m still not 100% sold. I started taking it a month ago and can barely stomach it. I was supposed to start at .06 for a week and move it up to 1.2 the following week and then up to 1.8. I can’t get out of the .o6 dosage. It makes me sooo tired and sooo sick that once a week, I simply don’t take it. It decreases my appetite to the point where I can barely stand the sight of ANY FOOD! And I have to force my self. I have lost 15lbs and could loose more I guess. I’m not sure about this drug yet… Excellent A1C byw!
Tony, I have been on it for almost a year and I saw pretty rapid results. I was able to reduce my Lantus from 75 to 60 units and then I plateaued for awhile and suddenly started getting pretty intense lows in the morning, so I cut down from 60 units gradually to 32 units, which thrills me.
I am like you, I hope this drug does not lose its effectiveness, because I was so anxious to reduce the insulin dosage. I need to lose weight, and the more insulin I have to inject, the harder it is to lose weight. I personally did not notice any drastic reduction of appetite with this drug, and in fact when I was having all those hypos, I was starving all the time.
I sincerely hope this drug works for us both in the long-term!
Thanks for sharing your story… I lost some weight 6-8 lbs immediately and then a couple of more lbs. and then it just flat-lined. However, the a.m. B/S numbers are really much better, so like you, I can’t complain at all. My appetite is indeed smaller, but I often have to remember to listen both to my head and my stomach…sometimes I confuse “I want more” with “I don’t really need any more.” Also, it’s hard to give up or limit my favorite foods, and I’ve been so busy, I’ve managed to avoid any exercise. Again, I am my own worst enemy at times.
I wish us both continued low numbers… good luck with those hypos. I know the feeling…
Very new, I only started 1.2 dose yesterday. Dr. put me on it when my fasting suddenly jumped 30 points. It had an immediate positive effect on my numbers, I’m about back to where I was before this recent rise. It’s really done a number on my dawn phenomenon, I had a 104 yesterday 2 hours after breakfast. Before starting I was happy just to stay under 140. Side effects have been tolerable mostly headache after injecting but it goes away usually in an hour or two.
Totally agree with your statement "have to remember to listen both to my head and my stomach…sometimes I confuse “I want more” with “I don’t really need any more.” For me I think that will be the key to weight loss.
I have purposely not exercised just so I could see what effect Victoza had by itself. Hoping that with a little weight loss and exercise my numbers will get even better.
I just read your earlier post about your run in with a medical “professional” — have you found a good endocrinologist? Google Dr. Joe Prendergast. His occasional videos are very helpful. He’s big on testing and an advocate of Vitamin D and L-arginine supplements in addition to all the meds we take. I also use Bayer’s home “A!CNow Selfcheck” to keep track of my own progress.
My meds are: Januvia, Metformin, Prandin (before each meal) and Victoza. My averages are below 150 for the first time in years. I am hoping to get my A1c numbers under 7.0 as you did. [Congratulations, BTW!]
A nurse practitioner suggested to me eating a small amount of protein at or just before bedtime to prevent those lows. Like a spoonful of peanut butter. Worked!
My only problem is that my after-meals numbers don’t come down quickly enough, which suggests a) I’ve overdone it and b) I should walk after meals. My real battle is with my bad self. And that’s a handful!
Best of luck! The lower numbers made me so happy when I started Victoza that I got a little lax about the exercise. Gotta get back to long walks.
I have to keep checking in with myself during a meal and ask “Is that enough? Have I eaten enough?” Your body sends the signal that you’re full faster with Victoza. I’m actually enjoying smaller meals, with the satisfaction of knowing that for me, Less really is More. Littler meals and even more of them, like 4X a day.
Again, all good luck…hope it continues to work well for you!
Hi all…I wanted to start using Symlin and asked my Endo about a month ago,well he told me he use to use it on his patients years ago…no one lost weight or helped so he stop prescribin Symlin. So I saw him again today and told him I wanted to try Symlin again. He told me to try Victoza. He gave me 2 pens and 1 box of orn needles. He explained how to use Victoza and side effect. I took my first .06mg dose today… Boy… I need to loose 40-50lbs lol
I just started Victoza about a month ago. My numbers have been on average under 150 which is the lowest they have been ever! Not sure about the side effects though…I have absolutely no appetite and have to force myself to eat. I have lost 10 lbs so far and still have another 30 to lose. Love the weight loss but I have to say I also miss looking froward to eating my food. Not sure if it will even itself out or not. Also feeling a little lethargic and not feeling like exercising. Anyone having some of these same issues? Found that if I bolus “square wave” I don’t have an immediate drop in BS. That took a little bit of adjusting in the beginning.
Yeah I had about three weeks of constant nausea but it seems to have passed, although I will sometimes feel like it’s going to come back but doesn’t. Mostly, I’ve lost all appetite. In a way it’s great to see the pounds drop off, but at the other end I’m not eating enough to really support taking my other meds or even basic good nutrition (anything more than a half a sandwich feels like force feeding).
My other concern is that I think it’s triggering the migraines I’ve had lately. I’ve heard that headaches can be a common side effect but while my head doesn’t always hurt other disabling elements of my migraines (I get basilir type migraines) like dizziness, fuzzy thoughts, poor balance, etc are becoming uncomfortably frequent. My last attack lasted three days. Has anyone else experienced anything like this?
I"m only on my third day of using Victoza, and already my BS readings are much better. Mind you, my husband just had surgery on his mouth and so my meals have been based on stuff he can eat, so I’m not sure that this is totally the result of Victoza. But, so far, no nausea or anything else (only on the .6 dose though), and I have to get better at checking my BS before going to bed. Don’t know about the weight yet, it’s too early, but I just finished half of my lunch and didn’t want the rest, so somethings working.
Hi Joni, I am like you I went up to l.2 but I was sick. I had pain all over my stomach and it felt like it bloated up. I could not eat. I dont eat much anyway as it seems like no matter what I eat I feel funny and dizzy. I too am not sure but I am back to taking it at the .o6 dose. When do you take yours ? I have been taking it at night so I dont get as sick during the day. I have also been tired and have a headache. Good luck.
I'm now on my second week of taking Victoza. My Endo suggested I try it after a recent check-up. I was chagrined to first hear about this drug at that visit as I usually consider myself informed on Type 1 & 2 diabetes meds & the like. He considered me a good candidate for Victoza as: I test BGs regularly (6-7x a day), am in decent control (although my recent AC1 was UP to 7.1, whereas my goal is around 6.5 or less; I wear a pump (Omnipod), and I'm not underweight.
I started with a low dose (.06) the first week and just upped it to 1.2 yesterday. Any symptoms? No nausea, and I still have a healthy appetite. I did, however, break out in hives (!) for a few days the first week. Nothing too serious (no trouble swallowing or breathing); just some bumpy rashes appearing on back, scalp, neck, and areas where I'd worn my omnipods recently. I cant for certain attribute this 'reaction' to the Victoza, but I did read where hives was one of the potential side effects. I've continued to take the medication and the hives have greatly diminished since the initial outbreak last week.
I may need to up the dose (1.8) as I'm a pretty good size guy (6'4" & 240), but I wanted to make sure I didn't aggravate the skin reactions by jumping up the dose too fast.
I've been on Victoza for about 2 weeks. Lost 8 lbs. Never really got nauseous, but the first day or two I always felt like my stomach was a bit tight. Kept eating, but kept away from the fried, fatty that my dr said was generally a trigger.
BG down for the most part in the morning, went from what had been getting to be a pretty consistent 150 morning effect reading to 113-117. Best part is that I don't really seem to be getting excessive after meal highs either. I have been seeing a lot of under 100s, which is just wonderful.
So I guess I will see what dr says about dosage changes in our first follow up on this. (I'm on .6mg right now). Drug rep must have chatted with my dr. I have told that man for 3 years that my sugars shoot up in the morning, and he pooh-poohed that everytime, until this last visit. Now all of a sudden he knows all about this Victoza and is singing its praises. I tell everyone that my dr believes in better living through pharmaceuticals.
Has anyone achieved the results they need to stop taking Victoza? My doctor wants me to start taking it and when I asked her how long I'd need to be on it she didn't know. She was not aware of any patients who have been able to stop taking it and none of hers had. Is this a lifelong medication?
Victoza newbie here. Was controlled on Januvia and glyburide until I fell off the wagon due to stress and put on 30 lbs. Read that Victoza could help with weight loss and didn't need renal dosing adjustment (have kidney problems, sadly) so asked my Dr to switch me. Started at the lowest dose 3 days ago, but sugars are still elevated (Fasting 120-140; 2H PP 170-190). On my previous meds I had fasting bs in the 70s and 2H PP were usually <140. Dr said to see how it goes, then call if I need to add in glipizide. How long did it take to see normal bs? I'm getting anxious and don't want elevated numbers for too long. I'm getting flu-like symptoms along with a lot of burping and stomachache. However, it'll all be worth it if I can get the weight off!!
I've been on it about 8 months. Stomach discomfort gradually subsided, I also had headache which also is gone. Best blood sugars didn't start until I got to the full dose which for me is 1.2. Over time blood sugar numbers are a little higher but not alarming so. Weight loss is very slow but steady, over time if this continues I believe this will benefit me with lower insulin resistance
