Hi all, I know this topic has been done but do not see anythng recent.
I am a type 1 and was told about Victoza and may help me as I have become a bit insulin resistance.
anyone on it now, is there something good or bad I should know in advance before bringing this idea to my Endo.
thanks in advance
Victoza isn't really about helping with insulin resistance, it is about dealing with meals. Victoza will improve the signaling that often results in excess glucagon and poor digestion. It should slow the rate of digestion, give you an improved feeling of fullness and reduce your postprandial blood sugar swings. But it won't help with insulin resistance. Metformin can help with insulin resistance.
Please note that while several small studies have shown positive results with Victoza in T1, it is not approved for T1 by the FDA and your doctor will need to prescribe this "off label."
Thanks Brian, I knew about FDA, I can't take Metformin as I am allergic to sulfa.
i also may have a thyroid issue going on and seems that Victoza may not be the appropriate help I was looking for.
What kind of help were you looking for? If you really want to address insulin resistance, perhaps you can talk to your doctor about one of the TZD drugs like Actos.
I have gained aprox 80 pounds in three years due to severe full body nerve damage, and even thought try to watch what I eat, it is not enough to not gain the weight, my insulin requirments have also gone from 75u per 3 days to 200 which again does not help the weight. my sugars have been like a roller coaster due to pain,so someone suggested Victoza to help with the spiking and redution of insulin and my hunger issues. right now I am on 1000 cal a day or 30g carb per meal. I just found out that I may have a thyroid underactive as well. I am 47 years old and know our metabalisim is not as good the older you get, I used to weight 110 an active now 3 years later 200 and want to be active but due to pain the I endure I am lucky to go shopping and not pay for it the next day. so what do I want it for, to help me regulate my sugars, supress my appetite, but now that I know about my thryroid might hold off on it, as any normal person would of lost weight by now. uuuugh
wow venting or what, sorry guess I am more frustrated than I thought. i will check out actos or tzd, although I hate pills I hate being inactive or weight even more
I'm sorry to hear of all your difficulties. From what you say, victoza may actually be quite helpful for you. It has been found to help people lose weight. It reduces your appetite and makes you feel full. And the effect on the hormones related to digestion have been found to improve the effectiveness of insulin and your after meal blood sugar responses. You may well find that it will reduce your mealtime insulin requirements and give you better blood sugars. It just isn't specifically focused on insulin resistance. Diabetes is a lot more than just simply insulin deficiency or insulin resistance. Bernstein has been regularly using both Byetta and Victoza with his T1 patients.
Hope that helps.
Thanks Brian, and yes diabetes is much more. I am not sure if I would know how to live without diabetes but would be nice to try. the positive about it is my boys eat healthy becauce of the choices i made being diabetic and that will be passed on. will talk to my endo about it and find out what may work for me, I am surprised I have never heeard of it before.
difficulties is what makes me appreciate what I do have so it’s all good, something good will come out of it. just need to learn the lesson i am supposed to learn first. lol and i am a slooooow learner or stubborn not sure which
Hi… I just saw your post about Victoza. I am new to this forum but I joined looking for other type 1 diabetics using Victoza. My 16 year old daughter has type 1 diabetes and has been on an insulin pump for 11 years. Her Dr. just started her on Victoza two weeks ago. It’s been a rough beginning with the side effects but she seems to be doing a little better lately… Hoping to find somebody else out there successfully using Victoza.
HI Julie, sorry can't help with that, my doctor outright refuses and says it is not a medication for type 1 and I will probably not find any doctor that will prescribe it to me. (I am in Canada).
I'm T1 LADA and have used Victoza and Byetta quite successfully for all the reasons Brian mentions. In my case it even seemed to revive some of my waning beta cell activity. Here's an interesting link about ongoing trials and benefits for T1's: http://diatribe.org/issues/67/trial-watch
Also, I wrote extensively about my experience with this class of drug here: https://forum.tudiabetes.org/topics/byetta-miracle-drug-for-perfect-bg-control-for-recently-diagnosed
You're endo should not be denying you access to Victoza or other drugs in this class. If after sharing some of the recent research he still doesn't come around, find another one.
Good luck!
Christopher
Christopher I just read your post about using Victoza and Byetta. My daughter has been a type 1 diabetic for 12 years. When she was younger she was in great control mostly because I was in charge!:) As she became a teenager, I noticed she would just eat and eat and eat! She never seemed to get full and her cravings for sweets were out of control...this led to high blood sugars which led to more eating. She began to steadily gain weight and her A1C remained in the mid 8's. She is on an insulin pump so we played with her basal and the Dr tried and tried to adjust her settings but her cravings continued as well as the weight gain and the high blood glucose readings. We went to the Dr in August and he suggested trying her on Victoza for a short period to help with her cravings and her blood glucose levels. So that brings me to today. The change we have seen in three short weeks is amazing! She has already lost 5 lbs 140 down to 135. Her cravings are completely gone and I have had to adjust her basal down to almost nothing for hours after she gets the victoza....Her numbers are now mostly in the 100's compared to 200 and 300. I think this is also due to the fact that she is eating so much less. She is on the lowest dose .6 and I don't plan on raising it anytime soon as she is struggling with the bad side effects. I have read all the scary warnings for this drug and I am torn about giving it to her. The way I look at it is that she was spiraling out of control and her kidneys were beginning to show some small changes... in her case I have to think about which is the lesser of two evils! Type 1's can suffer some very bad complications from this disease. If I can get her back in control then it is totally worth the risk...her doctors plan was to help her get the weight down and the blood sugar back under control and then she will stop using Victoza. I can only hope by that time she will be able to control her eating and maintain good glucose control. I also plan on keeping her on the lowest dose as long as it's working. I am just so amazed by this drug and how it's helping a type 1. I hope they continue with the research because so many more could benefit. My daughter is so happy with the weight loss and the fact that she no longer MUSt HAVE a Starbucks everyday! :) She is off to college in two years so I hope to have her good and healthy by then!
I will check this out! Thanks!
Hi Julie:
It's great to hear you making such good progress. As with almost any drug, you need to weigh the benefits vs. the risks. Statistically speaking, I think the jury is still out regarding Byetta and Victoza's risks with respect to pancreatic issues. I have not seen anything since that UCLA study, and that sample size was very small. Hence, I don't think I'd lose too much sleep about this if I were you and just make sure she gets her regular checkups and blood draws.
All the best!
Christopher
Hi Julie....I live near the American border and I cross the border to take part in a Victoza study in Type 1s. McMaster Diabetes clinic has some trials starting up too for Victoza. This may be a way to get your foot in the door and at least give it a try. Not sure where you are located but maybe in your area they might be starting a Victoza trial.
That’s exactly what I was thinking too! In her case the benefits are outweighing the risks at this point! It is so nice to read about other type 1’s using this drug. It was also helpful to hear that other people are experiencing cravings because of the insulin. For so long we just fussed and fussed at her for eating so much not realizing this might be due to the insulin. So good to hear you also experienced these cravings and that they eventually went away!
Thank you Carolyn… I will check into it! How are you doing on the Victoza?
There is another option as well that I used quite successfully. It's also an injectable called Amylin, which is approved for both T1's and T2's. Insulin is actually not responsible for the cravings, but rather a deficiency in Amylin, which is hormone and a byproduct of endogenous insulin production and provides the sensation of "fullness." Since T1's do not produce their own insulin, they will also be deficient in Amylin. Just like Victoza and Byetta, it comes in a pen.
Additionally, there are also foods that I have found that helped me reduce cravings. I increased my fat intake with butter and creams, avocado, almonds and full-fat, unflavored Greek yoghurt.
All the best!
Christopher