Under the radar

Dr. Bill Quick Health Professional Physician and Medical Director of DiabetesMonitor.com Dr. Bill Quick and his wife Steph are the authors of one of the ... Send Message Subscribe: Dr. Bill Quick

Monday, May 11, 2009
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There's a new drug for type 2 diabetes, just approved by the FDA. Actually, it's an old drug, that has been approved for many years for other medical conditions, and which just got approval for treating diabetes. I sort of stumbled across the news of its approval after a colleague sent out...

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No mention of HOW MUCH it Lowers Blood Sugar
Jenny Ruhl
Monday, May 11, 2009 at 03:25 PM

I noticed none of the press releases bragged about how much this drug lowers blood sugar, and since they brag about stuff that lowers it less than 1%, my guess is the answer is "not much."

If I recall correclty, the side effects of drugs that fool with dopamine include loss of impulse control both sexual and leading to out of control gambling in people who didn't gamble before.

re: No mention of HOW MUCH it Lowers Blood Sugar
Gretchen Becker
Tuesday, May 12, 2009 at 09:57 AM

According to the Diabetes in Control story, it lowered A1c about 0.7.

An endo at Joslin once remarked that all the diabetes drugs (except insulin) seem to reduce A1c by about the same amount (although some reduce more than this), and in order to get further reductions, you have to add different drugs that work in different ways.

Then added, "I think this is trying to tell us something, but I haven't figured out what yet."

PLEASE HELP!!! :(
Geyedlady
Tuesday, May 12, 2009 at 09:23 PM

HI. My husband has Diabetes II. He had a by pass in 2000. He has almost starved himself for 6 months on the diabetic diet. He has lost very very few lbs. All the doctors tell him "well, you have more than one condition, so not everyone can lose significant weight amounts." He has bulging disks so many times, it is hard for him, even to get good exercise. I KNOW THAT something is VERY WRONG! The way he eats, he should have LOST alot of weight by now. WHO do WE GO TO for help?!!! He must take blood pressure medication and is on metformin. Are these drugs killing him, in the fact that they give him added weight? I KNOW THAT ADDED WEIGHT WILL KILLD A PERSON, IF THEY HAVE DIABETES, BUT I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE TO GO NOW TO GET HELP!! :( :( :( snofyre@aol.com

re: PLEASE HELP!!! :(
Dr. Bill Quick
Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at 10:53 AM

It's always frustrating to see minimal results and have the physicians unable to assist.

It's unclear if your husband has been under the care of a diabetes team, including an endocrinologist, a diabetes nurse educator, and most importantly, a diabetes dietitian. If not, he should be. Some hints on finding such a team are listed at Finding A New Doctor.

And if he has been under the care of a diabetes team, I think you ought to voice your concerns to the team.

Best wishes, to him and to you!

re: re: PLEASE HELP!!! :(
Geyedlady
Saturday, May 16, 2009 at 05:32 AM

Yes he has an endocrinologist, our sister in law is helping him with his diabetic diet (she worked for the U of iowa as their head nutritionist. )

I feel that something is wrong because he should be losing more weight. Doctors in diffrent specialties give him their own version of meds he should take and they don't coordinate with others. The result is an overabundance of meds, we feel.

I think I will go to the "find doctors" section and try to locate a nationally known diabetic dr. within our reach.. we are in Iowa. Do you know of any good diabetic specialists in the Davenport or iowa city area? We already go the U. of Iowa for much of our care. And his endo. comes from the U. of Iowa.

thanks

JGcgull@aol.com

Cycloset for Type 2 Diabetes
SWEETSTUFF
Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at 12:04 AM

Thanks for the great article on Cycloset! I am always so eager to hear of new drugs for Type 2...any news on whether it might help us lose weight?? I started on insulin last July and have gained 40 lbs and I am not happy about that...I know Byetta supposedly helps in that regard,

if it doesn't make you sick as a dog or kill you first...what a choice!!

~Joyce~

re: Cycloset for Type 2 Diabetes
Geyedlady
Saturday, May 16, 2009 at 05:35 AM

I am interested in your comments about diabetic medications making someone GAIN weight. GRRRR I think that is going on with my husband. He starves himself and yet, what does he have to show for it? practically nothing!! the truth should be told to clients who try their hearts out, only to find they have little progress.

Could you share your story with me about gaining weight on diab. drugs? my husband takes metformin, and has killed himself dieting, but little good it has produced.

thanks

Snofyre@aol.com