POZ Community Forums
Meds, Mind, Body & Benefits => Lipodystrophy & Metabolic Problems => Topic started by: Jeff G on October 28, 2013, 10:24:58 am
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Im a type 2 diabetic , it began over 10 years ago and was treated with metformin until I had to go on insulin about 3 years ago .
When I was first diagnosed with diabetes I weighed about 160 lbs and my doctors where a bit surprised at my very high glucose readings . It all began when I was put on Sustiva and got worse with Atripla but my doctors never really responded much to my questions about the correlation between the two and pretty much told me the lipid problems were just part of the combo I was taking and gave me statins and metformin .
About a year ago I changed my combo to Intelence / Truvada . The first month on it I had to seek additional treatment for diabetes because my glucose readings went sky high almost overnight . My endocrinologist hadn't ever seen anything like it so we simply adjusted my insulin . My glucose readings began to settle back down and I was eventually able to ease back off on the insulin .
I have lost weight since July , I was weighing 188 lbs and now I'm at 165 . I'm using very little insulin and haven't had to inject in two days now . My diet played a role in the diabetes but its now clear that Atripla was the main culprit because I have steadily improved since I changed my HIV regimen diet or no diet or how much I weigh .
I still have to use insulin if I eat the wrong foods but at a much lower dose than before . I know that some you are struggling with metabolic issues that may or may not be associated with your HIV meds so take it for what its worth . Had I known changing my HIV combo would change my overall health I would have done it long ago and I'm left wondering why my doctors didn't suggest it .
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Thanks for the heads up about Atripla and diabetes. I am glad you have been able to manage it better with diet and a medication change. My father developed diabetes in his 70s so I try to avoids things that would cause it. I read a study that people who drank diet soft drinks had a higher rate of diabetes than people who drank regular soft drinks, who of course had a higher rate than people who didn't drink them. I used to drink Coke Zero but now drink Coke infrequently and switched to unsweet tea. Due to your post I will pay more attention to my HIV meds in term of diabetes.
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Thanks for the heads up about Atripla and diabetes. I am glad you have been able to manage it better with diet and a medication change. My father developed diabetes in his 70s so I try to avoids things that would cause it. I read a study that people who drank diet soft drinks had a higher rate of diabetes than people who drank regular soft drinks, who of course had a higher rate than people who didn't drink them. I used to drink Coke Zero but now drink Coke infrequently and switched to unsweet tea. Due to your post I will pay more attention to my HIV meds in term of diabetes.
Im starting to think that the link to diet drinks and diabetes isn't as clear cut as some reports has suggested . The strongest link to diet drinks and diabetes seems to come from the fact that the people who consume diet drinks are more than likely doing so because they are already over weight or they love of sugary snacks that puts them into a high risk demographic .
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Are your doctors convinced now that it was induced by Atripla or are they "uncertain" of the cause? Makes me wonder if their have been any studies done about this.
Happy for you that at least you now need much less insulin. :)
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My blood sugar levels had always been normal pre HIV. When I started Atripla.they increased to about 110 fasting. That always concerned me since I exercise every day and ate pretty healthy. My doctor never really mentioned it as an issue but I always found it as odd. Prior to Atripla they were below 100.
Now that I've switched to complera, I'm curious to see if there had been a change. I get my first labs post compares complera in five days.
The thing about this topic that is scary is I'm doing everything else right. I eat right, I exercise every day. I do lots of cardio and weights and am back to my normal weight of 160 (normal for me, which when I started Atripla I ballooned up to 180). Anyway you still do all the right things and you watch your blood sugar level creep up and up.
If it doesn't start to come down I'm having a talk with the Dr about this. I.don't know what I'll do. But.......
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Are your doctors convinced now that it was induced by Atripla or are they "uncertain" of the cause? Makes me wonder if their have been any studies done about this.
Happy for you that at least you now need much less insulin. :)
I haven't discussed my improved numbers with them yet . To be clear ... Atripla contributed to my diabetes , not everyone gets sky high lipids and bad cholesterol problems with Atripla . I posted this so that others that are having metabolic problems and are on HIV combos that contribute to them can consider if there are things they can do before they end up on insulin or harsh statins .
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My blood sugar levels had always been normal pre HIV. When I started Atripla.they increased to about 110 fasting. That always concerned me since I exercise every day and ate pretty healthy. My doctor never really mentioned it as an issue but I always found it as odd. Prior to Atripla they were below 100.
Now that I've switched to complera, I'm curious to see if there had been a change. I get my first labs post compares complera in five days.
The thing about this topic that is scary is I'm doing everything else right. I eat right, I exercise every day. I do lots of cardio and weights and am back to my normal weight of 160 (normal for me, which when I started Atripla I ballooned up to 180). Anyway you still do all the right things and you watch your blood sugar level creep up and up.
If it doesn't start to come down I'm having a talk with the Dr about this. I.don't know what I'll do. But.......
Its folks like you that made me want to post this topic to begin with . When my lipids and metabolic problems began my doctors led me to believe that I could correct the problem with diet and exercise . I did my part and my bad labs kept getting worse and that's when I lost my temper with my doctor and told her that its wasn't my diet , it was the Atripla . I did revert back to a bad diet that made things worse after working so hard and not making an impact I simply gave up after a while .
I guess I will never know if I would have been a diabetic without Atripla , but I think not .
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Im starting to think that the link to diet drinks and diabetes isn't as clear cut as some reports has suggested . The strongest link to diet drinks and diabetes seems to come from the fact that the people who consume diet drinks are more than likely doing so because they are already over weight or they love of sugary snacks that puts them into a high risk demographic .
Yes, I had considered that when I read the study. One thing I have realized about myself though is the more sweet foods I eat, the more I want sweets. I had really cut down on sweets until my partner brought some chocolate from Brussels, which I could not resist. I found myself at work standing in front of the vending machine, which I had given up completely, staring at the Snickers bar. I think diet soft drinks increase my cravings for sugary foods.
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I used to never drink soda or sugary drinks and now that I have a taste for them I crave it so Im trying to back off and limit myself to two diet cokes a a day .
I was bad yesterday and ate a rice crispy treat as big as your head that came in my box lunch at a meeting . I had to inject insulin twice to get back to normal ... that rice crispy treat was the best thing I tasted in months LOL .
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While you can take a critical eye about the relation between fake sugar and diabetes, please also keep in mind another consideration. I believe it is argued that fake sugar drinks to not satisfy a sweet tooth, they exacerbate the desire for sweets.
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Aloha, My story is very similar, I've been a diabetic since 94', all was fine till about 2013, I was on a maintenance pill, one morning I woke up thinking I was having a stroke. I was rushed to the hospital my blood sugar was 486, discovered I also had heart disease as well. I've been told that HIV increases the strain of diabetes on the body and my heart disease to some one older then me more like a 80 yr old. I'm 55 yr.
Long story short I was taken off my pill, put on insulin, Lantus twice a day 60units, Humalog 32units each meal plus a sliding scale, sometime up to 60+ units one meal. Last visit I had with my Doctor I asked about Egrifta, I've been on Complera for 8 months, my weight went from 130 lbs to 188.1lbs. I had lots of energy I was running 9 miles daily I'm a short guy 5ft 4in. No more energy I've developed major belly fat, my doctor wont give Egrifta to me, said it was my diabetes not the Complera.
Then a Dietitian offered me Barbaric Surgery, she said the diabetic community was pro this surgery? Then she saw in my chart i was HIV+,and she said I'd have to try something else.
I then talked with my GP she said she need to take me off my Testosterone because it was effecting my heart disease?? My HIV doctor put me back on it to keep my energy level up.
I was so upset with all of this I decided to treat myself, I went on a liquid meal twice daily for the last thee weeks, I've lost belly fat and weight 11lbs. and my blood sugars have gone from the 300's to 176 and as low as 71.
Since I cant get the medical staff to help me I've taken it upon myself to get rid of the belly fat. I have a fitness background and retired from the medical community 7 yrs ago.
Just one of the problems I have is having enough calories for my Complera 400, one liquid meal with nonfat milk is 300, when I take Complera at dinner time, more food intake I feel sick, morning is better for me.
And by the way before all of this treatment started,before Complera I was fine, Blood sugars were low,130 range maintenance was diet controlled and my HIV status was always undetectable and still is? My complication developed with belly fat started after I was placed on Complera. I'm told because I went so long without taking any meds after my first sign of HIV, 19 years ago, that I damaged my own heart, my diabetes and this is why its so important to start medication as early as possible, I think that before anyone starts a new med everyone should know you can gain major weight, and that's fine if you've lost a lot of weight, but for someone who doesn't have that problem, they should be encouraged to increase exercise and watch your diet closer?
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Agreed , diet is key . I just got my diabetes averages back for the last 3 month's and I am averaging 103 and 6.1 . That's normal blood sugar readings from eating healthy .
ojoshawaiano55 , I'm concerned with your radical diet though , especially with the heart disease you have .
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I'm still doing the liquid meals twice a day, the breakfast I've added peanut butter, some fresh fruit to the drink to reach my 4oo calories for the Complera. my radical diet I've added more protein and veggies because I've started jogging and some weight training. I'm hoping with jogging the water I seem to be retaining in my left leg will soon get better, or I will have to start taking a water pill again. my A1C just came back and its a 7, with blood sugars in the 130 range, good for me but can be better, maybe with the exercise. Thanks for the concern.
Aloha, 8)