Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by twiddlemthumbs on October 30, 2010 at 7:31pm

Hi Katrina welcome to the victoza discussions

Permalink Reply by Katrina Schindler on October 31, 2010 at 1:54pm

Thank you :-)

Permalink Reply by Terry on October 30, 2010 at 9:23pm

I'm also a T1 and I just finished the diaTribe article written by editor Kelly Close. I'm very interested in this as well. Kelly reports better control with Victoza and her total daily insulin dose has markedly dropped. As a result she has lost weight.

Katrina, please report back here what your doctor has to say regarding the "off-label" use. I'm also curious if your insurance will pay for this. I'm not scheduled to see my endo until January.

Any T1s taking this med??? We'd like to hear from you.

Permalink Reply by Katrina Schindler on October 31, 2010 at 1:58pm

Just as a side note - I noticed on the lab order that I picked up to get my blood draw that my doctor is testing me for Type 2. Very odd to me! I'm not overweight and never have been - but I think because I have insulin resistance he is thinking that I might have some odd combination of the T1 and T2 - so IF he finds some elements of T2 present it would probably make the insurance issue a lot easier....but either way I'll update after my appointment :-)

Permalink Reply by sophiaofthrace on November 11, 2010 at 9:55am

I would guess that he is doing this to increase the chances that your insurance will cover. Victoza is only approved for Type 2 diabetics not using insulin.

Permalink Reply by sophiaofthrace on November 11, 2010 at 9:57am

I'm not sure by definition that someone can have both types. However, Type 1s CAN have symptoms associated with Type 2. Like increased insulin resistance which requires more insulin to keep blood sugar levels under control.

Permalink Reply by Brian (bsc) on October 31, 2010 at 1:22pm

Victoza has two primary effects, it amplifies the signaling when you eat, improving the secretion of insulin. And second, it delays stomach emptying, making you feel full. For many T1s, it is this second effect that matters, because most off-label use of Byetta and Victoza appears to be as a way of reducing appetite and helping to lose weight.

But understand, I don't personally believe in the black and white world separating diabetes into T1 and T2, and the argument that they are not related. It is entirely reasonable to think that a T1 could still retain some level of insulin production and that remaining beta cell function can make a real difference in the control you can achieve. Using Victoza may well have a real effect on that remaining beta cell function.

It truth, I think you have a hard time convincing most doctors that you want to try Victoza cause you think it will help improve you insulin secretion response, but you may well be successful saying you want to try it to address uncontrollable hunger and get your weight down. Just my opinion.

Permalink Reply by Katrina Schindler on October 31, 2010 at 1:53pm

Yeah, I agree that elements of T2 can be present in a T1. I had a test done years, and years ago (I've had T1 for about 15 years) to see if I had any beta cell function left and it was pretty much nill - and that was a decade ago! But I am insulin resistant (a T2 trait) so I'm thinking this might address that issue? In all honesty, it sounds like Victoza does the exact same thing as Symlin (regulates gastric emptying, regulates the liver dumping sugar into the system, and signaling the brain that you are satisfied), but since both of these drugs sound like they are simply replacements for something the human body produces (or should produce) it just seems that the body regulates these things from more than one place!

I'm def not going to try to sell the doctor on the idea that I might have some beta cell function left...lol! I'm going to try and play the T2 angle and suggest that it might help with decreasing my resistance. The only concern I have is how it would interact with Symlin.

Anyway, thanks for explanation and the comments - any kind of info helps!! :-)

Permalink Reply by sophiaofthrace on November 11, 2010 at 10:00am

According to my doc, it may be counterproductive to say you want to use Victoza for weight loss because most insurance companies don't cover prescriptions for that reason. Rather, it is better to say it is being used to help control blood sugars (even if weight loss is an added benefit.)

Permalink Reply by Katrina Schindler on November 10, 2010 at 11:57am

Well, good news - I saw my doctor yesterday and he gave me a sample pen of Victoza to try! I've just taken 0.6 around 11:30AM and am going to see how that works. Does anyone have any recommendations about what the best time of day to take this is?? The literature that comes with it says it can be taken "independently of food" so I'm taking it between meals since I don't want to take it at the same time as my Symlin. I'm excited to see if this has any effect on my control or anything! Although since I'm resistant to insulin AND symlin I wouldn't be surprised if I had to up my dose to the max before I see any results! I'll update here as I progress! :-)

Permalink Reply by Brian (bsc) on November 10, 2010 at 6:14pm

Victoza can be taken at any time, just take it consistently. Byetta has to be taken right before eating, just like insulin, which is why the use of the phrase "independently of food." Perhaps first thing in the morning is best.

I will be interested in how this works out for you.

Permalink Reply by sophiaofthrace on November 11, 2010 at 10:03am

I don't think it matters so much when you take it as that you take it consistently. It does seem to make a difference to me if I don't take it within 25 or 26 hours of my last dose. And I suspect there is a peak or at least a point where it becomes less effective in the body, but I haven't quite figured that out yet.

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