Anyone Tried Rybelsus For Diabetes/ Pre Diabetes?

Hi,
My diabetes has been elevated since last year. It was 6.5% twice in a row in August and November 2022.i am checking this blood work every 3 months since the beginning of 2022.

It was normal before and elevated only after my chronic pain symptoms followed by weight gain with medications.

I have given metformin 500mg twice a day. So totally 2000mg per day. The value didn't decrease much and in the recent work, it came down to 6.3%.

My Dr said my values are not good enough and with the amount of metformin I am taking, he said I should see rapid difference in the blood results which didn't happen. She wanted me to induce this new medication Rybelsus.

Dr told me that if I am ok to try this or wanna try insulin. I am not ok for insulin yet. She told me that this medication Rybelsus is given for weight loss to the celebrities but the actual purpose of this medicine is for diabetes purpose.

She said it's expensive and insurance might not approve the medicine as my current value is only 6.3 which is pre diabetes range.

I didn't check the side effects or long term effects for this medicine yet. I am obese too , after trying several nerve medicines for my chronic pain.
So my Dr said it will help me reduce weight and reduce diabetes.

I am little skeptical to go for it. She wanted me to take both metformin and this new medicine. It's not a replacement for metformin.

Anyone tried this before?

 

My Dr told me about this medicine for diabetes only. But she said this is given for weight loss to the celebrities. Told me that I will lose some weight with this medicine as I gained lots of weight with some other medicines which was given for my chronic pain which I still dealing with.

I got high hba1c over after this weight gain. So she thinks I can reduce hba1c if I lose some pounds.

Looks like I have given the very high dose medicines. I am taking 1000mg metformin twice a day for 6.3 value. Mine was 6.5 last year for 6 months in a row. I do blood work every 3 months and It did come as 6.5 twice in a row. That's when I was given 2000mg a day. Before that, I was taking 1000mg a day for 6.1.

The current value comes under pre diabetes though. But Dr wanted me to take both 2000mg metformin and Rybelsus. I feel like it's too much dose for this hba1c value. But don't know if my thinking is right. For some reason, hba1c didn't go down after taking metformin max dose for few months.
So Dr said I have to try another medicine.

I am planning to ask her tomorrow that if I can just try strict diet with metformin and see if changes in 3 months before trying Rybelsus.

I was over weight before. With other medications and weight gain, I am obese now and not able to reduce it. I have gained about 55+ pounds from the nerve medicines which I was given for my pain. It didn't help but as a side effect, I gained so much weight.

I am just trying hard to lose some weight now. I didn't lose any weight with metformin though.

 

Thanks for the response.
Yes I do take carb everyday. What are the other boys tests should I ask for?

 

Thank you. Yeah I have never seen an endocrinologist yet. I asked my PCP and he refused to give a referral as my current hba1c is in prediabetic range. He said Endocrinologist can be referred if my values are diabetic. I couldn't convince him to give the referral.
I have started a walking and diet routine from this month. Will wait and see if anything changes.

 

I have a PPO plan. I can see the specialist without the referral, but the problem is, the Endo offices aren't seeing new patients without referral. I did call few offices to ask about appointment. They denied and said I need to get the referral note from the PCP.

PCP is not ready to give the referral as my values are in prediabetic range.

I am trying to find which specialist should I see for low vitamin D. I might get referral for Endo if they see patients with chronic low D. In that case, I can see them for both issues. Hba1c and chronic low D.

 

Just an update on this thread.
I had my follow up blood sugar panel and to my surprise, it came out as 7.8..i never got values greater than 7.

My PCP immediately prescribed me rybelsus medication to take it along with metformin. She sent me with a pack of rybelsus 3mg sample to take for 30 days. After that I have to get the 7mg dose of rybelsus.

Dr said it should help with my diabetes control and weight loss. I am also gaining weight badly. Don't know how. I am not eating that much, but weight keeps increasing.

I started the rybelsus 3mg dose last week and I feel so miserable. It makes me so nauseous and bad stomach pain. Exactly how you described @gamma50g

Dr gave me nausea medication to take if needed. I feel so nauseated with this medicine. I called the Dr and told how I feel after taking this medicine. She told me this is all expected and body will absorb/get used to it in a week or two.

@MalStrom , how did you bring down your hba1c from 9 to 7.5 in few months? Did you follow anything to bring this down?
Did metformin medicine helps you to bring the blood sugar values?