When a couple members from the support
group saw this title, one made the comment, “Here we go again!”
I asked what he saw in the title and he said that it was another blog
about oral medications. I had to agree, as that is my intent. I
must declare I am on insulin (long acting and short acting) plus a
minimal dosage of metformin.
I do believe it is time for patients to
declare their intentions, especially if they are on some of the
medications that are being reported with serious side effects. I
have nothing against metformin in the extended release version, as
the gastrointestinal side effects are often minimal when taking it.
Many people have no side effects with the extended release version.
And the fact that it is generic and the cost is affordable and makes
this an economical treatment for type 2 patients.
Yet, our diabetes experts want to stack
one oral medication on top of another oral medication for several
medications. I complain that this is not good and this practice by
physicians needs to stop, the AACE Diabetes Algorithms not
withstanding. The American Diabetes Association and the American
Association of Clinical Endocrinologists don't want this to happen
and advise keeping patients on oral medications. The sad part of
this advice is the corporate sponsors of these two organizations are
the beneficiaries and the officers of the ADA and AACE receive fees
from these same sponsors.
It is convenient for me that one of the studies reported out of the ADA 2103 Scientific Sessions June 22, is
about stacking three medications and the author reports starting
people newly diagnosed with type 2 on triple drug therapy. You may
read about this ongoing study here at Medscape. This has to make the
ADA and AACE very happy. I hope this becomes fully tested as the side effects may be great and dangerous.
This relationship with the
pharmaceutical companies has to end for any trust in the ADA and AACE
to be restored. How can we place trust in the guidelines issued and
the recommendations of their officers when we know that they are
influenced heavily by the fees they receive from the pharmaceutical
companies? Then in addition, they are well paid as officers from the
contributions or sponsorships of these same pharmaceutical companies
to their respective organizations.
Yes, I will continue to blog about the
guidelines issued by the ADA and AACE, but everyone needs to be aware
of the biases built in and the underlying motives for some of their
misdirected guidelines. Comprehensive the guidelines are not and
with the built in discrimination by researchers when they exclude the
elderly and the young from participating in research, the people that
are using the majority of the medications have not had the
medications tested on them. This adds more reason to take a
jaundiced view of the guidelines. Insulin anyone?
And before I forget, I salute the
people with type 2 diabetes that are able to manage diabetes without
medications. Some have been able to manage without medications from
the start while others have been able to wean themselves off
medications and continue to manage without further medications.
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