Should I be reducing doses?

[AnnaQuayInTheUk]

I'm not sure what to do. I've been taking MJ for a year. I'm currently on 10mg and have been for several months. I'm not really bothered about weight loss as to me it's a side effect of the medication. I take MJ to control my blood sugar.

Obviously I have lost weight. When I started I was just under 12 stone and had a BMI of 27.5 iirc. I got down to 9stone 2 and a BMI of 21.6 in the summer and have maintained that for 4 months.

I saw my GP for a review a couple of weeks ago. My blood sugar is really good. Well within healthy range. She suggested I stay on 10mg as it seems to be working. I eat well and healthily, I'm maintaining my weight and - crucially - keeping my BS under control.

I injected as usual last Monday. We were away for Christmas but I hardly ate anything. We were at my mother's, who is a rubbish cook. But even so, I had no hunger. I had some cheese but other than that I hardly ate on Christmas Day or Boxing Day.

We came home yesterday and I'm having to force myself to eat. I have no appetite whatsoever. I did feel like this on MJ at the start, but over the last few months, whilst it's certainly meant I don't over indulge, I've had a good appetite and have enjoyed my food. Tonight I cooked a meal and then sat there almost gagging at the thought of eating it. I picked at it a bit and then binned it.

I really think I ought to taper down the doses but really don't want my BS to go up. I don't want to waste my GPs time when she's only just reviewed me and told me to carry on at 10mg.

Has anyone stayed at the same level of MJ for some time and then suddenly found it's far more effective again? And if so, was that temporary or permanent?

You won't be wasting your GP's time. Book an appointment and discuss it with her. She really needs to review it - anyone on here can give advice, but please trust the medical professional here, who will not think you're wasting their time when you've got a valid concern with your medication.

Thank you @OneThirdLess. My worry is I only saw her recently for a medication review and we agreed nothing needed to change.

The 10mg was working well - giving me some suppression but not cutting my appetite completely. Until the last week, when I've completely lost any interest in food. I just wondered if this had happened to other people and if it's a "blip".

Maybe you have been unconsciously eating more because of the time of year and you can't face any more food for a while. Go back to your normal day to day regime and give it a week or so. Maybe reduce dose if you are still off food.

I would give it a week or 2 in case your reduced apt is coincidental given its new and the dose has been steady for months. If it doesn’t improve I would definitely look to reduce as struggling to eat isn’t a good side effect.

When you saw the GP last, nothing needed to change because it was all working - now something has changed, and I imagine your GP would be more annoyed if you didn't book an appointment and struggled for the next few months.

Suppression can definitely vary though. You could give yourself a week or two, remember what it was like in the very early days and commit to ensuring you get healthy food in, even if you don't fancy it. It could be the change in environment and meals because of Christmas. But if you're still struggling in a week or so, definitely book back in. You are absolutely not time wasting.

If you are being prescribed this by your GP for blood sugar control I don’t think you should take or follow medical advice from anyone here. You need to speak to your GP on how best to monitor and manage a reduction and if they think that is the right thing to do now.

Thanks everyone. Yes, it's prescribed by my GP for diabetes not for weight loss. I really don't need to lose any more weight.

As a couple of people have suggested, it's possibly a blip so I'll give it a couple of weeks and if it doesn't improve I'll call my GP.