Answered by: Dr. Mariela Glandt

One of metformin’s very rare side effects is that it can cause lactic acidosis. Although rare, lactic acidosis is potentially a very severe, even fatal,side effect mostly related to kidney function.
If the liver is not working well, this is also a reason not to take metform since it could also make you more prone to lactic acidosis.Because drinking excessive alcohol at one time, or drinking hard drinks on a regular basis can harm your liver, it is not recommended. A hard drink once a week seems acceptable, but consult your physician for his/her recommendation.

Answered by: Dr. Mariela Glandt

It is definitely true that being on oral medications reduces the amount of insulin you need, but you must find out why you were taken off the oral pills when you came into the hospital – were the doctors concerned about your heart, kidneys, or did they just want to manage your sugars as an inpatient with insulin, which is a very common scenario.  Once you know the answer then you will know if you can go back on the oral medication or not.

Answered by: Dr. Mariela Glandt

Usually if a treatment regimen is working, meaning there are no major hypoglycemias, no weight gain, and good HbA1c,  the practice is to continue with that regimen. However, there is no single right way to treat diabetes. There are often many different ways to control the condition. Perhaps there was something about treatment with Januvia that was making your doctor uncomfortable. You should ask him in order to understand his thought process, and his decision to change your medication. And do keep your doctor informed of your progress.  It’s very important that he know what’s going on.
 

Answered by: Dr. Mariela Glandt

It is true that many over the counter decongestants have warnings for patients with diabetes. This is to be sure that the patients contact their physicians to determine if it would be safe or not to take these medications.  Many of the decongestants can cause blood pressure to rise, and could even cause problems with high pressure in the eyes.
You can safely use things like saline drops or spray, a nasal douche, Vicks or other smelly ointments, hot steam, or a vaporizer, provided you take precautions to disinfect it properly.  Another option, diabetic Tussin for cough, which has no sugar.  Ask your health care provider which is best for you.