@A DiabetesTeam Member yes, that absolutely applies.

Metformin and the Sulfonylurea's have been around for 70 and 80 years respectively and been taken by Millions of users over decades.

Every conceivable complication has been seen, investigated, evaluated etc. That doesn't make them the "safest" drugs, because really no drug is 100% safe - they don't belong in our system - but at least an informed decision can be made regarding the risk vs reward. Are the side effects (or potential ones) better than the alternative of not taking them?

The GLP-1's to which Ozempic belongs first hit the scene about 15 years ago. The first two marketed are not even out there anymore.

Ozempic itself is only 5 years old.

Nobody can tell you what effect it may have if you take it for 10 or 15 or 20 years.

During the clinical trials (which are barely) a year long they did identify some "potentially nasty" side effects.

That led to the warning you hear on the commercials about not taking it if you have a family history of Medullary Thyroid Cancer or Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Syndrome when it was approved.

A couple years after the product "hit the shelves" another issue popped up that was "significant enough" that the FDA required a "black box warning" to be put on drugs in that class.

There is now a "Black Box" on every package that states users are at Increased Risk to Develop Thyroid Cancer just for using the product as intended.

And that is less than 5 years on the market. Will that be prolific? Will the risk increase if you take it for 5 or 10 years compared to the 2 years they know about?

When it's been on the market for 20 or 30 years those answers will be known, but 'right now' it's a "potential risk".

The first "new Type 2 meds" to hit the market were a class called TZD. Most of them are long gone after they were ordered pulled from the market because complications, which just couldn't be seen in the relatively short duration of clinical trials.

The problems didn't come to light until they went into regular use for more than a few months. Within 3 years of use it was found that they caused heart failure and amputations is enough of the users that they were deemed no longer safe.

I'm glad new drugs are being developed. But just maybe I don't want to be the one that they get tested on for the first decade or so. But each of us needs to make an "informed" decision and balance the risks, even the unknown ones, against the knowledge that uncontrolled diabetes WILL Kill You and it will really hurt before it does - that's a fact.

Mentioned Users

A Diabete...

Well, I have been on Victoza, Glypizide and Metformin daily, for about 15 years. No side effects yet, however the potential for medullary thyroid cancer and pancreatitis from the Victoza, and getting my beta cells in my pancreas totally burnt out from the glypizide is scary, but I do not have a choice. So, with my options being take the meds and hopefully further delay the complications, or go without and take my chances, i think I go with meds, but fight like hell on diet, exercise, sress reduction etc.

Graham, I think I see your point about the modern diabetes drugs being most convenient. (I personally don't take diabetes drugs, am trying to avoid just that, so have no actual experience with them.) However, my own philosophy about meds in general, has been to want to take the drugs that have been around the longest-since all of the side effects have been discovered about them. I view them as safest as far as side effects go. Does this way of thinking apply at all to diabetes drugs, do you know?

Wow a grand a month for ozempic in Canada, i am wondering if the price is different for each province, because in Quebec i see on it go for about 450 a month which in not to bad. 90 pills of jardiance is price at 269, thankfully i have insurances that cover the cost.

Very informative, Graham.