Trulicity and Metformin: Effective Diabetes Management Tips

According to the U.S. CDC, type 1 and type 2 diabetes affects about 38 million or one in ten people in the United States. Another 98 million, or one in three U.S. adults, have prediabetes. Of those with diabetes, one in five are unaware they have it, while 8 in 10 adults with prediabetes are in the same boat.

The good news is that diabetes is manageable, and prediabetes may even be reversible. Healthy lifestyle changes and medications like Trulicity and metformin make these things possible.

To that end, our team at Canadian Pharmacy Online put together this guide on Trulicity and metformin. Read on to learn how they work and complement each other and other practical diabetes management tips.

Metformin: Crucial Facts You Need to Know

Metformin is a diabetes medication classified as a biguanide. It’s the generic form of several brand-name drugs, such as Glucophage (tablets) and Glucophage XR (extended-release tablets).

Doctors prescribe metformin primarily for type 2 diabetes. However, they sometimes prescribe it for other conditions (which we’ll also cover later).

How Metformin Works

As a biguanide, metformin’s primary use is for blood sugar control, as it:

• Lowers hyperglycemia (high blood glucose or sugar levels)
• Decreases the liver’s glucose production
• Enhances insulin sensitivity

An article published in the National Library of Medicine (NLM) notes that, per the American Diabetes Association (ADA), metformin is the preferred first-line drug agent for type 2 diabetes in adults and children 10 years or older. Being a first-line treatment means it’s the first choice when a drug becomes necessary to treat hyperglycemia. So, if a patient already needs medication for diabetes, their doctor will likely prescribe metformin before anything else, including Trulicity.

Metformin Benefits and Effectiveness

Doctors usually advise patients to make healthier lifestyle choices, which may help reverse type 2 diabetes at an early stage. Eating healthily (e.g., focusing on fiber-rich and lean protein foods while cutting back on sweet, starchy, high-carb foods) and exercising more are two interventions that can help.

However, those changes alone may not be enough for people with prediabetes or early-stage diabetes. In these cases, healthcare providers often already prescribe metformin. According to the same NLM article cited above, doctors also prescribe it off-label to help prevent type 2 diabetes.

Metformin remains the leading diabetes drug because it’s very effective and inexpensive. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, at its maximum doses, it can lower A1c levels (the average blood sugar level within the last three months) by up to 1.5%.

Other Metformin Off-Label Uses

When a doctor prescribes a drug off-label, the purpose they’re prescribing it for differs from what the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved. It’s a common and legal practice. Indeed, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, about one in five prescriptions is for off-label use.

Per the previously cited NLM article, aside from doctors prescribing metformin as a type 2 diabetes prevention, they also do so for the following off-label uses:

• Gestational diabetes management
• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) prevention and treatment
• Address weight gain problems arising from antipsychotic medication use

Trulicity: What It Is and How It Works

Another type 2 diabetes medication is the brand-name drug Trulicity. Its active ingredient is dulaglutide, although no generic version of this medicine is available.

Trulicity is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonist. Another drug in this group or class is the brand-name medication Ozempic (semaglutide).

How Trulicity Works

Trulicity is an injection that helps lower blood sugar levels by prompting the body to release more insulin. The increase in insulin then helps prevent the body from carrying too much sugar into the bloodstream. It also slows digestion, helping you feel full and satisfied longer, minimizing the odds of unhealthy snacking.

In many cases, doctors prescribe Trulicity alongside a healthy diet and exercise.

Trulicity Efficacy

The U.S. FDA still doesn’t recommend Trulicity as a first-line therapy for people with diabetes. However, it has approved the brand-name drug (several times) because it has proven effective in lowering blood glucose levels.

Indeed, according to the American Association of Clinical Endocrinology (AACE), in 2020, the FDA approved two additional Trulicity dosage levels for even more blood sugar control. The heightened and increased doses have and can also lead to weight loss.

Safety of Taking Trulicity and Metformin Together

Some people with type 2 diabetes may find the combination of a healthy diet, regular exercise, and metformin to be inadequate in helping them reach their blood sugar goals. Doctors may put them on a Trulicity and metformin prescription during these instances.

Taking Trulicity with metformin is safe with a doctor’s approval. And, if you are worrying about their combined costs, you’ll be happy to know you can save on pharmacy expenses with lower online prescription prices.

But what about metformin and Trulicity side effects? Should you also worry about their combination resulting in more severe adverse drug events?

As long as you follow your doctor’s prescriptions and instructions to a T, you should be able to minimize your risks of side effects. However, you may still experience low blood sugar when you take metformin and Trulicity together. After all, both drugs help you lower your blood sugar levels.

To reduce your odds of side effects, your doctor will likely prescribe a lower dose of one or both drugs. They’ll also ask you to note any symptoms you might experience during the first few days or weeks of taking the two together. Please let your doctor know so they can adjust your dosages as needed.

Manage Your Diabetes With Trulicity and Metformin

Now you know how Trulicity and metformin work and how they can help patients with type 2 diabetes, separately and together. So, if you’re having trouble managing your blood sugar levels with diet, exercise, and metformin, it may be time to talk to your doctor about adding Trulicity to the mix. Just remember that, for your safety, you should never take any prescription drug without first consulting your doctor.

Once your doctor gives you your new prescription, consider ordering them from us here at Canadian Pharmacy Online. We can fill your prescriptions at a fraction of the cost you’ll otherwise pay a U.S. pharmacy.

Connect with us today, and we’ll help you access more affordable diabetes medications!