Foods to Avoid with Trulicity: A Comprehensive Guide

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What's Inside

Trulicity (dulaglutide) is a peptide 1 receptor agonist like glucagon for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. This drug is discovered by Eli Lilly & Company.
There are no such foods to avoid with trulicity but some drugs may interact with trulicity.

According to the latest released data by the CDC more than 11% of the people in the United States are affected with diabetes and 38% of the population have prediabetes. Science has developed a lot and found different approaches to tackle diabetes. As of now, the most effective approach available is Trulicity.

Trulicity is useful to control high blood sugar in people with Type-two diabetes and a proper diet and exercise program. So what is Trulicity, what are the foods to avoid with Trulicity, its benefits, and the cost? Let’s check it out in this article.

What is Trulicity?

Trulicity is a medicinal prescription for Type-two diabetes patients and is useful for improving blood sugar or glucose levels. It is also useful towards reducing the risk of major cardiovascular events such as death due to stroke in people who have heart disease or multiple cardiovascular risk factors or a heart attack.

Trulicity is a brand name for a molecule useful in the treatment of Type-two diabetes. The generic name of the molecule is Dulaglutide. It is a new product and is a type of therapy that is injectable. Trulicity or dulaglutide is not insulin.

Whether a person has diabetes or not, every human body secrets GLP-1. Thus, it’s evident that GLP-1 is an essential hormone for regulating blood sugar levels.

Trulicity is available in the form of a single-use disposable pen in the doses of 0.75 mg and 1.5 mg and is exceptionally safe and easy to administer. A person can administer Trulicity by using an injection or needle. One has to use Trulicity injection once a week by injecting it under the stomach, thigh, or upper arm. Trulicity combined with diet and exercises can work wonders for a diabetic patient.

Things to Consider while Trulicity Medication

Diabetes is a chronic ailment that has reached highly dangerous proportions among adults and children across the world. Heart disease, Blindness, kidney disease, and many other complications become severe after uncontrolled diabetes.

Moderation and making careful food choices are the only ways to control the blood sugar level. The choice of foods is critical while a person is on medication, especially on Trulicity. The right choice of food helps the body to respond well to the prescribed medication, and the blood sugar levels remain under control.

Usually, when a person having Trulicity experiences nausea, they are advised to follow the Trulicity diet plan –

  • Eating smaller meals, a person may divide three meals into four or even smaller than that and distribute them over a day
  • As soon as a person starts feeling full, he or she should stop eating
  • Avoid fatty and fried foods
  • Choose between eating bland foods like crackers or rice or toast

Additionally, there are many such foods that a diabetic patient should avoid especially while on a dosage of Trulicity. Here are the foods to avoid with trulicity.

Foods to Avoid with Trulicity

As such, there are no food or drinks that interact with Trulicity and cause serious side effects. But, as Trulicity helps lower blood sugar levels, it is ideal to follow a healthy and balanced diet to increase its effectiveness. 

Here are some foods you can avoid as they might increase your blood sugar levels and lower the effectiveness of Trulicity. Trulicity intake might cause nausea and stomach issues and having fried foods worsens this condition. Instead of fried foods, have grilled, steamed, or baked foods. Ensure to avoid refined grains as their nutrients and fiber-rich parts are filtered out. Consuming refined grains might increase blood sugar levels in the body. 

Sugary foods are a big source of sugar and a major cause of high blood sugar levels. Sugary drinks can be avoided easily but it is difficult to identify foods rich in sugar. Sugar is added to healthy foods like nutrition bars, yogurt, dried fruits, and whole-grain cereals. So, wherever you purchase a food item, check the nutrition label and take note of the amount of sugar added to each product. Also, keep your sugar intake lower than 30 mg each day while using Trulicity. 

As aforementioned, sugary drinks are a primary reason for diabetes. Drinks such as energy drinks, soda, sugary coffee drinks, sweetened teas, and so on are high in added sugar. If you consume sugary drinks daily, it might become difficult to manage your blood sugar levels. So, while taking trulicity, avoid sugary drinks as well. 

Drugs that Interact with Trulicity

Some drugs might interact with Trulicity. So, you should consult a physician and get their opinion about the dosage of these drugs and the Trulicity to be used. If you are someone taking sulfonylurea medicine or insulin, note that it might interact with Trulicity leading to too much decrease in blood sugar.

So, your physician might recommend lowering the dosage of sulfonylurea or insulin. Drugs to treat hypertension, heart failure, HIV infection, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, appetite suppressing or weight loss drugs, decongestants, and drugs to treat asthma might interact with Trulicity and increase the risk of heart rhythm problems.so, make sure to let your doctor know about all the medicines you take.

Trulicity has been effective in improving blood glucose or blood sugar levels in people having type 2 diabetes. In many clinical studies, researchers have tested the effectiveness of this diabetes drug by measuring a person’s hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). It is a measurement of the person’s average blood sugar or blood glucose levels over the past three months. 

The American Diabetes Association recommends an HbA1c normal to be less than 7% for most people. Trulicity’s effectiveness has been tested on its own and in combination with many other diabetes drugs.

Can Trulicity® be taken with metformin or other diabetes medications?

Trulicity can be taken along with metformin or other diabetes medications unless your doctor advises not to. This will help restore normal blood sugar levels in the body.

How does Trulicity work?

Trulicity is not insulin but, a type of medicine called glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist or GLP-1 RA. Also, it is similar to the GLP-1 hormone that is already present in the body. Trulicity happens to work in the same way as GLP-1. It helps to activate the body to release insulin and lower blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes.

Trulicity or Dulaglutide shares the same structure of human GLP-1 up to 90%. Its modification prevents it from breaking down the enzymes present in the blood called dipeptidyl peptidase-4 or DPP-4. The formulation of Trulicity gives it a long duration of action and is, therefore, once a week dosage.

What is the best time to inject Trulicity?

According to clinical studies, you can inject Trulicity once a week at any time of the day. The suggested starting dosage is 0.75 mg.

What to Expect from Trulicity?

The results that each person experiences from Trulicity might be different but, here are some of the results that you can expect and should look for:

  • After 6 months of use, you can experience a significant change in your A1C. If you do not see any changes, consult a physician.
  • This isn’t a weight loss drug. A few people did experience a weight loss of 2 pounds to six pounds and some also gained weight.
  • In studies, 8-29% people experienced nausea during the first 3 days and this subsided after 2 weeks of use. If you experience nausea even after 2 weeks, consult a healthcare provider.

How much does Trulicity Cost?

Prescription drug prices can be very confusing as they depend on a personal insurance situation. The following information will clarify the cost of Trulicity based on the person’s insurance situation and backup plan:

The List price of TrulicityAll the prescriptions$ 797.30 per month
Insurance covered by employer or a private individual policy with a Trulicity saving card92% of the prescriptions of for Trulicity if the deductions are met annually$ 0 to $ 30 per month
Coverage of Medicaid Part D70% of the prescriptions for Trulicity$2 to $100 per month 
Coverage of Medicaid Part DRest of the 30% of prescriptions for TrulicityAn average of $ 207 per month
Medicaid patients with extra help facility $ 4 to $ 9 per month
Coverage of MedicaidAll the prescriptions with no Copay terms$4 to $9 per month
No insurance coverageAll the description prescriptionsThe listed price of $ 797.30 per month

Benefits of Trulicity

Trulicity is an FDA-approved medical prescription to improve blood sugar or blood glucose levels in people having type 2 diabetes. It’s instrumental if combined with proper diet and exercise. However, Trulicity is not FDA-approved for the treatment of type 1 diabetes.

Trulicity has been effective in improving blood glucose or blood sugar levels in people having type 2 diabetes. In many clinical studies, the researchers have tested the effectiveness of this diabetes drug by measuring a person’s hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). It is a measurement of the person’s average blood sugar or blood glucose levels over the past three months. 

The American Diabetes Association recommends an HbA1c normal to be less than 7% for most people. Trulicity’s effectiveness has been tested on its own and in combination with many other diabetes drugs.

A1C Testing in Home – Precautions, Accuracy, Pricing and much more

The following are the advantages of Trulicity –

  • It limits the proportion of sugar getting into the blood from the liver.
  • It slows down the passage or movement of food from leaving the stomach quickly.
  • It helps the pancreas release insulin in response to a high level of sugar in the blood after a person eats anything.

Side Effects of Trulicity

The side effects of Trulicity can be categorized into common side effects and severe side effects. The following will give a better idea to a person before trying to go for Trulicity –

Common Side EffectsSerious Side Effects
NauseaPancreatic inflammation
DiarrheaHypoglycaemia (low blood sugar)
Abdominal painAcute kidney injury
VomitingSevere stomach problems
A decreased appetiteChanges in the vision

The common side effects of Trulicity are usually gastrointestinal side effects that are experienced by over 10% of the people, and it feels similar to the sensation of overeating. These effects subside with them 8 to 12 weeks, and the dulaglutide toleration happens in the long run.

On the detection of the severe side effects of Trulicity, a person should immediately consult a doctor.

Trulicity should not be used in the following cases –

  • Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC).
  • Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2).
  • Allergic to dulaglutide or other ingredients in Trulicity.
  • Pregnant women
  • Anyone below the age of 18 years, especially children.

Conclusion

Trulicity empowers you to lower your blood sugar and even lowers the A1C results by activating the body’s mechanism to release the much-needed insulin, which is already supposed to release on its own.

Read: How to lower A1C Levels

However, one must remember that Trulicity is not insulin and not a weight-loss drug. Trulicity starts acting in the body from the very first dose. It starts lowering blood sugar while helping in losing a little weight. But Trulicity and weight loss are not connected in any way. Regarding the food intake, you should also consider the foods to avoid trulicity. The highlight of Trulicity is that it has to be taken only once a week.

Patients who have Type-two diabetes should, however, consult the doctor before switching to Trulicity and get the necessary medical tests done to ensure a good and long-lasting effect of Trulicity.

About Tim Mathew

Tim Mathew is an Endocrinologist specialized in general endocrinology, diabetes, and lipid metabolism. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in a science-related discipline and completed a medical school program in New York. Once Tim Mathew quoted that Endocrinology is both a challenging and rewarding medical specialty, so he wants to specialize in it. To know more about Tim Mathew kindly go through our about page.

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