Question
My blood sugar levels have increased on Biktarvy…
18 August 2021. Related: All topics, Side effects.
Hi, I am diabetic. I just switched to Biktarvy and my blood sugar has gone up to 150-180 from 115-150 – about a 15% rise. I read that Biktarvy may cause blood sugar to rise. I didn’t expect it to go up this much.
Is there anything I can do to mitigate this? I’m already disciplined with a very strict diet. I exercise by aerobic fast walking, 2 miles per day.
Will changing the timing of the Biktarvy pill help?
Answer
Hi there
Like most other HIV meds Biktarvy can increase levels of blood sugar in some people.
These changes are best monitored by your doctor.
However, based on changing from one band to another, your changes might be much less than 15%. For example, your previous reading might have been 149 and the latest reading only 151.
If your doctor decides that Biktarvy might be linked, this might involve switching to a different combination, which should be easy. Changing the timing is unlikely to help.
Great that you are already doing everything you can to manage these levels by exercise.
Hello Stephen and thanks for getting in touch.
I am sorry to hear your blood sugar is spiking again
The first months of switching to Biktarvy can indeed increase the body weight and affect the metabolic parameters, especially if you were on a tenofovir disoproxil regimen previously.
This is usually the effect of moving away from the tenofovir disoproxil regimen rather that actually starting Biktarvy.
Keeping a close eye, be careful about diet and exercise and ensuring that your clinic has a record of all these changes in weight, lipids and HbA1c is very important as a first step.
I agree discussing with your doctor can help too as they can propose alternative ways to manage this.
Talking to a dietician might also help although I understand you are very knowledgeable yourself but some extra help might also be important.
I have noticed two things being on Biktary the first was weight gain second my blood sugar spike I eat healthy. I was thinking about injection what I read I don’t think so my blood sugar readings was 6.1 know I’m hitting 7.4 I think I will be back tablets for diabetes. It took me 11yrs to get off diabetes drugs, that was before I became HIV their other symptoms I’m having but I will to talk to my doctor.
Hi David, thanks. Without more details it is difficult to comment but it sounds good that your current treatment is easier to take and is causing less problems. Although every combination can cause side effects for some people, luckily there are other combinations that can be used instead. The monitoring tests when you are on treatment usually pick up problems in time and these should be every 3, 6 or 12 months depending on your history and the guidelines in your country.
I was on a 2 pill treatment and my doctor suggested Biktarvy and Im now back on the 2 pill.I will say Ive never had high blood suger or any type of diabetes befor Biktarvy,I took it for a year and believe it was a huge miatake.When I stopped taking it my blood sugar was 580 and I was hurting,Ive been off it for 5 months and still dont feel right.
Hi Reginald, how much has your blood sugar increased? and are you monitoring it regularly?
How much did your viral load go up by when you were on the injections? Switching between treatments will not lead your blood sugars to go up, especially if you have been on Biktarvy successfully before.
I’m dealing with the same issue
My blood sugar increased recently
I’ve been on Biktarvy for 27 months switched to the injection been on them for 6 months went back to Biktarvy because the injections increased my viral load
I’m thinking that the switch caused my glucose to increase I never had this problem before in my life