Low-carbing isn't affected by the drugs ... but the effects of the drugs are going to change as the blood sugar improves and blood pressure comes down too. These are going to need close watching. He might be able to come off some of his meds, which would be great!
Glucotrol ... is an Oral Hypoglycemic Agent (OHA), of a class of drugs called
sulfonureas. Dr. B discusses OHA's in chapter 14, pages 191 to 197. He specifically discusses sulfonureas on page 192, about 2/3 of the way down the page ... he has nothing good to say about this class of drugs. They work by forcing the pancreas to pump out more insulin. They do NOT make the cells more sensitive to the insulin. High insulin levels mean increased fat-making and fat-storage ... and the potential for hypoglycemia to occur. It will be really good if your husband can get off these ... and low-carbing will help. He will need to be very, very careful to prevent hypoglyemia. Eating smaller meals more frequently, and make sure there is some protein with every single meal or snack tol prevent the blood sugar from going too low. It might be wise to plan an evening snack with protein, to prevent overnight hypoglyecemia.
From what I can find about it,
Glucotrol XL is usually only prescribed when sugars can't be controlled by diet alone. It might be wise to move that dr's appointment a little sooner ... especially since his blood sugars are already responding favourably to the low-carb diet. Maybe his dosage could be cut in half ... that would be great! Make sure to take the second dose ½ hr before the evening meal, not after. And don't crush or chew .. the pill has a special coating so that it won't dissolve until it reaches the intestine.
Actos (pioglitazone) works similar to the Metformin (Glucophage) that Ruth mentioned previously. It is also very much like
Troglitazone, which Dr. B. discusses in the same chapter 14. This class of antidiabetic drug DOES help to make the cells more sensitive to insulin. It does NOT make the pancreas pump out more insulin, and so there's no fat-storage. It prevents the liver from producing so much glycogen sugar too, and even decreases the production of triglycerides.
These two antidiabetic drugs together will be helpful along with LC'ing .. to get his sugars down for good. But he will need to be very careful, and work closely with the dr. to decrease the doses as his sugars continue to improve.
Cozaar is the one that can make the kidneys retain some potassium. Not a lot, but it would be wise to not use the potassium salt substitute or supplements with potassium, until you've discussed with the dr. Make sure to get adequate water intake. The diuretic nature of low-carbing along with the blood pressure-lowering effect of the Cozaar can lead to the BP getting too low. This is another drug it would be nice if he could reduce the dose or go off at some point, when the dr. approves of course.
Metoprolol is a commonly used beta-blocker, for blood pressure control and it helps to improve the contraction of the heartbeat, so will help the pulse to slow down a little. One site suggested that metoprolol may contribute to poor control of diabetes. Another thing ... one of the warning signs of a hypoglycemic attack is a fast pulse rate. Since metoprolol slows the heart a bit, it might mask this sign. Keep a close watch on the blood sugars.
Is your PDR the physician's or the family guide? Healthsquare.com has the Family Guide online, and it's much more reader-friendly.
.. Here are links to your specific drugs:
hope this helps
Doreen