BYETTA

barleymo

Active Member
Messages
37
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Since I have started with Byetta I have noticed a decline in the number of posts about it - is this because it is now very common or uncommon - does anyone else have any concerns or questions - as it is such a difficult thing for some people to obtain I am surprised there is not more interest. I am getting on OK with it but have some strange effects - intolerance to fish for instance which I never had before - and as my previous entry - bubbles in pen. If you are on Byetta are you still happy ????
 

Osidge

Well-Known Member
Retired Moderator
Messages
1,272
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Bullies.
I am certainly still happy but cannot wait to be put on Bydureon - the once a week Byetta, that is now approved for use in the UK.

Regards

Doug
 

mahed63

Member
Messages
11
Hi boys and girls,just found this topic,I've been on exenetide since start of july 2011.was on 5mg for 1st month with a reduction of gliclazide from 4 tabs to 1,kept having hypos in second and third month,on 10mg so gp stopped glic.hypos stopped ,bloods have been between 4 and 8 at various times of day.weight gone from 118kg to 110kg so far.(was 155kg in 1998)
have terrible problems with nausea,stomach pains and oral wind,especially after evening meal.going to try cutting out fizzy drinks(sugar free)which i drink a lot of,( i dont drink any hot drinks)see if this helps.also feel very warm,hot flushes sometimes, and have had several dizzy spells (could be blood pressure),keeping eye on that also.
also on 4 metformin per day.work as postman and do a lot of walking.i find that i dont feel like eating much anymore,also it feels like the mechanism that triggers feeling full has been switched on,and i have had to reduce portion sizes and stop eating when im full.
crystalized ginger helps a bit with indergestion etc.
will let you know about fizzy drink experiment.
having HBA1C test in october so gp may have to tweak drugs.
 

weegee

Member
Messages
6
Hi I have 2 queries 1 How important is it to eat within the hour of stabbing yourself with Byetta
2 Is it ok to keep your Byetta in a fridge after ist use
 

mahed63

Member
Messages
11
I think the time thing is to do with how long it takes to start feeling ill,i know myself that the longer i wait after the 15 mins the more i feel ill.
The byetta should NOT be stored in fridge once in use.It should only be used at room temperature.
 

weegee

Member
Messages
6
Thanks Mahed63 I stab myself in the morning before going to work but i usually would not have something to eat for approx 11/2 hours but i never feel ill. I wondered if the 1 hr time limit was set because the byetta needed the food as a trigger to set it into action. WeeGee
 

DogPsyche

Member
Messages
15
At long last after 4 years of misery on the maximum dose of Metformin ruining my life with the gastric side-effects, I've been approved for a 6 month trial of Byetta, with possibly going onto Bydureon after 3 months if all goes well.

I'm absolutely terrified of the nausea, diahorrea etc after so long suffering with it from the Metformin. Has anybody else been in this situation and found life better on Byetta?
 

SueR

Well-Known Member
Messages
148
I have had to stop using Byetta as it reacted badly with my Humalog insulin.

I had a love/hate relationship with it. I loved the weight loss but hated the side effects. I always felt sick and just didn't want to eat. I started on insulin because my sugar levels were high and not falling - even when I was eating next to nothing. It was my first day on insulin and only a tiny dose used along with the Byetta - It was a very frightening experience and one that made me quite ill.

I don't miss the Byetta and I have started to enjoy food again - OK so I may put the weight back on again, but I'd rather do that than suffer the effects of Byetta. Life is enjoyable again and I am far happier on insulin.
 

anna29

Well-Known Member
Retired Moderator
Messages
4,789
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Cruelty to Animals/Children
Liars/Manipulators/Bullying
Hi DogPsyche.
Would just like to comment on your post, I was soooo ill and intollerant of metformin in ANY formula at all ...
Do totally understand where you are coming from with your commments of the fear of extreme nausea and feeling rough on this.
I myself was put onto 'victoza' and thankfully suffered NO side effects at all . . . It did the trick!!! :D
So I would suggest to try it at least , as it could work for you and turn your life around !
Hope this helps?
Anna.
 

DogPsyche

Member
Messages
15
Thanks Anna, it's good to hear that something worked!


anna29 said:
Hi DogPsyche.
Would just like to comment on your post, I was soooo ill and intollerant of metformin in ANY formula at all ...
Do totally understand where you are coming from with your commments of the fear of extreme nausea and feeling rough on this.
I myself was put onto 'victoza' and thankfully suffered NO side effects at all . . . It did the trick!!! :D
So I would suggest to try it at least , as it could work for you and turn your life around !
Hope this helps?
Anna.
 

MidlandsAndy

Newbie
Messages
1
I have been on Byetta since October 2011, prescribed through the NHS by my Diabetes Specialist nurse. When it was suggested earlier in the year I didn't fancy anything that meant daily injections, but that is just such a non-issue now. The effect of the drug has been remarkable. HbA1c has dropped from 9.9 to 6.3 and I've lost some weight too! At the outset I was warned about nausea. Yes, definitely, but I found I was easily distracted from that by driving, reading, watching tv or working. After a couple of weeks it went away. I bought myself a small Frio pouch so that if I'm out for the day and staying for the evening meal, I can inject. Travelled abroad with it in March of this year: got a letter from the surgery and declared it at check-in and security, but they didn't worry at all. To sum it up, I'm delighted to have been offered this treatment which I find very effective.
 

DriverRob

Newbie
Messages
1
I started on Byetta 2nd week in February having been referred to the diabetic consultant at the hospital as my GP could no longer prescribe any more medication as I was then on 5 Metformin, 4 Gliclazide, 1 Januvia and 1 simvastatin tablets and my Hba1c was then 11.5. After a couple of weeks on Byetta I started to finally get control of my blood sugar levels with the help of these forums by cutting down on my carbs. I have now reduced my gliclazide down to 2 a day ( the Byetta has obviously replaced the Januvia) but have kept the Metformin the same. I had another Hba1c 5 weeks after being on Byetta and I got my Hba1c down to 9.2 so when I have my next one in 4 weeks I will have brought it down to below 8 at least. I suffered in the early days with nausea but changed to injecting almost immediately before my meals and now hardly ever get the nausea. All in all i'm very happy so far but have realised it isn't a wonder drug as I still have to be very careful with what I eat otherwise my levels do still go out the window.
 

chevy

Newbie
Messages
1
Hi All
I just wanted to mention that if you are suffering with nausea whilst using byetta, you can use Domperidone. You may need to get a prescription from your GP for this but according to my diabetic nurse, it is the only anti-nausea drug that works directly on the stomach rather than the nausea signals sent from the brain. It worked for me, where all other anti-nausea tablets failed! 20mg twice a day
 

DogPsyche

Member
Messages
15
Too good to be true??

I'll probably regret this post but I've just started on Byetta and am not feeling any side effects.... :***: I've been bracing myself for all sorts of problems but could this actually be working for me???! Or is the worst yet to come? Anybody else start off fine and then start having probs?
 

CollieBoy

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,974
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Hi carb Foods
Re: Too good to be true??

DogPsyche said:
I'll probably regret this post but I've just started on Byetta and am not feeling any side effects.... :***: I've been bracing myself for all sorts of problems but could this actually be working for me???! Or is the worst yet to come? Anybody else start off fine and then start having probs?
Great news, DogPsyche,
Long may this lack of side effects continue :thumbup: :thumbup:
 

Paul1976

Well-Known Member
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The puzzle that is Asperger syndrome that I still can't fit together.
Re: Too good to be true??

DogPsyche said:
I'll probably regret this post but I've just started on Byetta and am not feeling any side effects.... :***: I've been bracing myself for all sorts of problems but could this actually be working for me???! Or is the worst yet to come? Anybody else start off fine and then start having probs?
Hi!!

Hopefully you'll be ok and won't get any side effects,sadly mine started 2 weeks in to injecting and was especially bad with the evening meal after that injection,I kept projectile vomiting my dinner up about 2 hours after eating it so I just avoided lunch and dinner and just had breakfast but the final straw was when I threw up my breakfast in the middle of Tesco's and I just couldn't cope anymore so my Endo has put me on Victoza injections instead which so far,so good! :thumbup:
 

djdribble

Newbie
Messages
2
Hi everyone I'm new here so I'll post a little about me first.
I'm 26 and was diagnosed as type 2 8 years ago, I was initially on tablets which didn't work so was put on insulin taking over 200 units of fast acting and 100 units of long acting daily and was changed to type 1 and being treated as such for the past 6 years.
After a visit to an insulin pump clinic it was decided that I had a C-Peptide test, after waiting 3 months the result came back saying I was indeed type 2 and the error was made by a GP I had seen 6 years ago. They have immediately stopped my insulin injections and have today started me on byetta with metformin starting next week. My fasting bm ranges from 16-18 and have never had an hypo.
I have read lots about byetta and the thought of nausea doesn't bother me as I have indigestion and acid reflux regularly my only concern is the risk of pancreatitis, byetta's website is the only medication site that has such a clear warning on its homepage which further highlights my concern and I was wondering if the risk is worth it.

Thank you for reading
 

Osidge

Well-Known Member
Retired Moderator
Messages
1,272
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Bullies.
Hi

I have had no problems whatsoever with Byetta or Bydureon (the once a week injection of Byetta). I think that the jury is still out as to the level of risk of pancreatitis but it appears to be a small risk as far as I can see. Most medication come with side effects - some common and some less so.

Regards

Doug
 

djdribble

Newbie
Messages
2
Thanks Doug

I get the Nausea feeling and feel full after only part of my meal and i get headaches in the evening after my 2nd dose which i think is the same with a lot of people.

Can i ask wether people noticed a change in their sugar levels straight away or did it take a while? mine has been the same as when i didnt take insulin ranging from 14-27 while on byetta.

When i was on insulin and carb counting i was averaging around 10.5 over a week my levels just seem way to high on byetta.

Thanks again

Rick