BYETTA

[Dennis]

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi Nabser and welcome to the forum. Byetta is becoming increasingly prescribed now and it can be a bit daunting to someone not used to injections so it's always good to hear another success story. I did a quick Google search for unusually high blood sugar recordings and I suspect that your 96.4 could possibly be a record! I've seen mention of a rumoured 131 but it has never been confirmed.

 

[nabser]

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Thanks for the welcome Dennis i dont think my reading is any sort of record but it is scary,my consultant told me he had a patient in London at 150 seven times he had to be resuscitated.Although when i was told my blood sugars were 96.4 i was thinking that body temperature was 95.4 so i was not too bad (the joys of ignorance) its then they explained what is normal and how they had not seen anything over thirty and could not believe my reading.As for the byetta i was started off on the smaller dosage for a few weeks and then upped to the larger dosage 10ml,i take it before my breakfast with the zoton tablet as that lines your stomach and the 1000mg glucophage tablet,i then take the second dose before my dinner which for me is around 6ish.The good thing about the stuff is that there is no messing around with units its the same dose everytime plus you have up to an hour to inject it as its slow release drug were as insulin you have to take it just before you get your food as its a fast release drug,on a personal level getting diabetes was the best thing that happened to me it made me turn my life around, health wise i needed a good kick in the backside and this gave it to me.

 

[banjo brunette]

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

HI Everyone

Just a quick report back after my visit to the clinic yesterday. Yep! I did prove to be too skinny for Byetta - the diabetologist told me it works by suppressing your appetite so that your weight goes down (I know this isn't exactly accuarate, Dennis, but I didn't have the heart to argue the toss). She's changed my rosi- for pioglitizone (better control of your trigycerides apparently) and given me a script for suphonylureas (sp?). I'm going to be rattling with all these pills but no 'big' needles yet! The nurse has got me doing regular checks on my blood sugars - quite alarming this as ignorance was bliss before.

Anyway, good luck to all of you with the Byetta - keep on losing weight and keeping the old blood sugar where it should be. This thread has been invaluable - thank you all for it.

Cheers, BB

 

[carolynjw]

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

good luck with your new meds BB.

Take care x

:mrgreen:

 

[sixfoot]

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Banjo ... sorry you didnt get the benefits of byetta. The big worry with this is that Byetta dosnt push your pancreas the way Glicklazide etc does. It only works when there is something to work on and that is a big plus. The weight loss is very welcome but actually a side issue. Most people can achieve the same by reducing their intake of carbs and a tad more exercise. There are other meds in the pipeline that are supposed to do the same thing but they arent here yet .

Good luck
Dave P

 

[SUSIEP]

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Well hello everyone - at long last I have managed to log in!!!!!
I have been reading this forum with much interest since about November when it was suggested i go on Byetta..
Started on Byetta on 22nd Jan 2009 - now up to 10mg.
Guess I have had an easy time really - no real side effects to go on about except for a bloated stomach (dissapointed that although I have lost weight 11/2 stone since 5th jan - my waist measurement has remained the same!!!!
Went to diabetic clinic on Tuesday and diabetic nurse really pleased with me - whoopee....
3 monthly check - bs down from 9.4 to 7.6 now that is good for me.
my daily bs are averaging between 4.8 to 7.1 again not bad.
Weight - not too bad since start of byetta down 1 stone but one has to take into consideration that I did go on a 3 week holiday in the states and put on 6lb but then within 10 days had taken of 8lb
Off to the hospital on Tuesday for my 3 month review - hope they are as pleased with my progress as my diabetic nurse.
Having read comments on this forum - like some others I was on insulin and piling on the weight.
Hospital reduced my lantus from 80units down to 36 units and put me on metformin 1000mg twice a day - don't like taking tablets but hey ho.

Oh well best go - got some more reading to do.

Take care

Sue

 

[Dennis]

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi Sue and welcome to the lizard spit club!

It's good to hear the treatment is going well for you. I'm sure the hospital will be just as pleased with your results. If there's anything you need to know just ask.

 

[SUSIEP]

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Has anyone had a problem with their byetta pen?
last night I did my shot as usual but nothing came out then this morning I was stil unsure as to whether it had delivered its dose....
Also anyone get bruising at the injection sit????
I have injected with insulin for years but nothing like this.

Sue

 

[cugila]

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi Sue

Try going through the reset procedure and check the delivery. I have had to reset mine a couple of times. If the problem persists then contact the pharmacy you got it from - they should then issue a replacement if needed.

Have had some bruising in stomach area but not much. I find this area less sensitive than top of legs. ( might have something to do with being a fat git !)
:lol: :lol:

Ken

 

[SUSIEP]

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi ken
thanks for this
I see you come from the same area as me - I am in Sutton Coldfield - do you attend Good Hope????
With regard to the pen I did have to reactivate a couple of times - rather frustrating.
Bruising - he he - me I am on the rather voluptuous side as well, but even the diabetic nurse was suprised at the bruising!!

Sue

 

[Dennis]

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi Sue,

What size needles are you using? I use 5mm on my thighs because they are quite lean, and 8mm on my stomach. The other week I accidentally used a 5mm for a stomach injection and the bruise is still there! So it may be that if the needle is not quite long enough and you inject into the fat layer instead of under it then that could cause bruising.

 

[cugila]

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Bruising - he he - me I am on the rather voluptuous side as well,


Sue.
After I fell off my chair laughing :lol: :lol: :lol:

As a gentleman I couldn't possibly comment - at least not on air !

Check your PM.

Ken

 

[SUSIEP]

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

hi Dennis with the double N's

I use the 8mm and have alway done so.
Having been on insulin for many years I have not experienced bruising like this.
Must admit I am reluctant to go into my thighs but have plenty to play with on my abdomen.
You seem to know so much about the byetta and reading comments on this forum is invaluable.
Over the past week or so I have been disapointed with my lack of weight loss and have not had the full feeling that i have in past weeks, making me feel hungry!!! any reason why??
I have another 3 stone to loose but over the past 2 years have managed to loose 5 stone - of course not all down to Byetta - it has been hard.....
I guess there are so many questions to ask and i feel that when you go to the hospital a lot of what they say tends to go over my head - so this forum comes into play again.

Many thanks

Sue

 

[carolynjw]

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

I use a 5mm needle to inject my insulin in my stomach, but was given 8mm needles with my byetta. Couldn't believe how much difference it makes!

Going onto 10mcg on Monday - have booked time off work in case my insulin will need playing with again as I had loads of hypos when I went on to 5mcg byetta. Any suggestions?

:mrgreen:

 

[carolynjw]

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

and Sue - well done you on your weight loss! That is FAB!!!

:mrgreen:

 

[Dennis]

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

To Sue,

A commonly reported feature of Byetta is that weight loss can come in fits and starts. Both Dave (Sixfoot) and I have experienced this. You are quite happily losing weight, then suddely it stops for no apparent reason. It can stop for a month or more, then the loss suddenly starts again. Its as if the body is pausing to catch it's breath before starting the next lap! The same thing can also happen with the satiety feeling. There have been weeks when I just don't feel hungry at mealtimes and others when I am ravenous. I have learned that as long as the long-term patterns are downwards for both weight loss and blood sugars then I can ignore these transient changes.

To Carolyn,

As you will be doubling the Byetta dose, you will need a corresponding reduction in the insulin. Whether that will mean halving the present insulin dose I am not qualified to say, so you really must discuss that with your medical team. Are your medics aware of the hypos since going on to 5mcg Byetta? The hypos show that your previous insulin reduction wasn't enough. One of the advantages of injected insulin is that you can always tinker with it for fine tuning. Unfortunately the Byetta is a non-changeable dose, but you need to keep testing to ensure that the Byetta/insulin balance is right, and adjust the insulin by a unit or two as appropriate.

 

[carolynjw]

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

thanks Dennis

yes - we will be decreasing my insulin. They are aware of my hypos and will be monitoring the situation.

:mrgreen:

 

[sixfoot]

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

As Dennis says the weightloss can stall for quite a while, the important thing is that the Blood Sugars are where they should be. A little reading on the Lo Carb threads may give some help regarding overcoming stalls. Have patience is my best advice.

Dave P

 

[vivkaroo]

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

hiya dennis just to let you know i am not starting byetta for the second time till next monday as i have my 4yr old grandson coming tommorrowfom over the humber bridge however i have had to go to my gp as my ibs has been very bad this week it is calming down a bit now so dont want to be ill starting byetta when i am on my own with 4yr old he only only comes once every couple of months so few days wont make much difference however i do wonder if i start byetta if my ibs might settle down as i know your food stays longer in my stomache so maybe i should just get on it instead of putting it off over the weekend i think i am bit scared of going back on byetta do you think it might settle my ibs down as i have been quite bad this week with it i live on my own and feel it might be better to start afresh next mon the stuff is all ready and waiting thanks vivkaroo :?

 

[Dennis]

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi Viv,

I think it would probably be best to delay the start until you are able to concentrate on it. Your time with your grandson is very precious so just enjoy that for a few days. A couple of days delay won't hurt anything. I suspect that your ibs flaring up is probably a nervous reaction to re-starting on Byetta, especially after your previous experience. I have come across a few people on Byetta who also have ibs and some have said the Byetta action has helped, others have said it made no difference, but I haven't heard anyone say it made the ibs any worse.