At last, Insulin

[Dennis]

What is byetta, what does it do? At the mo I'm on 2000 mg of metformin sr, 6mg of Amayrl and 14ml of lantus insulin and still getting highs of 19.9 2 hours after breakfast and waking with 11

Hi Anna,
Byetta is a new class of diabetes medication known as an incretin mimetic. It is not a type of insulin, but does have to be injected. It treats diabetes in 5 ways:

- it increases insulin production by the pancreas in response to eating meals, resulting in the release of a higher, more appropriate amount of insulin that helps lower the rise in blood sugar from eating

- it suppresses pancreatic release of glucagon in response to eating, which helps stop the liver from overproducing sugar when it is unneeded

- it slows down gastric emptying and so reduces the rate at which meal-derived glucose appears in the bloodstream

- it reduces appetite, resulting in most people using Byetta slowly losing weight, with generally the greatest weight loss in people who are the most overweight at the beginning of treatment

- it reduces liver fat content. Fat accumulation in the liver is strongly related with several metabolic disorders, in particular low HDL cholesterol and high triglycerides, present in patients with type 2 diabetes.

It has only been available in the UK for just over a year so is still pretty new and, unfortunately, many GPs seem to be unaware of it. As a result, it seems to be more widely prescribed by diabetes consultants than GPs. It is a more expensive treatment than many of the others (although I believe that some insulins cost more), so there has also been a problem getting some PCTs to fund it, but this now seems to be less of a problem.

 

[purpleanna]

Hi Sarah

Thanks for replying. It just seems i'm going through all these changes and heartache for nothing. If i can't get control they'll take my licence away and I won't be able to get to work or drive anywhere nice when I'm on school hols. I'll be stuck at home on my own being miserable. I haven't lost any weight this week even though I've tried really hard. Life just seems pointless (except for the needles). I've worked so hard on my career to see it all thrown away if I can't drive. sigh :cry:

 

[purpleanna]

Hi Sarah

I am with weightwatchers on the points plan but thinking about going over to no count as I've only lost 5lbs in 5 weeks :roll:. No they haven't taken my licence away, you're quite right to tell me to stop stressing but it feels like a big thing to even have the threat of it hanging over my fat head. I'm suffering from severe endoftermitis, being knackered and high as well as at the end of the academic year. I know that a lot of people think us teachers leave school at 3.30 don't get in til 9 and have very little to do in between as well as 3 months a year holidays but it just isn't true - i wish it was lol :lol: Just feeling down and like my life is on hold but as you say one day at a time. Just feel as if i'm now defined by my condition and not who I am. I suppose that's how a lot of new insulin users feel.

Thanks again for all the support.
Purple anna

 

[sixfoot]

Purple anna i dont know if you have read denniss posting on Byetta but please do He is probably the most knowledgable person i know on the subject. The difference between byetta and insulin is your licence and travel insurance costs etc. Byetta is prescribed to people of BMI 30 + generally andT2. From personal exprerience it works although i have been lucky and not experienced any of the known side effects. Others have and have posted them on this site. I simply recomend it to you as an option

Dave p