BYDUREON ONCE WEEKLY EXENATIDE

[Jude]

Hi Doug - an update on my quest to be prescribed Bydureon

Yesterday I had an appointment with another Endocrinologist who deals with bariatric surgery as my weight issues have really got me down more recently (and that is a struggle I have had for approaching 50 years!!). I do not really want a gatric band but thought the team might be able to give me some support etc. First laugh - I am NOT fat enough :clap: my BMI is 37 and in Coventry you have to be over 45 BMI. Consultant was brilliant with me and explained how that just because NICE agree certain standards it does not mean you can access that in your local area because it depends on what your local hospital will agree to finance. The insulin has helped with my bgs but piled the weight back on so I asked him "what is more dangerous to my health my weight or bg levels" - his reply was "that is an interesting question"!!
I recently posted how that my local hospital apparently does not prescribe Bydureon - my gp was not allowed to prescribe it and the local committee told her that my consultant should continue prescribing it - do they not know that the hopital does not prescribe it :lol: :lol: Then he went on to tell me that there is no reason that I cannot get the Bydureon because he knows that it has been approved by our local hospital as he was involved with that!! So now I have to do more chasing! :?
As I often say it is a full time job being diabetic!!

Jude

 

[Jude]

I must say I am rather disappointed that I have not received any helpful comments or encouragement regarding my quest to get prescribed Bydureon instead of Byetta 5. I have been on this forum for about 6 years now and during that time have received very good support but more recently have found my posts often appear to be ignored.

Since my last posting I have spoken to the Consultants secretary who has failed to get back to me, I have written a letter to Consultant, spoken to my DSN who has also chased the hospital up and my GP who has also written to the Consultant. Today I have emailed the secretary and now wait to hear from her. Because I am on insulin I have been informed that the Consultant has to prescribe the Bydureon (he prescribes the Byetta now) because Bydureon and Insulin are not licensed to be taken together!! I am so disheartened and depressed trying to sort this out that I am tempted to stop the byetta ! Yes, I know that would be foolish and only I would suffer - when are the health professionals going to realise that if we all had perfect bodies they would not have a job! :cry:

:wave: :wave: Jude

 

[Osidge]

Hi

I had to go into our local hospital service to get Byetta and as I was the doctor's first patient on it she kept me in the hospital service - although I still get checks at my GP surgery as well. When Bydureon was approved I got it immediately and was again the first patient I be prescribed it by the clinic doctor. I continue to have my diabetes monitored by both tge hospital service and my GP.

I hope you succeed in getting the Bydureon. If you already are on Byetta and have done well on it I can see no reason why your consultant should not make your life a bit easier by prescribing Bydureon.

Regards

Doug

 

[Jude]

Hi Doug

just typed a whole paragraph and then it disappeared!! I did really well on byetta 3 years ago and lost 14 kilos but unfortunately bgs did not come down low enough and I had to go on to insulin and the 14 kilos came back on virtually overnight. The Consultant put me back on byetta alongside the insulin to see if it would help with weight loss but it has not. I still suffer with nausea/tiredness especially in the morning and thought that the Bydureon might be better as it will be released gradually throughout the day.
When/if I manage to succeed in getting the Bydureon where would you say is the best place to inject - tummy?? That is where I have my most fat - I have been injecting in my thighs since having 5 injections daily but I do not have much fat on my thighs!!
The Consultant that I saw last month with regards to my weight told me that Bydureon has been very successful in both loss of weight and lowering bgs so fingers crossed - have you experienced better results with it? What sort of diet are you on? I have recently tried lowering my carbs but nothing has moved - weight or bgs!! I have resisted carb reduction because of my IBS but am so fed up with it all I thought I would give lower carb a try - not vlc - my hubby is doing well!! :roll:

Many thanks
Judith

 

[Osidge]

Hi Judith

I used to use my thighs or tummy for injecting the Byetta but with Bydureon I only use my tummy. Partly this is where I have most fat and partly because the needle is wider for Bydureon as it is a suspension rather than a liquid (you have to mix the powder with the liquid yourself but it is a doddle to do). With Byetta I found that the needle almost glided into the skin. With Bydureon, however, I found that putting it in slowly caused some discomfort but a quick jab in did not. My results with Bydureon have been good for blood glucose and enabling me to reduce my metformin to 500mg once a day. I have had a slight weight gain since moving from Byetta to Bydureon

Regards

Doug

 

[Jude]

Update on my quest to get Bydureon prescribed!

Following my email to Consultants secretary 2 weeks ago she responded immediately and it was a Sunday! Consultant telephoned me the following afternoon and he was going to make further enquiries about prescribing it - no-one in Coventry is on the Bydureon. Then I received an appointment to see Consultant on 8th August (my next appt was scheduled for September) so I will be seeing him face to face on Wednesday when I expect to sort this out one way or another.

Watch this space!! :wave:

 

[Defren]

Update on my quest to get Bydureon prescribed!

Following my email to Consultants secretary 2 weeks ago she responded immediately and it was a Sunday! Consultant telephoned me the following afternoon and he was going to make further enquiries about prescribing it - no-one in Coventry is on the Bydureon. Then I received an appointment to see Consultant on 8th August (my next appt was scheduled for September) so I will be seeing him face to face on Wednesday when I expect to sort this out one way or another.

Watch this space!! :wave:

Fingers crossed this goes your way Judith x

 

[Osidge]

I really hope you can get from twice a day injections to once a week. It is approved by NICE and is in the British National Formulary. Why should people in your area be refused it?

Good luck

Doug

 

[Jude]

Thank you Jo and Doug.
I will post update after my visit on Wednesday.
One of the biggest issues is whether the Consultant or my GP prescribes it because I am on insulin - last month when I saw my GP she said it was all about "politics". So whilst they have their "politics" diabetics potentially suffer more. I am so fed up with all of this I am tempted to drop the Byetta totally, up the insulin and eat waht I like! Over the past 6 weeks I have been lowering my carbs and I have not lost a pound so I am very near the edge at present and Consultant might just push me off the side. :x

Judith :wave:

 

[Defren]

Thank you Jo and Doug.
I will post update after my visit on Wednesday.
One of the biggest issues is whether the Consultant or my GP prescribes it because I am on insulin - last month when I saw my GP she said it was all about "politics". So whilst they have their "politics" diabetics potentially suffer more. I am so fed up with all of this I am tempted to drop the Byetta totally, up the insulin and eat waht I like! Over the past 6 weeks I have been lowering my carbs and I have not lost a pound so I am very near the edge at present and Consultant might just push me off the side. :x

Judith :wave:

I will be thinking of you. Please do post and let us know how you get on.

Hugs - Jo.

 

[Jude]

Jo & Doug

Saw Consultant today - but before I went I had decided that I was going to drop the Byetta altogether, so we hardly spoke about the Bydureon but I understand that I would have been the first patient in Coventry unless there are others on it via their GP and not Consultant. Recently my IBS has been worse than normal (I am affected daily with this), I am on so many other prescribed meds and I have been feeling particularly unwell in recent weeks so took the decision to drop the byetta and hope there will be some improvement. Consultant has also suggested I drop the Metformin for a few days to see if that improves it but I am on the slow release and did not think it was a problem - but some days I do wonder if it is in my system long enough to be effective!!

Somehow I need to work out what to eat alongside the insulin so that I do not store anymore glucose on my body and need to make more effort with exercise (groan!).

I am very interested in this Eat, fast and live - but need to find someone else who is on insulin to see whether it would be a good idea for me - Consultant advised against but then he isnt living with diabetes is he?!!

Thank you to both of you for your encouragement and support - I will still need it so hope you will be around :thumbup:

Judith :wave:

 

[Osidge]

Thanks for the update. Happy to help and support when you need it.

Take care

Doug

 

[jstone214]

I've been on Bydureon for about 12 weeks and it has really regulated my scores. I'm sure it is because I never saw the Byetta needle for comparison but this is the tiniest needle I've ever seen and with the right technique pops right in....no pain at all. I pick my spot, squeeze up the place I want to hit for a minute or so and "dart" the needle in without hesitation , then let the squeeze go. I learned pretty quickly that I it pays to spend quite a while making sure all the product is well mixed, completely dripped down from the top of the vial and I hold it until it is near body temp. I inject very slowly and never feel a thing. I have a few of the bumps but not from each injection. It really works for me.

 

[egn6]

I hate the gigantic square tube they call a needle. everytime I inject it, I bleed like a pig. This morning I even got an intense burning pain at the injection site. After reading about thyroid cancer in rats exposed to Bydureon and the other cancerous possibilities mentioned in the accompanying material, the jury is still out. I have only been on Bydureon for three weeks.

Ernie

 

[lilmeeg]

I have been on Bydureon now for 2 months, I feel great on it, and my blood sugars and weight are down. However, I am very constipated and am a bit stressed out with it all. Has anyone any tips for me to solve this problem, I have had to resort to suppositories from my doctor. I am keen to stay on this drug as it easy to administer and other drugs have not been too successful. I am a 67 year old female.

 

[loverliesgal]

I have been on Bydureon now for 2 months, I feel great on it, and my blood sugars and weight are down. However, I am very constipated and am a bit stressed out with it all. Has anyone any tips for me to solve this problem, I have had to resort to suppositories from my doctor. I am keen to stay on this drug as it easy to administer and other drugs have not been too successful. I am a 67 year old female.

Hi, I too have been on Bydureon for 2 months and constipation is an issue I too suffer from, my doctor has prescribed me Movicol, which has helped enormously, I however have to remember not to take it if I have 2 pieces of fruit.

Its an amazing drug and I hope it continues to keep my blood sugars under control, as well as the benefit of losing 4 kilos in six weeks, long may the weight loss continue

 

[lilmeeg]

I too was prescribed Movicol, but it didn't work for me, I have since started using Fybogel and Senakot, and so far so good. Because my appetite has decreased I find I don't need the loo every day, but am still vigilant and have also introduced more fruit and fibre into my diet.
I am happy with the drug and like you have lost 4 kilos. I am having my bloods done next month, so hopefully now I have the constipation under control and the weight keeps coming off, I am happy!!

Thank you for sharing your experience with me, I am glad I am not alone.
Lets hope we both can keep on this amazing drug.

 

[Frosty66]

Type2 disbetes diagnosed 2 months ago ive changed my diet to low carb. Been through all the gas and sicky feeling and started to settle. But worse and so painful. Ive had piles and tares for years but with the constipation im now suffering im dreading the toilet. I cry im in so much pain.
Recently done bowl cancer test and got all clear. What i need is a low sugar med to shift this and not spike my BG.

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

 

[Madame_Duke]

i am currently on a trial drug called exenatide once weekly injection as in the past my diabetes was not under control i tride medacation and diet but it did not work very well in the past. but went on this trial drug and it not only got my dibeties under control but helped me lose a bit of weight as well i was so glad i went on this drug. if anyone has the chance to go on this drug i would recomend it. as it helps a large amount of people..

Yes been on it for 8 months. Brilliant lost 3.5 stones.

 

[RobPL]

I am on bydureon. My mum fou d it completely surpressed her appetite and the weight has been dropping off her. I haven't seen the same effect as of yet but it seems to be keeping my levels good.