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Byetta & Weight

L

Lil Norm

Member
Hi

I'm about to go on Byetta this week and wanted to ask your advice.

Because my diabetes has been behaving badly this year I have lost about a stone in weight (which for a 4ft 11inch lady who is dumpy is excellent news). Could anyone please let me know if this will immediately go back on once I take Byetta? (I think I'm right in thinking it doesn't actually cause weight gain like the gliclacides do).

Thanks very much.
Norma
 
Hi Norma,

Byetta does not cause weight gain. One of its great benefits, for most users at least, is that it encourages weight loss by reducing appetite and encouraging a "full" feeling even on smaller portions. Its weight controlling properties are so highly regarded that in the US doctors have been known to prescribe it to non-diabetics who just need to lose weight.
 
Guys - thanks for your help. I have printed off the guidance notes on the byetta website so I think I'm OK about this but am a bit worried about it all - I am on metformin plus ramipril & simvastatin. I am already very nauseous (could be the met and/or sim) so this side affect could be a problem - I just hope it's mild and short-lasting. I know byetta causes weight loss in some but don't know if it will continue or balance off - oh well I'll see fairly soon probably.

I had a lengthy discussion with my diabetes therapist (didn't know I had one but perhaps it's just another name for "nurse") who said that it is unlikely my doc would stop me having byetta if it's given to me by my consultant after trying other things.

Speak soon.

Norma
 
Hi again Norma,

Just a couple of points on Byetta - if you do get it prescribed, just make sure that your consultant or GP starts you on the 5mcg dose for at least the first 30 days. Its amazing how many GPs just ignore the makers instructions and start their patients on the maximum 10mcg dose - and in practically every case the patient has to come off it because of the nausea experienced. At the lower dose most people experience some feeling of nausea (I was lucky because I didn't) but it generally wears off after a week or so. Then you will experience it again for a week or so if you go up to the 10mcg pen.

Whether you will get it on an NHS prescription is a postcode lottery. It depends on your PCT's attitude towards the cost, not whether your consultant recommends it or whether it is effective. My consultant started me on it 6 months ago and it has been very successful for me. My GP would like to be able to prescribe it for me but our local PCT won't allow it on cost grounds. So I have to have private prescriptions from the consultant and pay getting on for £100 a month for what people in many other parts of the country can get on the NHS.
 
Thanks to you all for your comments which I didn't read due to a problem (user, not machine!).

This is my third day on the spit (I probably won't continue calling it that). Was ecstatic on the first day as my BG was very low after taking it. Then it zooped up the following day and today it's a bit lower than normal. Then I re-read the info and it did say BG would be erratic for a while.

Unfortunately as I am always nauseus anyone (metf) I am really suffering with it and last night was very bad. I've been having ginger tea which I make myself from ginger root and this does seem to help (I think by burning my insides!!).

Anyway, thanks for your replies.

Norma
 
Well I have been on this 11 days now and still not getting the full feeling and I have put on weight!!!!
 
Hi Silvercat,

It's not a miracle drug - give it time. Presumably you are on the 5mcg dose? You won't start to feel the full benefits until you are able to move up to the 10mcg dose.
 
I understand what you are saying Dennis but unfortunately the hospital sold it to me as a miracle drug...or tried to for which I had many questions and reservations. Yes am still on the 5 dose. Struggling with the injections still tho and seem to be bleeding slightly alot of the times then finding little bruises all over my stomach....not happy about that.
 
Hi Silvercat,

A little bleeding occasionally is not uncommon because as the needle passes into your body it can go through the smaller capillary veins. After all you prick your finger to get blood, so sticking a needle into your stomach isn't very different. If you are regularly getting bleeding it sounds like you are not injecting between the fat and muscle tissues, which usually means that they have given you the wrong length needle. If you can "pinch an inch" as the old Special K advert used to say, then you should be using an 8mm needle. If you have very little fat around your middle then you can get away with a 5mm needle. Also make sure the needles are 31 gauge (the finest), not the 29 gauge.
 
Silvercat. I am having similar problems as you - a couple of bruises and a spot of blood when I pull the needle out. I laughed at Dennis's comment (Dennis, not in a horrible way), because I am a couple of stone overweight and an "apple" shape so I can't believe I'm getting through all the fat and to muscle. I'll have to check to see what needles they've give me.

Hope you improve - I've only been on it four days so no weight results yet, still feel nauseous and don't feel full at all. Hopefully we'll get there in the end.

Good luck
Norma
 
Yes I am using the 8mm 31 gauge needle. I have plenty of fat on my stomach and can definitely pinch more than an inch. Am doing it exactly as she showed me. Its the ones that prick going in that seem to be the bleeding and bruising ones. The ones I dont feel seem to be ok. My technique is maybe wrong and I do hesitate at times before putting the needle in as I really hate doing it. I know I am stressed cos I am also gripping the pen so hard. I dont know how to overcome this hatred of injecting. I feel its ruling my life at the moment and I want to be in charge and I'm just not. The first few days injecting seemed to be fine then about the last 5 days I havent felt well particularly. Most nights my dinner has gone in the bin because I couldnt taste it and it was like eating for the sake of it. Tonight half way through dinner I suddenly felt sick with stomach pains. I gave my meat to the cats and sat quietly for a while till things passed. I am a bit better now but this is all really getting me down.
 
Silvercat

I'm so sorry you feel so awful - I'm kinda alright (but who knows what's to come?!). After I read your post I realised that I really grip the pen tight too. I'm sure we'll both get the knack of it and then wonder what all the fuss was about. My big problem is air bubbles in the pen so my technique probably is wrong too.

Oh well, another week starts tomorrow and let's hope things brighten up!!

Noma
 
Norma my pen has a big air bubble too. I dont think we need to worry about it.
I am more worried that i feel i am going backwards by being ill again.
 
Silvercat
I spoke to my nurse today and she's going to phone the company about air bubbles and bruises - apparently the bruisers could be tiny blood vessels on the surface but they should be 'big'. I'll let you know what she comes back with.

I feel quite lucky in that my nausea seems to be sorting itself out - my BGs are still high (although at times they're OK) - are yours OK or are they also staying high?

Norma


J



<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Silvercat</i>
<br />Norma my pen has a big air bubble too. I dont think we need to worry about it.
I am more worried that i feel i am going backwards by being ill again.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
 
Hi Lil

used my frio bag for the first time at the weekend to store my Byetta pen, all worked well. I set it up on Friday morning and it was still solid on Sunday. I just laid it in the sink in the bathroom of the Travel Lodge which was the coolest place in the room.

will be using it again soon.

pauline

Pauline Jones
 
Norma i dont know about my BGs as my doc wont prescribe strips at the moment but my next app with him I am going armed with more info and facts!!!
Spoke to my nurse this week and she said that its just capilliaries which I am hitting and apparently women seem to have more near the surface than men. Also I have been told several times by medical people that I do bleed very easily. Somebody also once made the observation to me that redheads bleed more easily than other people....and of course I am a redhead.
Good to hear your nausea is settling.

Cat
 
Hi all, just found this site whilst looking for info about Byetta. Am due to get the specialist appointment in a week or so.There seems to be quite a bit about the stuff but not so much on peoples experiences etc which is what i was looking for.
 
Hi Lil

no, I just chose to put it in there. Dennis might be able to help with your questions he told me all about the frio bag and the storage of Byetta. I used the sink as the bathroom was the coolest place.

Pauline

Pauline Jones
 
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