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BYETTA

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi Dennis
I managed to get hold of a number today for Eli Lilly UK....01256 315999. I spoke to a very nice guy called Rickie. I mentioned that on the USA website one can apply for a case etc. He said he would send me out a carrying case today.

Hope that helps

Janet
 
Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Thanks for that Janet - its probably a year since I asked them about the carry cases, so they appear to have got hold of some at last. I'll see if I can get one today.
 
Re: Anyone use Byetta?

i phoned 01256 315999 and i received my carry case the next day, its like the ones i use for my insulin pens
 
Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Mine is on its way. Thank you both.
 
Re: Anyone use Byetta?

hiya everyone, i got a case from the nurse at the hospital that i go to. it has compartments for all the stuff. i was well chuffed today my blood was 6.3 thats the lowest ever. im still on the 5mg pen that is 6 weeks ive been on that one. still get the nausia but not as much ill go up to the 10 mg in 2 weeks, hope your all ok tina xx
 
Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi Tina

Great to hear you are getting on so well, I change up to the higher dose tomorrow as it will have been 5 weeks on the low dose although I have got both pens so if I feel really rough I can drop back down again.

I see the DSN in Dec so hopefully things are working out for me, I haven't really noticed that I'm not eating as much but hopefully when I change dosage something will happen!!

I will phone Eli Lilly up and see if I can get a carry case as its a bit strange having a large box in ones handbag when I am out and about and as I go away end of Dec for 3 nights I was wondering where I would put everything!!



Fiona
xx
 
Re: Anyone use Byetta?

I'm sorry to have to ask this question but did anyone find Byetta has given them constipation and any suggestions on how to overcome this?

Have never had a problem before but since taking Byetta I've noticed this problem and unfortunately it isn't getting any better and I sort of feel embarrased going to my GP about this!!

TIA
 
Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi Fiona,
Yes, constipation can be a by-product of Byetta, particularly in the early days. It seems to reduce as your body becomes more accustomed to the food travelling slower through your digestive system, but this can take a month or two.

You might be able to get away with a stool softener, like DulcoEase, otherwise a mild laxative like Senakot. Your chemist should be able to recommend something suitable.

Alternatively you could try scoffing a few of the "diabetic chocolates" made by Boots or Thorntons. A few shouldn't hit your BS too hard because they don't contain sugar. Instead they use maltitol or sorbitol as a sweetener and both of these are pretty potent laxatives. You might be able to cure the problem and indulge yourself at the same time!
 
Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi All

probably going onto Byetta next week. My diabetologist has a few insulin users on byetta, but not as much as me (86 levemir, 30-60 Novorapid per day). My reasons are that my charcot foot has flared up again and I am withdrawing from exercise . Last A1c 5.8% and lost 2 stones earlier this year. On metformin as well 1g 12 hourly. With Christmas coming up I don't want to balloon up again. Still working.

It will be interesting to see how much my insulin drops. One would expect a big drop in bolus and less of a drop in basal. I will pass on my particular experiences especially on the insulin side.

Welcome to the gang.

Dennis - should we have a dedicated section on Byetta? Again, thanks for all the great advice in this section.
 
Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi Marty,
That's great news. I know you have been fighting to get one of the inctrein mimetics for a very long time. I hope it does for you all you have been hoping! And I think a number of people will be interested in how you balance the insulin with the Byetta.

I have thought about a separate thread for Byetta but I think it would only ever be looked at by the converted! I know of several who are now on Byetta having seen it mentioned on here and questioned their GPs about it. At least in the general discussions section it gets a wider audience.
 
Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi

I was offered Byetta 4 months ago. But I was doing so well generally and losing weight with exercise. But my foot got worse after spraining my ankle 3 weeks ago, I gone bakcwards a wee bit. So I need to take it easy until it improves. Thus I asked my diabetologist and he was very much up for it. I will be his experiment as I am am for the orthotist and my foot.

Anyway, keep up the good work.
 
Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Thanks for the advice Dennis, have been and got some Dulcoease so lets hope that might work. I never gave it a thought about using Diabetic chocolate and I passed Thorntons earlier this afternoon as well!! Oh well I might be worth trying and I get some chocolate to eat as well!!
 
Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Okay its me again!!! The annoying pest!

I swapped my pens last night for the higher one and no side effects and again this morning no side effects!! Normally I would be jumping up and down but I have a feeling the pen isn't working right as when I've put it in and pressed the plunger down it doesn't click like the other pen did and even though I've counted to 6 and taken out I seem to be able to press the plunger down further and more byetta squirts out in the air!!
Naturally I have not taken another dose but tonight I was going to try counting to 10 before removing but what happens if when I take it out it still plunges down and squirts byetta out. Obviously the full dose is not in me so do I take it back to the chemist, phone the company up or phone my DSN on Mon and revert back to the lower dose pen in the meantime?

Very Grateful for any replies given.
 
Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi Fiona,

I would get another one issued - my second pen was a duffer - wouldn't turn back properly - its only occasionallt they have a duf one but it does happen.
 
Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi Fiona,
Sorry I haven't replied earlier. I've been away for the weekend and just got back.

When you press in the pen plunger you should always hear the click as the dispenser moves forward a notch. If you didn't hear the click but were then able to press the plunger in further it sounds like you just didn't press it firmly enough the first time. I know this is a new pen but did you prime it before use? On occasions it has taken me two or three priming goes before it actually squirts anything out. Its possible that is what has happened with your new pen.

I suggest that you try priming it again when you are ready for your next dose. Fit a new needle, dial up the dose and press the plunger in as you normally would. You should get a jet expelled. Then inject your dose as normal. When you re-prime you will be able to tell whether there is something wrong with the plunger mechanism. Don't worry about wasting some - each pen actually contains enough for several extra goes. You will normally find when you get to the end of the pen after 30 days use, there is enough for another couple of days. But don't use it beyond 30 days - it is designed to have a 30 day shelf-life and I am told it can go "off" quite quickly after 30 days.
 
Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi Dennis


I did prime the pen when I first used it but this mornings Jab I really had to force the plunger down whilst still in me - not pleasant!!

Tried what you suggested and I also practiced on a used lemon!!! I did another prime into the air and it expelled okay and then had a go with stabbing the lemon and pressing down and after the 3rd attempt on the lemon the plunger seemed to click more easily so I changed the needle and tried on me and it has made a difference, thanks.

Fiona
 
Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Happy December First to you all !
Well, 11 days on Byetta now. I lost two pounds last week, so obviously that is good news !!
Morning bloods are excellent, around 6 which is great for me, after morning readings of anything up to 11 for many months. I have also reduced my carbs somewhat and feel better for that.

Saturday night I felt awful, got really, really sleepy about 9pm. Had my Byetta and Metformin (500mg SR one in morning and one at night) as usual, and dinner as normal. But if my life depended on it, I couldn't have stayed awake another second. Tested BG and it was 5.2, probably the lowest it has ever been for two years, perhaps. Although this ranks as normal, I guess maybe it was a big shock to my body ! Anyway, a good night's sleep and I was great on Sunday. Don't know what happened, but I said I would report any unusual symptoms, so there it is.

No nausea, but definite reduced food intake. Bit of a bummer in a way....my husband took me to lunch at The Grosvenor in Chester, and all I wanted was coffee !!

Stay well, keep warm!

Janet :lol:
 
Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi Dennis

Hope you have a good skiing holiday. Just to let you know that now since being on Byetta for 11.5 months I have reached my weight target, I started off 12.5 stone am now 10 stone. Just wondering what will happen next, do they take me off byetta or what, any idea? I see my Consultant in February and the last time I saw her she changed me back to a 5 pen and my weight started to go on, so my DN re-prescribed the 10 pen.

Looking forward to the Christmas break - this year I might even have a small piece of cake as a treat!!

regards, Pauline
 
Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi Pauline,
Bearing in mind that weight reduction is only one of the five benefits that Byetta has, I don't see why you couldn't remain on it. If you continue to lose weight then you will probably need to look at a further change to your diet to increase the calories slightly, but without increasing the carbs. That generally means slightly more protein/fat in your diet. That way you should be able to kppe the weight static.

Really looking forward to Switzerland - only 2 more weeks and we're off.
 
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