BYETTA

[babbettes]

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

i do eat within the hour but the longer you leave it the less food you eat.
i have been put on the 10 because they want me to have less insulin as i have became insulin resistant over the past months.
I have been lowering my insulin over the last few days since going onto the 10.

 

[jansouth]

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi everyone
I have been to see my DSN tonight, having just completed one month on Byetta 5mcg. To my surprise, I have lost 5lbs over the last four weeks. She asked me if I felt I was willing to try the 10mcg, and I told her I was. I explained about the help I had received here on this forum, and that the nausea has been decreased by taking the advice given here, i.e. eat soon after injecting. Prior to that advice from Dennis, I had been struggling with the nausea.
I start the 10mcg tomorrow, so hopefully I will be ok on that . She did tell me that if I had any bad side effects, to let her know and she would drop me back to the 5mcg for a while.

Thanks again for all the help and advice, and I will keep you posted as to what happens when I go on the increased dose

Best regards
Janet x

 

[babbettes]

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

i have been on 10 now for a week and no side effects still having trouble with hypos

 

[sussex]

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

I have been on Byetta for about 3 months.The weight loss is encouraging, just over a stone.
No nausea, just always feel full and only eat small meals.I take 4 Gliclazide and 3 metformin a day and when I see the Diabetic nurse later this month I will query the amount of tablets.
I would like to know whether its advisable to wear an ID bracelet to say I am on Byetta. My family want me to have something on me to say what my medical history is ( I am also allergic to penicillin ) Thanks. :?

 

[babbettes]

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

i carry a card from medi-pal it lists every thing im on and costs £12.00 or around that i got it off the internet from the medi pal site

 

[jocky]

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

I am on byetta and 40units of lantis for the last 8 weeks whilst I have had some weight loss whe can I expect to see the BG come down my average is 17ml should I be worried I will see my specialist at the end of Jan09

 

[Dennis]

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi Jocky,
Your BG level is dangerously high - it is more than three times what it should be. But you can't just rely on Byetta or anything else to reduce your blood glucose all on its own. Your glucose level is simply a reflection of what you eat. For your BG to be that high it sounds like your diet contains a high amount of carbohydrate. Cut down the carbs and give the Byetta (and Lantus) a chance to work!

Have a good read around the forum and you will find plenty of information on getting your diabetes under control, and keeping it controlled, by adjusting your diet.

 

[jocky]

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi Dennis
Thanks for the reply but My dietition said that my diet is fine and since starting Byetta my appitite has diminished, before going on byetta I was using 168units of lantis a day to acheve a BG of 8-9 . could I be resistant to byetta as well as insulin. I should say that my BG is slowley dropping today it been as low as 9.8. Could the problen be that I am not eating enough?
I look forward to your reply and thanks for keeping the forum going
Jocky

 

[Dennis]

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi Jocky,

Your blood sugar levels are far too high. The level at which diabetic neuropathy and retinopathy start is BS running continuously in excess of 7.5. When you say that your BS has "been as low as 9.8", that is double what it should be and you are running an extremely high risk of losing your sight and limbs. If your dietitian is happy with a diet that keeps your BS at those levels then he/she should be struck off.

If your doctor told you that you were allergic to nuts and your dietician told you that you must eat plenty of nuts with every meal, you would think the dietician must be crazy. But diabetes is an inability to deal with blood sugar, and blood sugar is created by carbohydrates, so advising you not to reduce your carb intake is almost criminal.

Your problem is not that you are not eating enough, but that you are eating the wrong things. The starchy carbs, rice, pasta, potatoes and all wheat products (bread, cake, cereals) will raise your BS but do nothing else for you. They contain very little fibre, minerals or vitamins. There are loads of other far healthier foods that will meet your body's need for carbs but will also provide the other essentials and won't send your blood sugar rocketing.

Have a read of the "Success Stories" thread.

PS Byetta is not the same as insulin and you can't become resistant to it.

 

[fiona35]

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi Everyone

Thought I would give an update as had my 3 month review today.

HBA1C is now down to 6.8% which I am very pleased about as last HBA1C was 8.2%.

Not much happening in the weight loss stakes at the moment, but I have been told to be patient and something will occur!!

No Nausea at the mo either and I have to say that I don't feel full after meals like alot of poeple who take Byetta are, maybe I need to start injectiong half an hour before eating and see if that makes a difference!! :lol:

 

[babbettes]

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

i inject up to an hour before usually 30 mins and i can never finish my meal if i do it just before i eat it has no effect

 

[sixfoot]

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Fellow spit lovers for those who might need some encouragement and a chance for me to brag :lol: April last year start Byetta 19st 12lbs official-

Today 16st 13 and a full spec blood test due next week which im looking forward to with glee. BS stable ,meds reduced. Because i had the start of tingley feet i take ALA, it does seem to have helped because is dosnt happen now, unless thats also because of the stable BS I dont know.

Even though i LO Carb the weight loss does stop from time to time sometimes for weeks. Stay with it cos the alternative dosnt bear thinking about.
Personally im aiming to lose another half stone approx which im pretty confident of without looking like a matchstick

Good luck to you all
Dave P

 

[Dennis]

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi Dave,

That's good news - Byetta certainly seems to be doing the trick for you. I suspect that your loss of neuropathy symptoms is more to do with the reduction in blood sugars, although the ALA will have helped.

As you probably know I started on Byetta 9 months before you but have seen a similar success story. In July 2007 weight 15 stone 8 lbs, HBA1C 7.9. As of last week weight 13 stone 4 lbs and HBA1C 6.6. Of course the reduction in carbs has helped the Byetta do its job but overall I feel fitter and have more energy than I did 20 years ago!

 

[HLW]

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

I mentioned Byetta to my doctor (though unfortunatly I couldn't remember the name, so I said I'd read about an injectable medication for diabetes that wasn't insulin), and he hadn't heard of it.
I looked on the internet for some information about it to print out and take to the doctor, I couldn't find something that said it was approved by NICE, can anyone link to a website where it says this? I thought I'd print out the patient information leaflet and something that says it's approved by NICE.

I really want to stop taking pioglitazone you see, I've put on weight since starting it which is really not good, and I keep reading about nasty side effects.

 

[Dennis]

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi HLW,

I think this link will have all the information that your doctor will need. Byetta was licenced by NICE for use in the UK in May or June 2007.

http://www.nyrdtc.nhs.uk/docs/nde/NDE_8 ... inal_a.pdf

The only drawback from your GP'spoint of view is that it is nearly double the cost of the pioglitazone that you are currently on. However, doctors are supposed to prescribe on the basis of patient need and suitability, not on cost - not that you'd notice when it comes to trying to get hold of blood monitor test strips!

I couldn't agree more about the glitazones. Both the glitazone drugs (pioglitazone and rosiglitazone) have the most appalling side effects. There was originally a 3rd member of the glitazone family, but this was withdrawn a few years ago when it was found to have an even more unfortunate side effect - it had a tendency to kill people who took it!!

 

[stuartclose]

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi Dennis

hope you enjoyed your skiing holiday, expect it seems a long time ago now.

well after just 12 months on Byetta I have reached my weight gaol, 10.5 stone, I now go between 10.03 and 10.5 depending what I have to eat. My b's are now between 5.3 - and 6.5.

I am still always tired as I only get about 4 hours (if lucky) sleep per night, this is about the only down thing at the moment.

I am still on 10mg and inject about 5-10 mins before eating, although I don't get that full up feeling I just don't eat so much, in fact don't want it,

over the Xmas hols I had a few treats, this was the first time since being diagnosed 8 years ago, that shows how confident I am in all things now.

hopefully my Consultant will leave things as they are when I see her in March.

Hope you're keeping well.

Love pauline

 

[Dennis]

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi Pauline,

Well done - that is a real success story!!

I have just posted a link to the latest NICE clinical guidelines for treatment of type-2s and in there it mentions that where a patient on Byetta is able to show that they have been able to reduce HBA1C by at least 1 point within 6 months and achieve weight loss of at least 5% in a year, and they are able to maintain this level, then they should be allowed to continue the medication. It sounds like you qualify easily on both counts, so absolutely no reason why your GP should stop you receiving a treatment that is proven to work for you.

Thanks for the good wishes - yes the holiday was great - it even snowed for us on Christmas day. Only thing is I wouldn't recommend Switzerland to anyone on a reduced carb diet. The staple food appeared to be bread, pastry and cake and they have not heard of diet mixers!

 

[candy1567]

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi

Have just started on Byetta, my hosp consultant has prescribed it and my GP nearly had a fit when i saw him for my prescription!!!!

I have had few side effects, a little nausea but nothing i cant handle and hope this will subside soon.

My BS are coming down even after 1 months use, they are about to increase the doseage.

I was scared witless at the thought of injecting myself, but it was easier than i thought.

candy1567

 

[Dennis]

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi Candy,

Always nice to see another Byetta convert on here. Keep in touch and let us know how you get on with it. If there's any questions we can help you with then please fire away.

 

[candy1567]

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi Denis

Just a quickie for you as you seem to be the brain on byetta!!!!

I know about the rules of taking it within the hour and why, and the first and the second phase of what it does,( i know this from your great posts!!!)

My question is i take mine in the morning which is fine but my evening one i take around 5 ish as i like to eat my meal with the family. But i find that i feel a little sick not much so i cant cope but i dont really want to eat a meal. I have smaller portions, but still dont fancy it.

Do you have a solution, can i take it a little earlier with say a banana perhaps then when the sicky feeling passes bout 2 hours later can i then sit down to a meal with my family or doesn't it work like that

cheers