BYETTA

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi Julie,

Interesting observation about the nausea returning when you inject into the stomach. I've never heard heard that mentioned before, and it really shouldn't make any difference where you inject because the Byetta doesn't actually reach the stomach - it is absorbed into the blood stream very quickly from where it reaches your pancreas.

Jude,

They seem to be dropping your Lantus at an alarming rate - far faster than anything I have heard of before. Most people I have heard from who have switched from insulin to Byetta do so gradually so as not to create an artificially high BS level. It is usual to drop from between a third to a half dose of insulin for at least a couple of weeks, but to test regularly and tweak the insulin depending on the test results. Your doctor can't know just how much insulin production your pancreas is capable of so until this can be seen you shouldn't reduce by too much.

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi Jude,

I think your idea is the most sensible approach. If I were you I would test before each meal and again 2 hours after. The before test will show what your fasting and semi-fasting levels are and set a benchmark to compare the second test against. Then test again 2 hours after eating so that you can see how the combination of Byetta and insulin is acting on what you have eaten. At the 2 hour point your BS should have dropped to close to where it was before your meal.

If it is still quite high then that would indicate that you need a little more insulin. If it is lower than where you started then reduce the insulin by a little.
e.g. Lets say that before your meal your BS is 6.0. If 2 hours after eating it is lower than 6.0 then you will need to reduce the insulin just a little. If it is between 6.0 and 6.5 then that is about perfect. Between 6.5 and 7.0 is just about ok but keep an eye on things. Over 7.0 then you need a little more insulin.

For the first 2 weeks or so your body will be acclimatising itself to the Byetta, so the Byetta won't necessarily be working at full capacity, which is why it is not a good idea to drop the insulin too quickly - just enough so that you don't hypo. As you become more acclimatised to the Byetta so it will be working more effectively on your BS levels and your meter readings will show you how much adjustment you need to make.

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi Viv,

Yes, you can take erithromycin with Byetta. I had to take a course of them a couple of months ago for a chest infection. I found they raised my blood sugar slightly (probably sugar coated!), but otherwise no problems.

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi Viv,

I'm really glad that it's working for you this time after the terrible experience you had before. But don't be surprised if the weight loss just suddenly stops for no reason. It seems to do this from time to time, and then just as mysteriously starts again.

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi Jude,

You have only been taking it for just over a week, and fow the first few days were having problems getting the Lantus balance right, so I would give it another week yet. Many people find that on the 5mcg Byetta dose sometimes there can be significant weight loss but very little BS reduction. On the 10mcg pen the BS reduction is greater but the weight loss doesn't seem to increase - it just carries on at the same rate as it did at the lower dose.