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BYETTA

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi everyone

Finally went to see Diabetes Consultant on Wednesday and I was well impressed. He was very encouraging with NO "put downs". I am not going up to the 10 pen yet (am almost 4 weeks on byetta) and I do not know how long I will still be taking the Lantus but at least he has approved that now and I will be seeing him again in 3/4 months.
However I am still getting moderate side effects but mostly in the morning and it lessens after lunch. I am still getting slight nausea but it is the extreme tiredness that is knocking me out at present - any hints.
Vivkaroo - how are you doing? Well done on keeping up the swimming. x

Jude
 
Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi thankyou for your help . yes i have spoken to my GP but got myself into a tiss thinking to much about it all... i was concerned that the byetta would slow the xenical down if taken at the same time but have since learn`t that it still works no matter what time you take it with or a while after byetta ...was just wondering if anyone ele`s was taking the two together like me and how they take them ...
 
Re: Anyone use Byetta?



sunshine.
Xenical and Orlistat are one and the same thing. The above is the correc t information regarding the administration of the drug or any other for that matter. You need to discuss this again with your GP.

Ken.
 
Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi there

i am a newbe, but wanted to ask a question about Byetta, I have just recently been put on this drug, by my hospital consultant (free!) and although I have not had too many of the side effects, one noticable thing has happened, my blood sugars have gone really high, from around 9 to 26 even before eating, as I have only been on the stuff for nearly 2 weeks, (I was on 30/70 human mixtard 32 units am and 42 pm) and was taken off insulin completely and then on to byetta. trying to get any sense out my local diabetic nursing staff, has been dreadful, as they are only available for a few hours a day, and lets face it there are quite a few of us type 2s around, any guidance or suggestions or help??? :?
 
Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi Westcountylaney and welcome to the forum.

I'm afraid the answer to your question is that the recommended transition from insulin to Byetta is to gradually reduce the insulin in order to avoid the dangerously high BS levels that you are experiencing. The normal route is to drop the insulin by a third or a half when you start on Byetta, then gradually reduce further as you see the BS levels coming down. Of course it is essential to test during this period. I assume you would normally test anyway as everyone on insulin injections must test?

If your instructions to drop the insulin had been given by a GP I wouldn't have been that surprised, but I am astonished the advice has come from a consultant. I presume this is a diabetes consultant, not a consultant window cleaner? :roll:
 
Re: Anyone use Byetta?

I am in the same boat westcountry and my consultant also stopped my insulin. The 'percieved' wisdom is that byetta is not compatible with any type of insulin. They seem worried about being the 1st to advise keep using insulin, I presume so they wont be the first to trigger an adverse reaction. Stick at it westcountry, my bloods dropped down after a week (and some sneeky injections of levemir overnight to bring my morning bg down). Apparently it gets better when we go onto the 10mg dose. Coming off insulin cold turkey gave me some pretty extreme mood swings, dont know where that came from. On the plus side my weight is still dropping so Im happy.

Paul
 
Re: Anyone use Byetta?

hiya dennis nearly up to 2nd month of byett h ad a sickly phase i had for while has settled down now i feel really good swimming 3 times week just so full of energy hope to god this keeps up for me bloods between 4-6-8 depending lost 9lb in total but did put one pound on today at slim club however not bothered its for life and one pound dont matter good luck to everyone on byetta i actually tried 14 to 16 top on today it was a great feeling so i will hope to keep this up bye dennis and all hope you all feeling well luv vivkaroo xxx
 
Re: Anyone use Byetta?

hi im new to this blog ihave diabetes type 2 i have been on insulin and oral medication for 4 years and i have just been taken off the insulin and started byetta and metformin i have been on it for 5 days and i am struggling with the sickness and headaches but am told these side effects wear off if anyone can let me know experience with this i would like to hear by the way ive lost 5 pounds in weight in 5 days bye for now candy
 
Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi Candy.
Welcome to the forum from another Byetta user.

It seems that women do tend to suffer more than men with some of the side effects.

Some people say that chewing Ginger biscuits can help reduce/stop the nausea. I was fortunate and didn't really have a lot of side effects. What there were did ease off after a couple of weeks. It is worth trying to cope with it, I can assure you. We are all different and it is worse for some than others.

I am also presuming you are on the 5mcg pen at the moment ? This should allow you to aclimatise to the drug more easily.

Weight loss and appetite suppression is another benefit, so try to stick with it.

Ken.
 
Re: Anyone use Byetta?


Thanks for that advice about ginger biscuit ken i am determined to stick it out thanks candy
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Re: Anyone use Byetta?

from candy thanks for that advice about ginger biscuit to help sickness im feeling determined to stick it out even when im being sick huh
 
Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi Candy,

The only thing I can add to Ken's advice is to have as small a gap as possible between your injection and your meal. Although you can eat up to an hour after injecting, in the early days it is better to inject immediately before you eat, at least until you have become acclimatised to Byetta. Once the nausea side effects have worn off (usually one or two weeks) then you can extend that gap. The other thing is to make sure that you take the metformin in the middle of the meal so that they are digested with the food. The metformin also has side effects and these can help trigger nausea from the Byetta.

An alternative to a ginger biscuit is to have a glass of extremely diluted ginger cordial (e.g. BottleGreen's ginger and lemongrass cordial).
 
Re: Anyone use Byetta?

im sorry ken i forgot to say yes i am on 5mcg pen for a month then it gets increased to 10 (you can tell im new to this) from candy
 
Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi Candy.
If you find the side effects after a month are still there get your GP to delay putting you on the 10mcg dose. He/she can always adjust the other meds dose to compensate.
Sometimes some people need a little longer to adjust.

Ken.
 
Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi Candy, Ken, Dennis & others

Unfortunately Jude is still struggling with the nausea , headache & tiredness and I am now up to 4 weeks. I am on my second pen but am staying on the 5 for now - which confirms what Ken has said. I was very poorly at the beginning and I thought the side effects had gone but they havent! I have tried the ginger biscuit but I land up eating too many!! I have also been drinking Ginger & Lemon tea. I seem to be worse in the morning and during the afternoon it wears off so I think I am going to take Dennis's advice and inject immediately before my breakfast to see if that will help.

I have promised myself that I will ride this storm becauase I do want to get control over my diabetes but the other thing which is distressing me is that my morning numbers are not improving - any advice anyone?!! :x I am still on Lantus - 25 units at bedtime (was on 75 prior to Byetta).

Hi Vivkaroo - glad you are doing ok - you have already gone on to the 10 dose then?

Jude 8)
 
Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi Jude.

Really sorry to hear that you are not having a good time of it. You appear to be doing everything you can.
There isn't anything else I can suggest. Dennis might have another little trick up his sleeve ?
Keep looking here for answers. Not on Insulin so the only thing I would suggest is talk to your HCP's about it. It may be that some adjustment in other meds is required.

Keep battling.
Ken.
 
Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Many thanks for your help on this, my consultant has now decided that I should go back on Insulin, then go and see a dietitian and go on a crash diet for 2 months then back on Byetta!

I have decided that as I already have the byetta I would drop my insulin dose down by a third and keep going, and as a consequence today I have had nausea, which I wasn't having before, but on the good side my blood sugars are a little better and I was weighed at excercise class yesterday and I have lost nearly 7lbs in 2 weeks.
 
Re: Anyone use Byetta?

hiya jude hunny yer did have sickly feel for a week or so but seems to be worse if i have bread strangely i have felt ok the last week but god its hard isnt it i feel better 2nd time around i am on 10mg i started 5 mg for 4weeks then ten mg for 3 weeks up to now still apprehensive i find if i have byetta and almost emmediately have a weetabix dont wait more than 5 mins i dont feel quite as bad wether that does it i dont no but if i wait more than 10 mins after byetta before i eati tend to feel sick so inject and away with the breaky keep trying hun it might come right how do any of us know its all trial and errori was going to ask to go back on 5 for a while longer if it didnt settle but it has settled a bit so keep trying jude hope you get to feel better soon mine is always worse in morning then wears off in the dayi having little grandson sunday and mon sleep over but thats always hectic he is 4 going on 14 :lol: anyway keep smiling jude and a very happy holiday to you dont worry it will sort it self take care jude will keep in touch just been bit busy lately bye keep chin up xx

happy holiday to everyone hope you have nice break vivkaroo xx
 
Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi Jude,

The only other thing I can think of that might be triggering the nausea, especially in the morning, is how much carbs you are having with your breakfast. It's quite common for diabetics to be fairly carb-intolerant in the morning, but able to manage them much better later in the day. If your breakfast is a bit on the carby side, maybe you could try something more protein based (like ham and eggs, or ham and cheese with a single slice of toast). Other than that my ideas well runneth dry! :?
 
Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Just a quick update!

Am just coming to the end of my first 10mcg pen... - Still feel bloody brilliant, sugar levels are 8.0-9.0 in the morning and diabetes nurse says that no weight loss in a month is perfectly normal.

On that side, I have gone from 19st 7lbs in January to 18st 10.4lbs today - it doesnt seem a lot, but as they say, "Every little helps" - Weightloss has stalled, so its back on the Xenical for me!!!

I do need a bit of support though if you can - cos i find the whole weight loss thing hard - I need to remember to let the medicine do its secondary job, but i get depressed easily.

Any words of wisdom will be great but its nice to feel "well" - and people tell me i look loads better too! - YAY!

Phil
 
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