BYETTA

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi sharikab.
Welcome to the forum. Have a good look around all the other areas to as you will get good dietary advice and other stuff which may all be useful to you.

Has your GP reduced the doseage of the Gliclazide yet ? As Byetta is a powerful and effective drug you need to monitor your blood sugar levels frequently and watch out for hypo's. (low blood sugar)

Whilst Byetta is a good appetite suppressant as well, if you can help it along by changing your diet at the same time it will have an even better effect. Good luck and keep posting.

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Thanks Cugila, the DSN did suggest that should I experience any hypos then I should half my dosage of Gliclizide but it was only suggested that I test once a day and vary when I test. Have experienced Hypos when on insulin during pregnancy so I know what to look for should it happen.

Will check out the rest of the site for dietary advice etc. and yes changing my diet will also help, but not always as easy as it seems...hopefully willpower will prevail

Byetta Gone Yellow

Just a quick post my months supply of Byetta has gone quite a bright yellow colour, i am still using it as i dont seem to be suffering any side effects any ideas anyone?

Re: Byetta Gone Yellow

STOP USING THIS IMMEDIATELY

YOU MUST RETURN IT TO THE PHARMACY AND GET IT CHANGED.

It sounds like it is contaminated. DO NOT USE !!

Re: Byetta Gone Yellow

replaced it now, wonder how long its been yellow my wife notices as i'm a bit colour blind (well a lot really) :shock:

Re: Byetta Gone Yellow

Did they offer any advice as to why it changed colour. How do you store and use the Byetta ?

It is very susceptible to temperature changes. Having said that, I conducted a test by leaving the finished pen in a sunny window for several weeks. It was still clear after all that time of high and low temp's ?

I am merging this with the Byetta thread as it is more appropriate there.

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi Guys
Sorry - a bit of a disillusioned Byetta user here at the minute - on the verge of tears for most of the day - just feeling incredibly frustrated again

Have now been on Byetta just over a month - 30 days on 5mg and the last three on 10mg. Weight is dropping nicely - about 12lb altogether so I'm really pleased with that. They warned me that BG's might not improve on the 'half'' dose and they didn't but had expected some improvement with the ten that doesn't appear to be happening - so am now panicking and wondering what they will want to try next as I really don't want to go to insulin - am I looking for improvement too soon, or is there something else I should be asking??

I was on Avandamet 4mg/1000mg twice a day, plus a basic dose of Gliclazide(80mg I think) twice a day before with BG's of between 9 and 12 before meals and 10 and 15 an hour after.

They have changed me to the Byetta plus 1000mg Metformin twice a day at the moment and the BG's are no better - yesterday I began to think we were winning - BG of 10.5 an hour after lunch, but had shot up to 13 an hour later and I'd eaten and drunk nothing - am just totally confused by what my body is doing.

If anyone has any suggestions I'd be really grateful as I'm starting to lose the plot now.

thanks
Trudy

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi Trulee.

What exactly did you have for lunch and do you know what your Bg was just before the meal ?

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi Cugila
It was 8.6 before lunch - I had a wholemeal roll with some lean ham in it and a cup of coffee - white (semi skimmed milk) with sweetener :?

Trudy

(Cugila - if you reply to this and I've disappeared I am at work today and will have finished lunch - but I will be about again later - thank you)

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Trulee.

You were quite high before the food, then you had a meal which was high in carbohydrates, around 25g carbs ? It is little wonder your Bg levels are rocketing. It may be you need to drastically reduce the carbs and possibly portion sizes. The medications may be fighting 'on the back foot' so to speak ?

Can you also tell me what a typical days meals would be, including snacks and treats ?

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi Cugila.
Just read your reply. Byetta is being prescribed in local hospitals and this has spilled over into GPs. I feel like a queue jumper now. (GP is flying in the face of all the recognised precribing advice for your treatment.) Perhaps the GP does not see me as (Normal) and just wants to treat my T2. I believe the sulphonylurea's can put you weight on. I will try anything to be (normal) again.
Regards.

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

swine1.

Don't feel like a queue jumper, feel fortunate ! If it does for you what it has done to many of us then it has to be good. I would just be wary as it is not the normal (whatever that is) way of prescribing. It has been around here for a couple of years so isn't new, the fact that GP's are prescribing is new though.

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi Cugila.
I saw the DN because my a1c was 7.5 7.6 over the last six months. I told her that the Metformin had made me ill and that I had dropped 500 of the 1000 I was on. She asked me had I heard of Byetta. As a nurse I had researched my T2 and Byetta which was very expensive and not yet approved, so I was quite surprised she asked me, however she told me our local hospitals were prescribing it and made me an app to see the GP. I asked him about side effects he said I may not get any but that the 5x2 dose did not work in a lot of people ie bring a1c down and to try it for a month and then to go on 10x2. So yes I feel quite fortunate. I think its quite important to not be afraid of your GP. I told mine that the quality of my life was effected by Metformin ect, seemed to do the trick. I now take the shot just before I eat and the side effects are less.
Regards, Bernard.

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

cugila said:

Trulee.

You were quite high before the food, then you had a meal which was high in carbohydrates, around 25g carbs ? It is little wonder your Bg levels are rocketing. It may be you need to drastically reduce the carbs and possibly portion sizes. The medications may be fighting 'on the back foot' so to speak ?

Can you also tell me what a typical days meals would be, including snacks and treats ?

Click to expand...

Hi Cugila
Thanks for replying - unfortunately due to other conditions I have I cant do a proper 'low carb' diet - it leaves me in terrible pain most of the time, but until now have never had this sort of trouble with BG - yes they have been 'creeping' higher over time, but not consistently like this.

A 'typical' day would be something very bland like on slice of toast or half a portion of kids porridge for breakfast, salad with cold meat or cheese at lunchtime with a yogurt, then a 'home cooked' tea of some description including some potato, pasta or rice with protein (fish or meat) and veggies.

Since being on the Byetta I have forgotten what treats are, but if I do probably a piece of cheese, handful of grapes or a yogurt - I have never had a 'sweet tooth' as such and have tried really hard to cut out the 'salty' snacks the last year or so.

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi Trulee.

I too don't use a true 'low-carb' regime. I eat reduced carbs, low fat, low salt and my portions sizes are about big enough to fit on a side plate. So, using this method I have lost 4 stone since January this year and still going.

How.......by virtually cutting out all types of cereals, bread, potato, rice, pasta and those starchy root veg. Together with the Byetta it has had a drastic effect on both my Bg levels and also my weight.

I also eat far more healthily than before (apart from the odd Chunky Kit-Kat bars !) feel so much fitter and just far more lively in general. There are some great alternatives to Cereals and Porridge
and all the other stuff throughout the day.

Try cutting this stuff out or down at just one meal and test before and after, see if there is a difference. You might be like me - carb intolerant ?.

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi Everyone,
:?:
A quick question, I've been injecting Byetta for over a week now, but I'm getting a lot of bruising on my tummy Am I doing anything wrong ? or is this normal.

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

cugila said:

Hi Trulee.

I too don't use a true 'low-carb' regime. I eat reduced carbs, low fat, low salt and my portions sizes are about big enough to fit on a side plate. So, using this method I have lost 4 stone since January this year and still going.

How.......by virtually cutting out all types of cereals, bread, potato, rice, pasta and those starchy root veg. Together with the Byetta it has had a drastic effect on both my Bg levels and also my weight.

I also eat far more healthily than before (apart from the odd Chunky Kit-Kat bars !) feel so much fitter and just far more lively in general. There are some great alternatives to Cereals and Porridge
and all the other stuff throughout the day.

Try cutting this stuff out or down at just one meal and test before and after, see if there is a difference. You might be like me - carb intolerant ?.

Click to expand...

thanks for that - what 'low carb' options do you use for breakfast? - that is my main problem as I take anti-sickness meds that I now cant take until an hour after the Byetta(have asked about taking them before but this is a no-no with the diabetes team) - therefore an hour after breakfast, so it has to be completely bland

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi gerbil.

Getting a Comfortable Injection
Most injections don't hurt. However, if you frequently experience pain while injecting, try the following:
Check with your healthcare professional to make sure that your injection technique is correct.
Be sure you're not bending the needle when you remove the cap. Needle caps should be removed by first twisting and then pulling them straight off.
Inject when it's at room temperature. Cold Byetta hurts.
Keep the muscles in the injection area relaxed during injection.
Never use your needles more than once. Reusing a needle can bend or dull the tip, which will increase the pain, and could cause it to break off and become lodged in your skin.
Avoid injecting into muscle by pinching up your skin before injecting and injecting into the fold of skin that you pinch up.
Speak with your doctor about using a different needle size if the needles are not 8mm/31g. There is a 5mm/12mm needle available.
Speak with your doctor about injecting into other parts of your body if you still have problems.

It really is all down to technique, relax, don't inject into the muscle and make sure you pinch some fat to start with.

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

Hi Trulee.

Bland....not sure really. For ME.....Eggs, cold meats, low fat yoghurt, cheese, apple, maybe small amount of porridge, berries, low carb fruit, it really does all depend on what YOU term bland and what YOU like.

Re: Anyone use Byetta?

cugila said:

Hi Trulee.

Bland....not sure really. For ME.....Eggs, cold meats, low fat yoghurt, cheese, apple, maybe small amount of porridge, berries, low carb fruit, it really does all depend on what YOU term bland and what YOU like.

Click to expand...

problem with the majority of those at that time in the morning would put me into agony (eggs, meat, cheese and fruit ) - will have to stick to the porridge and hope it improves :roll:

am just feeling so frustrated at the minute - took me four years of fighting to get Byetta - weight loss is working but now it looks like we're going to have to change it again :?