BYETTA

[cugila]

Well it's now almost 5 weeks since i started Byetta alongside Lantus and Glucophage
Initially I felt really sick but have stuck with it and now feel fine.
I have lost almost a stone and a half(although I must say, I have been dieting too). My BG has dropped from between 16-18 to between 6.1 and 10.3 still not ideal but I think you'll agree, far better than the previous. I start Byetta 10 today and I'm hoping for even better results , However i've been warned the sickness may start again

Well done. That's a great result so far....... Hope you get on Ok with the 10ug pen. The nausea can sometimes start again, but as before try to stick with it. The results are well worth it !

 

[cugila]

hi ken sorry about my post think computer playing up a bit thanks
for your reply awaiting my dn to ring back with specialist appointment feeling bit better today writing all my foods down eating very healthy but did anyway i hope it wasnt the byetta an he might let me back on the 5 to start but going to mention new drug was wondering if i have had viral infection as my friend has had similar symptoms and a happy new year to you just gonna see what happens just hoping i dont put any weight back on i lost stone and half while on byetta not bad bloods are between 7 and 10 now not bad but was 5 to7 so we will see bye ken keep up the good job luv vivkaroo x

Hi Viv.
You always keep me entertained...... :lol: I do hope that you don't have to give it up again. You have worked so hard. If you do have to then suggest Victoza. That seems to be very effective too. Ignore the side effects list, most people don't seem to suffer too badly.

Let us know the outcome. stay well.

Ken x

 

[mspoohbear2]

cugila,

I started with two a day, but I went to one injection at dinner because of the hypos. I did not want to take a chance of being hypo while driving to work in the morning. Also, I thought maybe I needed time to adjust to it, but that wasn't the case.

My meal consists of a cup of either a pasta or rice, 4-6 ozs of a meat and a large salad with dressing or a vegatable mixture.

I see the doctor tomorrow and will get his opinion. He wanted to try insulin before the byetta, but I wanted the byetta.

I find it interesting how every person reacts differently to each medication. I would really like to find a scientific answer as to why I get the hypos from Byetta when other pill type medications (Januvia, Metformin) don't work. Oh well, I appear to have a strange body chemistry and react weirdly to different medications. I told my doctor that somebody should study my body, it would be very interesting. :lol:

Have a great day!

 

[thedame]

Hi everyone and a belated Happy New Year

Sorry I have not been back- what with Christmas, a nasty reaction to the swine flu jab and a stomach virus over the new Year, it has been a busy few weeks! Just wanted to report back on my first official blood test since starting Byetta 4 months ago. My HBA1C levels pre byetta were 10.1 and are now 7.1. My nurse is delighted and so am I. She tells me that a non-diabetic would be around 6.5 and that she is more than happy if I stick at my new lever, provided this is not just an average of very high lows and highs - which it isn't- my blood sugar readings are between 5.5 and 7.9 most of the time. She also agreed that as my weigh gradually comes down (note I say when not if!!!) this could come down a tad but probably not dramatically.

My weight stayed the same this time but we both agree that that is not bad considering I normally balloon over the festive period- once I get off track it is so hard not to pick. I don't find the the loss of appetite I had with Byetta is quite so strong but I do still find I can not eat the big meals I used to have so a bit of will power boosted by this fact should hopefully help the weight to come down again.

Before I go, just one question, I see from other posters that some of you have much lower levels than I have and that your medics have expectations of lowering the HBA1C to much less than mine now is at 7.1 -in fact I believe I have seen posts where a level this high can spark a panic amongst the doctors! Can someone explain this for me - is it a case of the older you are and or the more overweight you are, the optimum level varies as they take into account your whole personal circumstances?

 

[vivkaroo]

hi ken well bad news till i feel better and get myself sorted no going back on byetta so sad spoke to my specialist till all tests are clear i do feel a bit better today wonder if its a virus i have had cos i am so tired but then bloods are betwee 7 and 12 had a 14 yesterday gotta add half a glicklazide a day and carry on with my 4 glucoghage (slow release metformin ) maybe things not so bad but soooooooooooo disapointed after twice in 2 yrs trying

could be i having a little too much carbs but then i thought i was low with my carbs plus been in hospital no exercise really you know what i mean anyway thats how it is for a couple of months soooooooooooo sad :cry:
well will keep trying and ask in a couple of months to try another drug maybe you all take care will still be on here your advice is always welcome luv vivkaroo xxxxx thanks ken x
love to jude xx

 

[cugila]

Hi Viv.
My apologies for taking so long to get back to you. Have a few issues of my own at the moment !

I am so sorry to hear your news. I know how hard you tried with the Byetta. Maybe it will only be temporary and you will be able to re-start later. If it's any consolation to you If you have had a Virus or similar then that in itself will affect your Bg levels. Sometimes significantly.

Not sure how many carbs you are having at your two main meals, I have found that for the Byetta to work for me I have to eat around 30g carbs per meal. Any less and I can end up hypo ! Too little carbs. That is just my findings though, personal.

High levels as I know to my cost recently can be caused by drugs unrelated to Diabetes, have you been put on any other medication recently ? I am on certain Meds which have rocketed my levels to the high teens, 19+ !! It is only now with one of the drugs being stopped that my numbers are getting back down to more normal levels, thank goodness.

I would also like to know what doseage of Gliclazide are you on ? If low dose maybe that could be increased for a little while, get the numbers back under control. I have had to do that temporarily. Was the only way to stop going totally out of control !

Hospital - that could elevate your Bg levels as well as it would no doubt have all been stressful. If you are able a little light exercise may help to control the levels. Nothing too arduous, a little walking perhaps.

I do hope that this is only temporary and you will be back soon feeling better. If you do have to quit Byetta, ask about Victoza....it too has had good results and is only injected once daily. Worth a 'punt.'
Well Viv, I hope it all works out for you. Stay in touch anyway.

Regards
Ken x

 

[vivkaroo]

thanks ken i ave just gotta take half a glicklazide at t time i am feeling a lot betterstill dont think it was the byetta howevernow lowering carbs and going for walks trying to walk round the park and get back on track slowly getting my fitness back i still think it was a virus cos you know they can put you in bed weeks cant they my dn said just half glicklazide for now till we see how it goes they are between 8 and 12 varied not too bad really but in 2 or 3 months my specialist will see he doesnt want to put coal on the fire you know what i mean anyway nice you replied ken your always on our team ken very valued your expertise on here we do love you dearly for your help :wink: keep safe god bless xxx bye hun

luv to jude if you on xx

 

[cugila]

Viv.
You really are one of the nice people. Thank you for those words. Much appreciated.
Hope everything gets better for you. Stay in touch.

Ken x

 

[Jude]

Oh Vivkaroo - am so sorry I have only just found your recent posts as I havent been on the site much lately. Thankyou for your good wishes & love & I send the same to yourself. Am so so sorry about the tummy problems - havent you got IBS as well?? Am not doing good myself recently and I am really fed up and discouraged. Like I think you said you have had family problems we have that with our youngest son who has decided to cut us off - didnt hear from him for over 6 months and then it was an email - dont think all this emotional stress helps but dont know what else I can do about it!!
When I am feeling so down about the diabetes I dont come on here because I have found it discouraging as lots of people seem to be in control and I dont and the bg numbers which others quote are absolutely fairland to me!! - I just feel that I am never goingn to get reasonable control and often wonder if I would be any worse without all the meds! (not brave enough to try that though).
Keep in touch - I will keep looking on this thread now I know you are back.
lots of love, Jude xx

 

[RWJ]

Hi all

Not been on for a couple of weeks, I was waiting to have my checkup.

Anyway, I am on my third pen and all my results were good today, overall blood sugars 6.1, cholestoral 3.7, liver, kidney and blood pressure ok. They were really pleased with me. They were offering me gold starts, ha ha. I have lost 23lb up to now and am really pleased. I wish I had measured my body parts when I first started cos I can really tell with some of my clothes.

Anyone out there just getting started I would like to wish you all the best of luck and to stick with it if you have an off day.

RWJ

 

[martinbuchan]

Hi all

its been a while since I last logged on, and now about 9 months on byetta. My experiences are

Weight- down 7 pounds
HbA1C- 6.6% down to 5.6% this week.
Apetite -reduced a wee bit but early satiety more marked
Nausea- very rare
Novorapid- reduced from 80-100 units per day to about 20-25
Levemir- reduced from 100 units per day to 90.
Metormin- take 2nd dose much later in the evening
Hypos- rare (my lowest HbA1c before i started byetta was 5.9% and was accompanied by a lot ot o hypos)
Reflux- more marked so now on regular omeprazole).

I haven't been exercising but now as my charcot foot has settled down i have no excuse....

I do fancy switching to liraglutide as long as it doesn't make my reflux a problem.

Good luck to you all. Keep the heid.

Martin

 

[Trulee]

Hi All
Sorry, haven't been around for a good while - and thought I'd 'sussed' this Byetta thing!!!!!

BUT - all of a sudden it appears not - and am back to crying every evening with the nausea though I never actually throw up

On my fifth pen now, 10mg Byetta morning and evening - 1mg Met three times a day and 2x80mg Glic morning and 1x80mg Glic in the evening (if I take 2 I hypo every time no matter what I eat). Half the time I hypo on 1 and no-one can tell me why - seems to make no difference what I eat at all

Apart from almost going hypo after every evening meal my readings seem to be good, but I dont know how much longer I can go on with this - really dont know what else to try and DSN doesn't have any other ideas either.

If anyone has any suggestions I'd be really grateful.

thanks
Trulee

 

[cugila]

Hi Trulee.

You appear to be over medicated. The Gliclazide in conjunction with the Byetta is having too drastic an effect on your Bg levels. They will need to be reduced or even stopped altogether, please discuss this aspect with your GP. He/She should know that the dosage may need to be severely restricted when using Byetta and a Sulphonylurea.

One other thing is that I pesonally find if I don't eat enough carbs at each main meal then I frequently hypo. Byetta really needs around 30g carbs for it to work efficiently. A friend gave me a meal and off we went to Town, about an hour later, bingo down in the 3's and feeling rough. It was a lovely meal but she had just not put anything carby in it, protein and salad......not enough for ME ! A lesson learned.

As for the nausea, most users swear by Ginger Biscuits or capsules as an effective device for suppressing the nausea. I have also heard of people sipping fizzy Lemonade, diet of course !

Hope this has helped.

 

[Trulee]

Thanks Cugila
We have tried restricting the Glic but then my BG's go up to over 12 regularly :?

Will speak to GP again, but not quite sure what else to try. Thought we had sussed the sickness, but since starting this new pen it seems worse than ever - might get them to let me have a new pen - wonder if it might be a 'dodgy' one.

Have just done a sugar reading two hours after eating and again it is below 4, so have just had fruit juice to try and raise it again :?

 

[cugila]

Hi Trulee.

What was the meals where your numbers went up over 12 ?

What did you eat to get the 4 ?

What did you restrict the Glic to ?

 

[Trulee]

Hi Trulee.

What was the meals where your numbers went up over 12 ?

What did you eat to get the 4 ?

What did you restrict the Glic to ?

The same meals just without the Glic - only seems to be evening meals, other meals behave the same :?

Can eat the same meal two days running and one day it will be fine, the next will drop to 4 or below.

Took the Glic out completely in the evening and BG's jumped to over 12 no matter what I ate :?

 

[cugila]

Sorry Trulee.

When I asked what the meal was I need to know exactly what it consisted of, the information needs to be precise. Generalisations are no use to me at all. :?

If you leave out the Glic and BG climbs that still indicates the Med was working previously, sometimes half a tab may be all you need.

 

[Trulee]

Sorry Trulee.

When I asked what the meal was I need to know exactly what it consisted of, the information needs to be precise. Generalisations are no use to me at all. :?

If you leave out the Glic and BG climbs that still indicates the Med was working previously, sometimes half a tab may be all you need.

Thanks - sorry am really tired and frustrated tonight, so probably not making much sense.

Will talk to GP and DSN and see what other 'combination' we can come up with - thanks for trying, I do appreciate it

 

[cugila]

Trulee......OK, Right. I think I need a lie down in a darkened room......... :arrow: :?

 

[vivkaroo]

hi jude lovely to hear from you yes sometimes i think the same you can come on here talk to people and feel dispondant but you know i have had a rough time lately my son took his wife and my 4 grandchildren to australia in aug 09 and i tell you it cut me like a knife i miss them all so much and i am not a wealthy person to just fly backwards and forwards it has not helped me at all i have web cams with them but they upset me so much i cant deal with it well stomache is bloated off the byetta again as you know irritable bowel is playing up could be the stress on 4 glucoghage (metformin) slow release comfort eating a bit that not helps xmas was awful i still have 2 other sons they are lovely then after 35 yrs my ex husband came back on the scene i lost my second husband 17 yrs ago been on my own since but it does sometimes get very lonely but i dont sit around i have full life when i feel ok that is :lol: sorry to moan think someone is sprinkling nasty dust down on me anyway you keep chin up i do i am 62 now but young at heart (VERY) i was saying these moderators like ken are wonderful they like listen to all our moans we forget sometimes they can be ill like us you take care now hunny remember we get in a state but thinks work out we have to be strong god bless sorry if i moaned a bit think it was agony column :lol: :lol: 2 yrs of byetta sadly didnt work back on glicklazide again now as well
take care luv vivkaroo xxxxxxxxxxx