BYETTA

susiewoosie

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Glad I didn't order any then lol. I read that some people like the burgen one. I do make my own bread but I'm rubbish at cutting it thinly. Didn't think of adding seeds though so I will give that a try.
 

cugila

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I tried the Burgen stuff, it didn't work for me but try it and see how you go. You can put seeds, raisins, chopped nuts anything really.....I usually just experiment and only bake a half sized loaf when trying things out. My bread is always doorstop size too..... :lol:

Ken
 

jane22

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Hi susiewoosie, I am watching your progress with interest as I am due to start on Byetta - hopefully after I have seen the consultant on April 22nd. I see you have had some good weight loss - are you finding you have less of an appetite? I am trying to reduce carbs and mange quite well for breakfast and then it kind of goes down hill as I do get so hungry. If the Byetta reduces my appetite I may stand a chance of cutting it down. Are you getting much nausea? I'm about to have several trips abroad and so it's probably not the best time to be starting something like this but I'm really keen to get going with it.
 

susiewoosie

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Hey Jane

I'm another convert to Byetta. I love it. In 3 weeks I have lost 9.5lb and my sugar levels are dropping as well. I did have a very stressful week where I consumed a large box of Thorntons toffee and my sugars were still lower that they were before Byetta.

I have been very lucky in as much as the Byetta only caused mild nausea and an intolerance for coffee (I love my coffee). I drink mint tea which I find helps and others have recommended ginger cordial and only leaving about 15 minutes between taking Byetta and eating.

I'm due to start the 10mg pen on Wednesday and I'm looking forward to it. The one level that I can't seem to drop to the "approved" number is my waking one, but even that has fallen from 13 - 15 to just under 10, so hopefully with the increased dose of Byetta and trying to slightly cut down on carbs that one will behave as well lol.

If you have any questions just ask them and I'm sure someone (Ken) who is more knowledgeable than me will be able to help. I hope it works well for you and just a quick reminder, you will need to get a Drs letter for the Byetta and needles as they have to be taken as carry on luggage as the hold is too cold.

Good luck

Sue
 

jane22

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Thanks for your reply Susie. It's nice to know of someone who has only just started with it. 9.5lb in 3 weeks sounds wonderful to me and if I can shift 3 - 4 stone I shall be a new woman!! I feel so sluggish most of the time and I'm sure the extra weight is to blame more than anything else. I am so like you - a whole box of Thorntons wouldn't last 5 minutes with me and just can't keep anything like that in the house.
Thanks for the tip about the docs letter. I travel a lot and have 3 trips planned in the next couple of months. I'm just hoping I can cope with any nausea and hot countries. In between trips I have a very busy job so again I hope I don't feel too vile.
Any way only just over 2 weeks until I see the consultant and I do hope I get it straight away, it was mentioned that I might have to wait 3 months for it after seeing him. I shall have to become assertive and ask why if that happens.
 

susiewoosie

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I must have been very lucky. I saw the nurse at the Drs for my Hb.. result and because I suffer with agoraphobia she arranged for a DN to come and see me. The nurse was talking about insulin but when the DN came to see me she told me all about Byetta and its positive side effects like weight loss. I said that I was interested so she took over from there. She spoke to the consultant at the hospital and he agreed I could go on it. Then she spoke to my diabetic doc at the surgery and he agreed and sorted out the prescription. So the whole thing was sorted out in a week and a half.

As for the weight loss it was 0lb this week. Not really surprised as my stomach has been playing up. I need to better this week although today was kinda high carb and sugar. I've eaten everything bad today and my excuse is that if its all gone I can't be bad tomorrow. Screwy logic I know. I'm too scared to test my blood sugars this evening. They are probably sky high. lol
 

cugila

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susiewoosie said:
Just started the 10mg dose and the nausea has returned. I'm also craving carbs :(

Susie.
Don't do it......you can live without all those carbs....just have a few. It will pass..... :wink:
As for the Nausea......sipping soda water, diet drinks, nibbling ginger biscuits, are all supposed to help.

Stick with it. :D

Ken
 

susiewoosie

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lol. I sometimes just fancy a biscuit for breakfast.

I'm finding it quite difficult to find foods that aren't meat or high in carbs. :(
 

jane22

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ROFL I often fancy a biscuit or 3 anytime and I have been looking carefully at the carbs I consume. The little blighters are everywhere. A few years ago, pre diabetes I did the Atkins diet and lost a lot of weight, in addition I felt really well and full of energy. I'm not sure I have the will power to do it again though but am giving it thought. The other diet that seems to restrict carbs a bit is the slimming worlds red days and I have the book (OK I have them all) so I may start going along those lines as it is not so fat laden. I shall soon be off to a few mediteranean countries and will spend a month in one during the summer. I always seem to do better with all the fresh fish and salads but the fabulous fruit especially the melons are a problem for me. The heat puts me off eating a bit and I walk everywhere. Only 2 weeks now until I see the consultant and I so hope that I get the Byetta then and that it works for me. Even 1 stone off would be fantastic.
Good luck SW and I shall think of you every time that biscuit tin calls to me!
 

parageiss

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You have to have faith in yourself and in the Byetta, I have been on it now since November, I am now 2 stone lighter, I still get the sick feeling around 8pm every night, I have an apple and some blackcurrent and nettle tea and it goes away. I am a Tshirt size smaller. I love my new self and my wife loves the new me. All I can say is the sick feeling is worth it Hang in there if you feel like a single biscuit have one, tell yourself its your treat. Yesterday I was craving for a McDonalds, I drove right up to the drive through window and I looked down realised that I could see my car seat, and drove away, I was so proud of myself that I won, my self asteem was so boosted. If anyone wishes to talk about it and wants some encouragement when things get a bit rough, just PM me.

( Monitor note, please do not put personal Email addresses in the board posts, this is not allowed on this forum..... Sugarless Sue )
 

jane22

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Hey Pete that's brilliant news, well done and just the kind of thing I need to hear right now. 2 stone lighter would suit me fine. Have you found that your appetite has deminished or do you still get hungry? What has happened to your blood? Have the levels dropped much?
 

susiewoosie

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Feeling naughty as I've just had a slice of toast (homemade bread) and eggs. It was so yummy. Not sure whether to have polenta and tomato and basil sauce for tea tonight. The polenta is ready made and is 15 gms carb per 100g so maybe 250g polenta and then the tomatoes and onions for the sauce.

I have shopping coming on Tuesday and I have sausage, eggs and bacon on the list. Really looking forward to it. Also getting some fruit, really craving fruit at the moment.

Going to try and stay away from the biscuits tonight.

I do have a quick question about my blood sugars. If I do more does my sugars go up or down?
 

Vennessa

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Just wanted to say 'Hi'. I have been reading through all the posts prior to getting my Byetta sorted out. What a book I could write about that lol. First there was the argument between my GP and the hospital over who would prescribe it (?!) Then when I spoke to my GP she hadn't heard of it, so told me to come back after she had some some research. Finally I get my appointment on Monday to get my demo with the diabetic nurse only to find....they had forgotten to prescribe needles :lol:

Anyway, first injection tonight before my tea - oh but the thought of the needle was worse than the reality. My children think it's great fun....

I have one question to anyone kind enough to answer: I was told the needles come in 3 sizes. I was given the smallest - 5mm. But I must confess to being a big lady and am worried that the needle is going to go in far enough?

I am also waiting for the nausea to start...but have hight hopes too.

Best wishes to all,
Vennessa
 

cugila

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Vennessa said:
I have one question to anyone kind enough to answer: I was told the needles come in 3 sizes. I was given the smallest - 5mm. But I must confess to being a big lady and am worried that the needle is going to go in far enough?

Vennessa

Hi Vennessa.
The injection is made into the subcutaneous fat which is basically just below the layer of skin, therefore any of the three lengths of needles should be perfectly adequate to deliver Byetta into your bloodstream.

I personally use 8mm but now find that as the fat disappears from my 'tum' there are times when I might consider using the 5mm needles instead........ :)

Ken
 

jane22

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Hi Vanessa, you can put a chapter about me in your book! GP's diabetic nurse referred me to the community diabetic team as she wanted me to have Byetta. They made a mistake and put my name down for a days course for new diabetics. So that delayed the time for the appointment with this 2nd nurse. That nurse suggested Byetta as though she had just thought of it but didn't know much about it apart from the original nurse would have to refer me to the hospital. I was told the waiting list was 18 weeks plus another 3 months to be given the drug. By this time I was a bit tearful and spoke to the first nurse on the phone. Anyway the upshot is the GP tried a few hospitals to find the shortest waiting list and my appointment is 22nd April. I still don't know if I'll have to wait the 3 months for the drug after seeing the consultant but it annoys me so much when I read how quickly others got it.
 

Vennessa

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Thanks for that reassurance Ken. It's not that I want a longer needle you understand..just if I'm going to do it - it better go in properly lol.

Jane - I am so sorry you have to wait so long. I don't know where you are located, but I am in Scotland (NHS Grampian to be exact) and I have only had to wait about 7 weeks in total from when the doc suggested it.

On a different topic; I have had a splitting headache since I started the Byetta. It's just a vague thing in the morning, getting worse after the two doses and by the evening its a doozy. Ibuprofen doesn't shift it either. Nausea is just about none existant too, so that is good. My levels haven't changed any yet - do they take a few days to 'kick in'? My dn is ringing tomorrow and I am loathe to have to tell her that they are still in the top 'teens'.

Best wishes to all.
 

susiewoosie

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Eeek just had the biggest carb binge of ever. Bad bad me. It was mostly fruit, well if you don't count the bread, the picnic eggs and the luxury yoghurt. I don't know want came over me :?

Hopefully I have got it out of my system and I will try and behave tomorrow. On the plus side apart from today my sugar levels have been mostly on the downward trend.