BYETTA

jane22

Well-Known Member
Messages
164
Well I got the Byetta today. The training course was quite good really. They didn't tell me much that I hadn't found out here but it gave me chance to ask a few questions and get it all straight in my mind. I also had a dummy run on jabbing myself and they weighed me. After chatting to the nurse I decided to go for it and start tonight - strike while the needle's sharp lol. She gave me a letter for when I want to fly and there was no charge for that.

Injecting myself was as you all said - easy peasy. Half an hour later I had a small meal - a 1 egg omelette with a slice of ham, a mixed salad and 1 small potato followed by a low fat yogurt and now I feel stuffed. The stuffed feeling didn't happen right away. I ate at 7pm and felt really full by 8pm. So I'm glad I didn't go on eating any more. I think the yogurt was just a bit more than I needed.

No nausea at the moment, just a rather full feeling that I quite like. I can't remember the last time I felt really full. Anyway I feel quite positive about this and am really looking forward to getting back into some of those smaller clothes sitting in my wardrobe and maybe having a few new ones. I already exercise regularly but tomorrow's challenge is to swim for an extra 10 minutes.
 

stuartclose

Well-Known Member
Messages
101
I too get concerned about keeping Byetta at the right temperature. My pens are delivered to
the from a hospital pharmacy in a cool bag, not frozen, the pens are marked FRIDGE but on the last 2 occasions when they were delivered to the pharmacy at the chemist where I live they were just in a bag on the floor, I am told that the pen has only just arrived, how long can they not be kept cold in a fridge?


Pauline
 

DavejC

Newbie
Messages
1
Victoza or Byetta

I am currently using Byetta and have a few problems, Oerhaps someone can enlighten me regarding answers.
I find that with Byetta I get extreme indigestion during the evening after I have injected my self and eaten my evening meal.
This is really chest tearing and need multiple doeses of Gaviscon to relieve it.

The other thing that I have been affected since starting Byetta id severe constipation. and believe me I do mean severe.

Do the same symptoms exist for Victoza??
I was told at my local diabetic clinic that Byetta would also help me lose weight, (Good I thought)
However I have actually put on weight not lost it since I have been on this medication.

Obviously to lose some weight is useful for nearly all diabetics but putting it on certainly is no good.

My Local Hospital Diabetic Clinic isnt that good, or at least I dont think so! New Hospital but dear Oh Dear they dont seem to have a clue,
Please get back with any news, info or just to say hi.


Re: Victoza or Byetta

New postby rotorblade » 19 Aug 2010 21:45

hi dave jc,I used to be on two shots a day Byetta and like you got indigestion evening time and also put weight on at an alarming rate. I visited Gp and he asked me to try Victoza which is only one shot a day. I have been on one shot victoza a day 1.26mg for two months and have lost 1.5 stones with slight meal amount reduction. I feel fitter no indigestion at night and blood sugar at 7.5 all good so victoza is for me I still yearn for chocolate 24/7 Cheers, Rotorblade

rotorblade

Posts: 2
Joined: 13 Dec 2009 20:10
 

jpg

Active Member
Messages
36
My Byetta pen has the usual bubble - not a problem - but it also has a number of particles floating in it. The Byetta is otherwise clear and it appears to be working ok. Do you think I should let the diabetic clinic know about this?
 

cugila

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jpg said:
My Byetta pen has the usual bubble - not a problem - but it also has a number of particles floating in it. The Byetta is otherwise clear and it appears to be working ok. Do you think I should let the diabetic clinic know about this?


If the Byetta has anything floating in it as you say then you should see the Pharmacist and get it replaced. It should always be clear. There should be NO contamination in it.

Ken
 

jane22

Well-Known Member
Messages
164
Re: Victoza or Byetta

Hi davejc. I am also a new Byetta user. I did get a training morning at my hospital before I was let loose with it. I think it was quite good and the one thing that stuck in my mind was the advice from the dietician - Byetta won't work to reduce weight unless I also make a big effort. I have now lost 5kg in just under 3 weeks and feel great. BG levels are right down, usually between 5 and 7 no matter when I test. I have completely changed the way I eat and reduced portion sizes drastically. I no longer need to graze at all and I do not crave junk food. The full feeling doesn't happen for me until about an hour after eating and so if I over eat and don't stop before I am full I too get a terrible bloated feeling later in the evening. So I find the secret is to have a meal about a third of the size I used to eat. You just have to trust it to make you feel full a little later and stop after a small amount. I have cut right back on carbs as I think they make me feel bloated too. I really don't miss any of it. I hope you feel better soon.
 

stuartclose

Well-Known Member
Messages
101
Byetta Pen

Is anyone having difficulty setting their 10g pen back to normal after injecting
a dose.

I have had to contact Lily because me last 2 pens jammed after injecting and would not re-set.

i keep it in the salad box at the bottom of my fridge.

I have to send my pens back for investigation.

regards, pauline
 

cugila

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Re: Byetta Pen

stuartclose said:
Is anyone having difficulty setting their 10g pen back to normal after injecting
a dose.
What exactly do you mean 'setting it back to normal'......? Once you have injected you need to do nothing until it is time to inject again. Then all you do is prime the pen prior to injecting.
I have had to contact Lily because me last 2 pens jammed after injecting and would not re-set.
As above.........If you have any problems with the pens you just need to return them to your Pharmacist whose job it is to contact the manufacturer if they are faulty.

i keep it in the salad box at the bottom of my fridge.
Once Byetta is in use it should be kept at room temperature.....NOT in a fridge. That would be too cold. Have you read the PIL about storage and the temperatures opened Byetta should be kept at.
I have to send my pens back for investigation.

regards, pauline

Ken
 

stuartclose

Well-Known Member
Messages
101
hi Ken

thanks for your reply.

I hAVE 2 leaflets from the Diabetic Clinic along wiht my starter pack which say store at room temperature another one which came with my first pen says store in a fridge, which is why I have been doing that.

I have now taken my current pen out of the fridge and keeping it safe .

I did mean set up after use, not using the right language

Am I doing right now?
 

stuartclose

Well-Known Member
Messages
101
Sorry Ken

forgot to ask, how and where do you store yours?

I have been keeping mine in the fridge ever since I was put onto Byetta in January 2008 with no problems, that I know of

Pauline
 

cugila

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I 'store' unused pens in the fridge, once they are in use then it is always at room temperature. Away from sunlight and direct heat. If the room temp get's too hot then I sometimes pop it in a store cupboard to keep it cool, below 26 deg C. If very hot then in the fridge for a short time but always take it out about an hour before using. That way it doesn't sting when injecting.

The storage procedure including temperatures it should be kept at is listed in the PIL, patient information leaflet.

Can you tell me exactly what procedure you use when you have injected as I am still not sure what you mean by 're-setting' the pen.........? Like I said, you shouldn't need to do anything to the pen until it is next used.....so I am still confused by what you mean ?

Ken
 

stuartclose

Well-Known Member
Messages
101
Me again Ken

After injecting I reset my pen by having the arrow pointing to the right, have been doing this for 2.5 years with no problems.

pauline
 

cugila

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stuartclose said:
Me again Ken

After injecting I reset my pen by having the arrow pointing to the right, have been doing this for 2.5 years with no problems.

pauline


Hi Pauline.
Either I am missing something here or we are talking about 2 different things......... :?

After you have injected, the arrow is pointing as you say to the right. You don't actually need to do anything more. It is then ready for next use.

1. When you need to inject again you turn the knob to the right until an arrow shows which points to the knob. (There is an instructional video which shows all this procedure.)
2. You then pull out the knob and then turn to the right again.
3. You should then have either a 5 or 10 showing in the window depending on the dose. This means the pen is ready for use again. This is all that needs to be done. It does not have to be re-set after use. It needs to be re-set just before next use only.

Can you tell me at what point is the pen 'jamming ?' It may well be that your pen's were indeed faulty........however so far I cannot tell from what you are saying if it is the pen or something you may be doing wrong ??

I need to be very clear about this so that others can benefit from the information here in the future.

Ken
 

stuartclose

Well-Known Member
Messages
101
hi

we are talking about the same thing when injecting, i was using different words.

the jamming occurred after the I injected the dose, the knob did not move at all no matter what I did.
 

cugila

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stuartclose said:
hi

we are talking about the same thing when injecting, i was using different words.

the jamming occurred after the I injected the dose, the knob did not move at all no matter what I did.


Thank you for that. It sounds like you have been very unlucky with your pens then........have the manufacturers told you what had happened to the returned 'faulty' pens ? It is most unusual for this to happen according to Eli Lilly, however not unheard of.

Ken
 

stuartclose

Well-Known Member
Messages
101
Hi

have not heard back from Lily, will let you know what they say, been good "talking" to you, my pen is now on a shelf in a cupboard.


pauline
 

descartesmum

Active Member
Messages
28
Byetta is driving me nuts

I started a new Byetta pen last week and the first day I was nauseous most of the day and then the next day I had the runs. This is not the first time Lizzie has affected me this way but it was the worse.

My friends tell me to tell my gp that I should give it up but lately my numbers have been in the 5s which for me is brilliant. I won't give up Lizzie for anyone.

It was strange that the last pen had me in the 4s and 5s when my normal numbers are in the 7s. I asked on a Byetta message board if this could be giving me hypos and the owner of the group who is an endo said yes. That my body was not used to these lows but when it gets used to them then I won't feel sick nor sleepy.

Anyone else having disagreements with their Lizzie?

Carol
 

jane22

Well-Known Member
Messages
164
Hi Carol, sorry to hear the old lizard spit is making you feel sick. I am still quite new to it - 4 weeks tomorrow and will start the 10 pen on Friday. Anyway I really love it and feel better than I have for several years. I've had a few bouts of nausea but nothing awful and some bloating. I think it depends on what I eat and have taken the opportunity of not feeling very hungry to completely change my diet. In doing that I have lost 6 kg in 4 weeks so I'm pleased with that. BG numbers are right down from never being in single figures to rarely being over 7 and normally before meals around 5.5 ish. Anyway I've cut out loads of carbs and eat very plain food such as grilled meat or fish, salads and each day only have 1 slice of oat bread and a couple of small new potaoes. I'm surprised I don't miss the bread at all. I used to be a grazer and toast was my favourite. The other thing I have learnt is to stop eating before I feel full as for me the fullness comes around 30 to 60 mins later. If I have eaten too much that is when the nausea can come. I read somewhere that a few sips of dry ginger can help or a ginger biscuit but I haven't really been bad enough to need them. Hope you can sort it.
 

purplecrystal

Member
Messages
15
hi everyone :)
this is my first time posting and I just wanted to share my first day of using byetta with you all
This morning I did my first injection started on the 5 g pen,and felt fine.
later on during today I started having diarrhea which I believe can be a side effect sigh.
I hope this will settle soon had no vomiting as I ate 30mins after injecting and I also feel less hungry.
What I would like to ask is when should I take my metformin as I still unsure ?I took this with my injection this morning but all my other meds 4hours later, I was told I can take meds an hour before or 4 hours after.
I have some weight to shed also and have PCOS and IBS so hoping this will help and also bring my bms down.
kind regards