BYETTA

[river-rat-sam]

Hi not sure if any of you guys are around tonight as in a bit of a panic so will ask just in case.

Saw the nurse today and got my pen demonstration. she used her demo pen for showing me. She showed me how to move the arrows etc and to depress the button into the air for the first time. Lots of liquid shot out and the pusher was very easy to push. Then she showed me how to set up the pen for the first dose.

Took my first dose tonight (well about five minutes ago :roll:

I did the whole setting up thing but when I pressed the pusher I didn't see anything shoot out into the air. However there was one tiny drop on the end of the needle so I presumed it was ok. I chose my leg to inject (lots of battle scars on my stomach from major surgery) and did the deed.

Now I am panicking that I haven't prepped it properly and none went in :?:

Also the pusher on my new pen was soooooooo much harder than the demo one in the hospital. Bit like a stiff clutch in a car.

Have I done the right thing?

I know I can't give myself another dose but can I do one in the air again just to check its working?

It also took me several wimpish attempts to actually stick the thing in my leg. Is that normal? didn't hurt at all, does that mean nothing came out?

very confused newbie to the lizard spit and would appreciate your advice

Lindax
p.s thought I'd ask you guys rather than NHS direct as they'd have the air sea helicopter out to me :roll: :lol:

 

[cugila]

Hi Linda.
Glad to see you are another 'spit' user here.

As for the pen, first of all if the liquid doesn't come out of the needle in a continuous stream when setting the pen up you just repeat the action until such time as it does. So you can check it again if you want. If after 6 attempts there is still no liquid expelled then contact the supplying Pharmacy as it is faulty. That is then correctly set up. That is the only time you need to do that, unless you think the pen is not working. There is usually just a drop left on the needle after injecting, that would be normal.

There is more than enough Byetta in the pen for a large number of 'primes,' unlike some other pens such as Victoza. You will see at the end of the 30 days that there is a large amount of Byetta left, which you will discard at that time.

As for sticking it in your stomach or leg, it shouldn't hurt at all. Just a minor pinprick. I use the stomach area as there is usually more subcutaneous fat there than the leg.

Hope that helps.
Ken

 

[river-rat-sam]

thanks Ken, now my husband (who is used to injecting cows lol) has just told me to squirt out another dose into the air. This time a long stream came out as it did in the doctors.

So......


It looks like I've given myself an injection but injected nothing in. is that dangerous? shall I just leave it till tomorrow morning now. As least I know the pen works now but I also know the needle went in my leg but no drug. Would it have just been air?

 

[cugila]

Hi Linda.
That's good. At least now you know it is working correctly. As you think that nothing went in please do NOT inject again. Just wait till tomorrow and inject as per normal.

Forget about the scare stories regarding injecting air, there is no need to worry as it only gets injected into subcutaneous fat and it would only be a tiny tiny amount which will not have any effect. Done it myself and I am still here.......for the moment anyway....

Ken.

 

[river-rat-sam]

Thanks Ken, so glad you were here, really appreciate it. I'm sure it will become second nature but it all seems a bit scary first time!

Lindax

 

[jane22]

I'm still wondering how long it took all you folk to get your Byetta. Despite 2 nurses and a GP wanting me to have it, it seems I will have to wait about 7-8 months for it. I feel so down about it all. Is 7-8 months the norm?

 

[cugila]

I'm still wondering how long it took all you folk to get your Byetta. Despite 2 nurses and a GP wanting me to have it, it seems I will have to wait about 7-8 months for it. I feel so down about it all. Is 7-8 months the norm?

I was told I would get Byetta on the same day that it was prescribed. No way should you have to wait that length of time . Have you asked anybody why you have to wait ?

Mine was prescribed by an Endocrinologist, not a GP. Maybe you should ask for a referral and get it sorted there.

Ken

 

[jane22]

Well my GP's nurse deals with all my care but I knbow my GP agrees with her decisions. She rerferred me to a community Diabetic team where I saw a nurse who agreed I should have Byetta - that involved a wait of over a month to see her. She said my GP's nurse must now refer me to the hospital to see the consultant. That will take 18 weeks and then 3 months after that I will get Byetta. It seems crazy and I feel so depressed about it.

 

[cugila]

Hi Jane.
That as you say is totally crazy !! If I was you I would be down at the Surgery and start making waves as this is denying you treatment which should be readily available. Since April 2009 you have been able to chose which Hospital and /or consultant you wish to see. Maybe you should suggest that the referral goes to a Consultant with less of a workload.........just a thought !

It is also a fact that there are now more GP's prescribing Byetta as it's efficacy is well documented. Could all this delay tactics all be down to costs perhaps......... :roll:

Please let us know how you get on.

Ken

 

[jane22]

Thanks Ken I shall phone my surgery tomorrow and ask for a telephone appointment to discuss it. I don't like making waves but this does seem crazy. My BG levels are high Hb1ac is 10.5 and Actos and the other drug - name fails me at the moment, have resulted in a 1 stone weight gain that really I can't afford to have. My nurse and I thought Byetta might be the answer but for the moment it seems not. I shall ask about going somewhere alse. Am I allowed to travel to another county?

 

[cugila]

Jane.
I think you are able to travel virtually anywhere, if that is incorrect I stand to be corrected !

Here is the link to the NHS Choices website with all the information you need about Patient choice.
http://www.nhs.uk/choiceintheNHS/Yourch ... oices.aspx

Hope that helps.....
Ken

 

[jane22]

Thanks Ken I shall start making a nuisance of myself next Monday.

 

[cugila]

Jane.
That's good.......I don't think I would like to be in their shoes........... :twisted:

Ken

 

[susiewoosie]

Well my diabetic nurse is coming to see me on Monday at 11. she said that we will go through everything as many times as I want or need to. She is also going to bring me some leaflets and stuff. I will then inject myself for the first time Monday evening. I'm already starting to panic :shock:

 

[cugila]

Don't panic Susie.....you will find it a piece of cake......it doesn't hurt at all, just a scratch. Honestly !

Ken.

 

[susiewoosie]

Thanks Ken. I've never been good with injections. Still the needle looks quite small. Its 8mm is that normal?

 

[cugila]

Susie.
8mm is the middle size, you can also get 5mm and 12mm. I use 8mm. So long as you pinch some fat where you inject it is painless. It will possibly hurt if you don't do that, so, as they say.....pinch an inch, then inject !

Let us know how you get on with it. Best thing is just push gently, don't 'jab.'

Ken.

 

[susiewoosie]

Can definitely pinch an inch or 5

 

[river-rat-sam]

Ken my nurse told me to jab and it hurt yesterday in my stomach. I have now done four in total wey hey! but will push gently later today.

I have to say the nausea has already kicked in but at the moment its bearable. I have been leaving it about 20 mins which has been fine but this morning left it 45 and boy do i feel yuk :roll:

Anyway I have a new question that I'm having no joy with the doctor answering.

The nurse at the hospital said to keep the pen in the fridge until the first dose but thereafter to keep it at room temperature. She said it is very important that you don't change the temp after that.

I am off to Africa in 19 days time. I go regularly as belong to a small charity and we have a school in The Gambia. I'm only going for a week but it is extremely hot in March. The hospital said there is no way I can carry the pen around with me. I will be going inland too to the tribal villages and the heat is intense. At the hotel I will be able to ask them to put the pen in the fridge and use it morning and evening. For the three nights out in the bush I am going to have to take the pen with me.

Does anyone know of a neat lightweight type of cool bag or cool thingy :wink: that I can use to put it round my pen and put in the rucksack? or any other suggestions?

Also because I started my first pen on Weds, it will be that pen that I would be taking out with me when I go. But the nurse has said if I keep it at room temp then take it on a plane then put it in a fridge, it will damage the byetta so she wants me to order a new pen from GP.s, keep it in the fridge before I go. Cool bag it to Gatwick (5hours) and on the plane (6 hours) and then put it in hotel fridge.

Has anyone got any tips for me

thankyou

Lindax

 

[cugila]

Ken my nurse told me to jab and it hurt yesterday in my stomach. I have now done four in total wey hey! but will push gently later today.

When I said don't 'jab' that was talking from my own experience over 12 months use. It works better for me by just gently pushing the needle in. You can experiment to see which suits you.
I have to say the nausea has already kicked in but at the moment its bearable. I have been leaving it about 20 mins which has been fine but this morning left it 45 and boy do i feel yuk :roll:
I have tried early, late, and middle timings. What I find works best for me is to inject a minute or two before eating. I have never suffered any nausea, mind you I have the constitution of an Ox ! :lol: As for the nausea many people seem to get relief by nibbling a Ginger biscuit or taking Ginger capsules. Sipping a fizzy, diet drink can also help apparently.

Anyway I have a new question that I'm having no joy with the doctor answering.

The nurse at the hospital said to keep the pen in the fridge until the first dose but thereafter to keep it at room temperature. She said it is very important that you don't change the temp after that.
The manufacturers instructio are very specific: Store in a refrigerator before use at a temp of between 2 - 8 deg C. Once in use it should never be allowed to go above 25 deg C, if it does it will kill the Byetta rendering it useless. So, all that needs to be done is make sure it remains within 2 - 25 deg C. I have quite often put my used pen back in the fridge on really hot days to protect it from overheating. This is what my Endocrinologist has confirmed is the correct thing to do. So, you CAN put it back in the fridge providing at all times it remains at those temeratures. I always take it out an hour before use so that it is not cold and doesn't sting when injected. The pen should never be allowed to Freeze !

I am off to Africa in 19 days time. I go regularly as belong to a small charity and we have a school in The Gambia. I'm only going for a week but it is extremely hot in March. The hospital said there is no way I can carry the pen around with me. I will be going inland too to the tribal villages and the heat is intense. At the hotel I will be able to ask them to put the pen in the fridge and use it morning and evening. For the three nights out in the bush I am going to have to take the pen with me.

Does anyone know of a neat lightweight type of cool bag or cool thingy :wink: that I can use to put it round my pen and put in the rucksack? or any other suggestions?

Try the Frio cool bag specially designed for Insulin and other injection pens. They are simple and very effective. Here is a link to the website where you can view and I believe order.
http://www.friouk.com/buy/

Many Insulin/Byetta and Victoza users swear by them.

Also because I started my first pen on Weds, it will be that pen that I would be taking out with me when I go. But the nurse has said if I keep it at room temp then take it on a plane then put it in a fridge, it will damage the byetta so she wants me to order a new pen from GP.s, keep it in the fridge before I go. Cool bag it to Gatwick (5hours) and on the plane (6 hours) and then put it in hotel fridge.
That info is not strictly true, see the above advice Re Storage and temp control. If it is within those limits it will not get damaged. NEVER let the pen get stored in the hold as it can get frozen ! Always in hand luggage. I have been all over the place with my pen, to very hot climates, no problems at all using the info as above.

You can also check out the Patient Information leaflet which will also verify the information I have posted.

Has anyone got any tips for me

thankyou

Lindax

Hope you have a great time out there.........
Ken.