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BYETTA

Glad to hear you gave up although I must admit to the occasional Cigar....... :( I had been free of the things for 40 yrs but a stressful time recently put me back on them......must try harder ! :)

Anyway RG, let us know how you get on and if they do pin it down to one thing or another.......even if it is anecdotal it would be good to know for the benefit of the Members here. :)
 
I haven't had any problems with a cough. I seem to remember the leaflet from one of my drugs metioned a cough as a side effect. I can't think which one but it's probably one of the blood pressure drugs.
 
Just a quick update, since my last post I've lost over another st. :D No ill effects apart from my stools being a bit more watery than usual.
 
Good afternoon all,

This is my first post to this website, having read through the majority of the board in general I am finally realising that I am not alone in my battle with diabetes.

I was diagnosed as Type 2 ten years ago and went from diet to diet and tablet, to tablet and insulin and in Sept this year started Byetta. The first few weeks went ok, massively reduced appetite, some sickness but I managed to tolerate this as my blood sugars suddenly went from 18.9 to steady daily readings between 4 & 7!!! After a month I was increased to the higher dose Byetta and thats when my problems started I was vomiting daily every time I ate, it didnt matter what it was it would come up!! in the end I gave up and stopped taking it - I had been told that it would help with my weight loss and even though I was eating probably 1500 calories a day less than I used to and constantly being sick the weight loss was minimal - VERY DEPRESSING as I have about 6 stone to loose.

I have now just started taking Byetta again the low dose, my readings have already dropped and I have been able to lower the amounts of insulin I am taking which is great - the only problem is the sickness is back - at the moment I am eating 3 small meals a day - I am wondering if anyone else has had similar problems.

I am thinking maybe I would be better off eating say 5 or 6 snacks a day rather than proper meals but I am concerned about going Hypo and when I should be taking my 3 doses of insulin ? any help would be appreciated.

I am desperate to get back on track and to start loosing weight as I am getting married next October.

Take Care all

Sarah x
 
Hi Sarah.
Welcome to the Forum.

There are many posts in this thread which deal with the subject of nausea and how to deal with it, do a search with 'nausea' as a keyword, that should bring up all the posts dealing with it.

Byetta is only supposed to be taken with the 2 main meals of the day. You would not be able to use it like Insulin at different times. If you are unable to do that, then you need to discuss this with your HCP to find something that fits in with your lifestyle. It may be Byetta is not for you and Insulin is what needs to be your main meds.

Sometimes if you are eating too many carbs in a meal it can make you feel sick. When are you actually taking the Byetta ?
 
Hi Cugila

I am taking Byetta in the morning before breakfast and in the evening before my main meal. I currently have to take my insulin (Apidra) 3 x a day and then my lantus at night. Along with 3 x 500mg metformin SR.

I really want to stick with th e Byetta as my sugars have never been so good and apart from the sickness i have so much more energy and feel alot healthier, I was taking massive amounts of insulin before Byetta and my weight was just getting heavier and heavier!! I have now halved my insulin to 30 units of Apridra x3 and 140 units Lantus.

I have tried cutting right down on the carbs and it does help although I do feel as if i'm not getting enough fuel so to speak, I guess what I need to do is to 'suck it and see' so to speak and hope that things level out.

Sarah
 
Sarah.
All seems to be going in the right direction.......there will be setbacks but don't get disheartened. You know that in the long run it is all worthwhile. It is sometimes trial and error. That's how we all learned, from our mistakes. :)

Stick with us and if we can help we will do our best. There are a few who also use Insulin, they might be around later and can possibly help with that aspect of things.

I had to reduce my Byetta back down to the 5 ug dose after 12 months on the stuff, getting too many evening hypos ! All well now along with a 5 1/2 st weight loss. Health, fitness and vitality at levels I never dreamed were possible before.......probably like a big kid now...... :lol:
 
Thank you so much.

It really does help to know that I am not on my own, people who don't have diabetes REALLY do not understand how it can affect you, I think it has take me 10 years to finally accept it and now is the time to do something to make my life healthier.

I shall keep you all updated.

Once again thank you -

Sarah :D
 
Hi Sarah

My background is very much like yours, diagnosed 10 years ago etc.

I gained over three and a half stone after starting with insulin with blood glucose readings slightly high. Any concerns voiced to my diabetes nurse about the weight gain and high readings was met by "increase the insulin". In April this year I reached 100kg and asked if there was an alternative to insulin and changed to Byetta. I started on the lower dose and tried the higher dose after a month but with the same results as you.

I tried the higher dose twice more and found the third time I could tolerate it a little better. I stayed on it for 5 months but started to have hypos so I have returned to the lower dose and am ok again.

I now weigh 76kg and can't believe I am back to a size 14 from an 18-20. I still have 6kg to lose to achieve target but I feel so much better about myself.

I had to drop to low carb to achieve the weight loss but as I was rarely hungry I didn't mind, and I think it helped with the nausea.

Don't give up on it; I felt like it numerous times when the nausea was bad but the end result has been well worth it.

Good Luck

Cariadgypsy
 
I have been on Exenatide/Byetta now this being my third month first month at 5mg then upped the dose to 10mg, was a bit sickly for the first 2 weeks of the 5 mg and also when I went up to 10mg as well but that passed although if I inject and I eat any fried food or Currys I feel sick as a dog so I dont often have those.
I have lost 21 pounds in weight up to now which is good although with the little fod I now eat I thought I would have lost more, Its not having a great effect in reducing my blood sugar readings though and this does worry me but at least I have been able to stop using Glickazide & Pioglitizin both I believe are responsible for weight gain! :roll:
 
Hi Wirral, have you reduced the carbs you eat? My BG dropped dramatically almost as soon as I started Byetta but at the same time I used the reduction in appetite to drastically rethink my menus and cut out most of the carbs I eat. I have read and was told that you need a few to make the Byetta work so I have 1 slice of bread a day and a few other things such as milk, yogurts and fruit/veg. Over Christmas I ate many more carbs than usual and guess what, my weight went up a couple of pounds along with the BG's. Anyway I am back on the waggon now and have shifted one of those pounds and BG is back down again.
I take Gliclazide and at the start I was told to reduce the dose by half. After loosing 16kg and getting BG into NICE guidelines I was hoping the doc might let me ditch that one but she said she wanted another 16kg or so off and BG always in the 5's before meals before I could stop taking it. I did have a little trial without her knowledge a couple of months ago and stopped taking it for 2 weeks. Sure enough she was right BG did go up, not into double figures but up a couple of %.
 
It's some while since I posted here but glad to report that the doc thinks I have probably lost enough weight, so he has put me back on the 5mcg dose. I am now at 80 kg from a start of 104 kg last April. My BMI is still a bit high for my liking (28kg/m²) and the weight loss has flattened over the festive period, unsurprisingly. The sickness has more or less gone but I have retained the change in taste perception - things I used to eat in quantity, such as eggs and Marmite, I can barely face now.

I want to try and get down to a BMI of 25Kg/m² so I am out of the overweight category and finally, normal - this involves losing about another 8Kg.

I am at the age now where body parts are more subject to the laws of gravity, leaving me with some areas of sagging skin and flesh. Short of expensive plastic surgery I'm not sure how to get rid of this. Maybe I should just accept that it's an age thing.

JPG
 
Greetings
Been on Byetta 5g first month and just about to start my 3rd 10g pen also on max glyclazide and metphormin sometimes I feel full and get indigestion after some foods but no sickness no weight loss no change in Hb1AC.
Also I've injected after food ...well half hour or so which takes no adverse affects .
Tests are in the range of 14 to 23 which is very worrying .
Next hospital appointment at the end of the month.
20 stone plus daily 1000mtr swim 40 lengths of a 25 meter pool about a minute a length .Careful of diet tonight its chana dal and a potato and cauliflower curry (makes no affect on me)one or two small chapati.
Breakfast muesli and semi milk dinner will be apple and an orange .evening something sensible
I do like a beer on the weekend hence maltman.But not many.
One does get cheesed off doesn't one :(
60 years male
 
Hi. I can't help wondering if injecting after a meal is hindering the way Byetta works and could possibly be why your levels are not coming down. I was told to inject up to an hour before food and absolutely not during or after a meal, it works I am told when it detects a rise in blood glucose.. Before Byetta my readings were in double figures but almost straight away they came right down. I also changed the way I ate drastically. I have far fewer carbs and portion sizes are small. Have you changed the way you eat? I never eat muesli and have hardly any potatoes. I follow a lower carb diet, it varies a bit from day to day but I rarely have more than 30g of carbs in any meal. You do have to make Byetta work for you and I realised this over Christmas when I ate all the wrong things, put on a kilo of the 16 I have lost and my BG readings went up a bit. I am back on the waggon now though as I am determined the Byetta will go on working for me.
 
Thanks for your reply Jane when I say I have injected after meals it has happened a few times only because I've forgotten being busy.
I'm sure I just want an easy fix if I could diet I would not be the fat gross type 2 diabetic.
For example last night I had Chana Dal and cauliflower curry so a total pig out :wink:
(Link to other website removed. Forum Policy)

Yes I have good diet but yet again as said I'm a gross fat old codger so something needs to be fixed :?:
 
maltman said:
Thanks for your reply Jane when I say I have injected after meals it has happened a few times only because I've forgotten being busy.
I'm sure I just want an easy fix if I could diet I would not be the fat gross type 2 diabetic.
For example last night I had Chana Dal and cauliflower curry so a total pig out :wink:
(Link to other website removed. Forum Policy)

Yes I have good diet but yet again as said I'm a gross fat old codger so something needs to be fixed :?:
Click to expand...


You might want to check this post out from my pal Sue and I.

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=16224#p148283
 
Just to throw in my $0.02.

Mine is a Byetta success story.
I am a 59-yr old male.
Eighteen months ago my weight was 117 kg (18st. 6lb, 258 lbs) and rising.
I was on 2000 mg metformin + 40 mg pioglitazone + 40 mg simvastatin daily.

My doctor changed the medication to 2000 mg metformin slow release, 2x10mg exenatide (Byetta) and 40 mg atorvastatin daily.

For three or four months nothing much changed except that weight-wise I seemed to have reached a maximum. Then the stuff really kicked in: I lost 10 pounds in a few weeks without even trying. I just started to eat less and feel no need to eat.

The weight loss continued, not linearly but in batches of 5-6 lbs in two weeks and then 6 or 8 weeks stable. My blood sugar is consistently between 4.5 and 7 mmol/l.

I am now down to 78 kgs (12st. 4lb, 172 lbs) and feel fantastic.

People I have known for decades are walking past me in the street and do not recognise me.

I weigh less now than I did when I got married 34 years ago.

I thank Heaven for that Gila monster...
 
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