Byetta stinging
Hi there I to had stinging I stoped using the swabs I just wash off my
tummy and use a new needle every time no sting any more. also on no
smell I smell everything now I cannot eat red meat anymore I can smell
it a block away.I cannot even eat only half of a hamberger when we eat
out .I most the time get buffet and eat what I can but even that is
very hard to get down so I take very little and if I want more I go
back.I see what every one is putting on there plate to eat and I cannot
see where in the world they are putting it .Almost makes me sick to see
them put so much away . here is what my hubby and I when we go to Toco
bell or burger king or Mcdonalds we order 1 sandwich for me he orders
the meal I eat what I can of my sandwich and 4 frys and a few sips of
his pop cheep meal and less cal .Toco bell we order the #4 I eat the
mexician pizza he eats the 2 tocos I take a few sips of his pop again
under $5.00 for 2 people. I’m not a slave to food at all any more .But
make sure to drink lots of water.This is just when we want to stop for
a quick meal don’t do this all the time .Also at Pizza Hut I go to
salad bar and hubby orders the personal pan pizza one piece of that
small pizza is plenty for me . Not telling you to eat this type of food
but we all do it from time to time .
September 27th, 2006 at 1:27 pm
Does everyone always use a new needle each time? I do but I dont change my
lancet for testing. Some people do and some people dont. Ev
September 28th, 2006 at 1:21 am
I use one needle two times. New one for morning, remove it from pen, wrap
in Kleenex and store in box. Reattach for evening shot. My friend told me
her Doc told her she could do this with her insulin pen, and so far, neither
of us have had any problems!
September 29th, 2006 at 10:16 am
On 4/2/07, evelynmma wrote:
<< Does everyone always use a new needle each time? I do but I dont change
my
lancet for testing. Some people do and some people dont. >>
No, I don’t. My doctor said I could use it 2-3 times so that is what I do
and I have not had any problems. I wash my hands before I handle my pen and
needle and put the caps back on the needle. She would only prescribe me a
box of 100 to last 90 days. She feels the insurance companies will balk
less about the Byetta if they aren’t out so much in the other supplies. If
I were to have problems reusing the needles, I would insist but since I am
not I am okay with her instructions.
September 30th, 2006 at 2:55 am
I should change my lancet as my insurance company pays
for them but I don’t… I think I will start as I keep
it in until it’s no longer sharp.
Kay
September 30th, 2006 at 7:07 am
Ev, I use a new pen needle for each injection. My doc currently has me
testing when I do the injection, one hour, and again two hours after the
start of my meal. Since I’m doing three tests within a 2 1/2 hour period, I
don’t usually change lancets every time but I do change it if I’ve performed
more than three tests with the same one just for my own comfort. Nothing
worse than a dull lancet!
> Does everyone always use a new needle each time? I do but I dont change my
> lancet for testing. Some people do and some people dont. Ev
September 30th, 2006 at 11:25 am
I guess I can understand "frugality" but it seems that for maximum comfort
and the safety of others (especially if you have children around), you would
want to dispose of your pen needle in a sharps container after each use. I
don’t know about others but my pharmacy does not charge for the pen needles
since you can’t use the Byetta pen without them. Even if I did have to pay,
they are only about $0.27 each.
>I use one needle two times. New one for morning, remove it from pen, wrap
>in Kleenex and store in box.
September 30th, 2006 at 3:43 pm
It might sound strange but I’ve only been on Byetta for three weeks now and
he’s asked that I do tight monitoring to see how my body is reacting before
he decides to increase to the 10mcg at my next visit next Friday. I don’t
recall reading anything on the Byetta website about 3 hours post meal but do
recall something about 2 hours. I used to test 1 hour after the END of my
meal but my diabetic educator said I really need to test before and after to
truly see how the meal effects me and most diabetic resources recommend
testing X hours from the START of the meal rather than the end of it.
September 30th, 2006 at 10:06 pm
I use new needles with the Byetta but don’t change the lancet’s for about a
week.
It is a convience issue for me. I HAVE to take the needle off the Byetta pen
to prevent it from leaking but DON’T have to take the lancet out right away.
Melodie
>I use one needle two times. New one for morning, remove it from pen, wrap
>in Kleenex and store in box.
October 1st, 2006 at 6:42 am
Testing right before I ate and then two hours after I ate is how the Diabetes
educator taught me how to do it. I have added, since being on the Byetta
testing at the third hour because I have discovered that I am more likely to
have higher readings at that point then the two hour mark. I believe this is
because of the slow movement brought on by the Byetta. That extra testing is
more for the "fun" of it because how things affect our bodies is fascinating!
Melodie
October 1st, 2006 at 11:55 am
No, the standard practice of testing 2 hours after a meal still stands, even
with byetta.
Demetria-Beth
_____
October 8th, 2006 at 4:48 pm
I find insulin stings if I am dehydrated. Perhaps it is the same with
Byetta.
Just a thought.
October 8th, 2006 at 9:05 pm
No, the standard practice of testing 2 hours after a meal still stands, even
with byetta.
Demetria-Beth
If I check at 2 hours I am just starting my rise. I test at 3 and 4
hours to find my high. Everyone is different so it cant be said that the
"standard" is the only way to do it. If Byetta slows down digestion it
only makes sense that the high would come later than 2 hours. Medico’s
dont stop to think about stuff like that when they start using new meds.
Most only want folks to test 1 or 2 times a day and think we are
obsessive compulsive to want to test more than that.
October 10th, 2006 at 3:10 pm
This is true Ruby, I was just saying that 2 hours was what was recommended,
but of course you have to experiement and see what your body is telling you
to do.
Demetria-Beth
_____
No, the standard practice of testing 2 hours after a meal still stands, even
with byetta.
Demetria-Beth
If I check at 2 hours I am just starting my rise. I test at 3 and 4
hours to find my high. Everyone is different so it cant be said that the
"standard" is the only way to do it. If Byetta slows down digestion it
only makes sense that the high would come later than 2 hours. Medico’s
dont stop to think about stuff like that when they start using new meds.
Most only want folks to test 1 or 2 times a day and think we are
obsessive compulsive to want to test more than that.
Ruby
October 12th, 2006 at 5:50 pm
My doc encourages me to test as much as I am comfortable. He says we all have
to find our level and says it is easier to figure what is going on with a person
if they keep good records and test more than twice a day or once.
I have a friend who’s doc told her to test in the AM and that is it! She
doesn’t understand why her bloods aren’t coming down. There was not suggestion
to her to keep a food journal or anything. I told her she needs to keep a
record of everything so that she can get under control. It sounded to me like
her doc wants to control everything with just meds and not a lifestlye change.
Demetria-Beth
If I check at 2 hours I am just starting my rise. I test at 3 and 4
hours to find my high. Everyone is different so it cant be said that the
"standard" is the only way to do it. If Byetta slows down digestion it
only makes sense that the high would come later than 2 hours. Medico’s
dont stop to think about stuff like that when they start using new meds.
Most only want folks to test 1 or 2 times a day and think we are
obsessive compulsive to want to test more than that.
Ruby
October 12th, 2006 at 7:30 pm
Seems like every doctor has their own opinions. You just have to do the
research and educate yourself and hopefully you and your doctor will
agree on treatment.
I am working with a new doctor. My old doctor (who retired) was happy
with my a1C levels, but this new doctor right off the bat put me on
Byetta and wants my a1C to come down more (last test was 7.1). He said
he is "agressive" towards Diabetes in a younger person (I am
45…young??? LOL).
He wants me to test 4 times a day…wake up, before lunch, 2 hours
after lunch and bedtime.
I am also exercising 30 minutes a day.
TEST STRIPS: If the pharmacist runs them through seperate, I pay $25
copay. If he runs them right AFTER my Actos, they are FREE, no copay.
You might want to check your insurance to see if there is a catch like
that.
October 13th, 2006 at 6:09 am
My doc said that with these new very thin needles, you shouldn’t use
She said we’re all pretty immune to our own
them more than once because you risk bending it or whatever. She
showed me a picture of a magnified tip of the needle before and after
1 use, and it was way different. She said they can be so thin because
you only use them once, but more than once and you’d really need a
thicker needle.
On another note, she said the alcohol (sp?) swabs will cause the
stinging if you don’t wait for the alcohol to dry before injecting.
She said the only time you really need to swab your skin is if you
feel gross (like you just left the gym) or haven’t taken a shower in
a couple of days
germs, the ones that live on our own skin, and the only thing you
really need to worry about is other people’s germs. Just a thought.
Sarah in TX
October 13th, 2006 at 9:24 am
My doc thinks that if you are under control and have learned how foods affect
you then it is only necessary to test 3 times a week. I have had high blood
sugar levels so I talked him into more strips. I don’t think it is a control
thing because my doctor has been very encouraging about the lifestyle changes
that I have made he just thinks we can make choices based on the A1c.
My doc encourages me to test as much as I am comfortable. He says we all have
to find our level and says it is easier to figure what is going on with a person
if they keep good records and test more than twice a day or once.
I have a friend who’s doc told her to test in the AM and that is it! She
doesn’t understand why her bloods aren’t coming down. There was not suggestion
to her to keep a food journal or anything. I told her she needs to keep a record
of everything so that she can get under control. It sounded to me like her doc
wants to control everything with just meds and not a lifestlye change.
Demetria-Beth
If I check at 2 hours I am just starting my rise. I test at 3 and 4
hours to find my high. Everyone is different so it cant be said that the
"standard" is the only way to do it. If Byetta slows down digestion it
only makes sense that the high would come later than 2 hours. Medico’s
dont stop to think about stuff like that when they start using new meds.
Most only want folks to test 1 or 2 times a day and think we are
obsessive compulsive to want to test more than that.
Ruby
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
October 13th, 2006 at 1:42 pm
Seems like every doctor has their own opinions. You just have to do the
research and educate yourself and hopefully you and your doctor will
agree on treatment.
I am working with a new doctor. My old doctor (who retired) was happy
with my a1C levels, but this new doctor right off the bat put me on
Byetta and wants my a1C to come down more (last test was 7.1). He said
he is "agressive" towards Diabetes in a younger person (I am
45…young??? LOL).
He wants me to test 4 times a day…wake up, before lunch, 2 hours
after lunch and bedtime.
I am also exercising 30 minutes a day.
TEST STRIPS: If the pharmacist runs them through seperate, I pay $25
copay. If he runs them right AFTER my Actos, they are FREE, no copay.
You might want to check your insurance to see if there is a catch like
that.