type 2 diabetic using insulin 15 years switch to Byetta
Dear Members:
I have been diabetic 17 years, using insulin for the past 15 years.
Currently I test 5 times daily, use a combinations of 3 different
insulins R, Lantus, Humalog. I take a total of 6 or 7 injections
daily. I am very well versed on diabeties from a laymen prespectives.
My weight is now 250, from the use of all the insulin and consumptions
of carbs during very low blood sugars. I now longer have symptoms of
low blood sugars until I am in the low 30’s
My question is, are the any user of byetta, that were using insulin and
no longer use insulin? Is anyone using byetta in combination with
insulins.
Many thanks in advance your respone.
October 4th, 2006 at 5:07 pm
I have been using Byetta, Lantus insulin and Metformin for 3 months and dropped
about 30 pounds. If you read the postings in the Archives, you will notice lots
and lots of Byetta users using various insulins.
Not everyone loses weight on Byetta. I think the company says about 25% of
users will be weight neutral with Byetta.
Byetta does not cause weight loss. You have to eat less whether on a commercial
weight loss program or one of your own. All Byetta does is suppress the
feelings of hunger.
Some people lose weight by being nauseous or vomiting all the time. I have had
very little of that.
Good luck on your weight loss and Byetta use.
John Regan
Los Angeles
Dear Members:
I have been diabetic 17 years, using insulin for the past 15 years.
Currently I test 5 times daily, use a combinations of 3 different
insulins R, Lantus, Humalog. I take a total of 6 or 7 injections
daily. I am very well versed on diabeties from a laymen prespectives.
My weight is now 250, from the use of all the insulin and consumptions
of carbs during very low blood sugars. I now longer have symptoms of
low blood sugars until I am in the low 30’s
My question is, are the any user of byetta, that were using insulin and
no longer use insulin? Is anyone using byetta in combination with
insulins.
Many thanks in advance your respone.
October 4th, 2006 at 10:21 pm
John:
Thanks your reply. Fully understand Byetta does not make you lose
weight. However if you eliminate the low glucose levels by not
chasings glugose readings with more and more insulin, you will cut
the carbs and hopefully lose weight.
Query, have your glucose levels been more stable using Byetta.
Thanks for your reply
Bill
October 6th, 2006 at 7:06 am
I am using Byetta with Lantus, Novolog and Metformin. I have cut my insulin
use in half though, and hope to cut it even further, as the days go on. In
three months, I have only lost 10 lbs, and want to lose more.
Jo in MN
October 7th, 2006 at 1:01 am
Bill,
Yes, my glucose levels are more stable now. My morning readings are usually 85
to 110 and my bedtime reading are about 100 to 125. Four months ago my readings
were always in the 200 to 350 range.
Four months ago my A1C was 11.1; last week it was 6.5. I did a fasting glucose
last week and the number was 107. In December, my fasting glucose was 216.
I don’t know it is is the Byetta or the Lantus. If I skip the Lantus - 30 units
at bedtime - my glucose number will be higher by 25 to 40 points. Sometimes
when I forget the Byetta, or just skip it, my glucose numbers do not seem to
change. I do not take the Byetta with me if I am gone for a day or two….I
just skip it and resume normal dosage when I return. It is not a life or death
issue if you miss a few doses.
For weight loss, I keep a food journal. I record what I eat and the approximate
calories and carbohydrates. My endo said stay under 2000 calories a day
average. A lot of times I am at about 1500 calories a day and my carbs seem
to run about 10% of calories on average. I am not perfect about writing
everything down every time, but I get most of it and I am better at estimated
the calories & carbs.
My committment to myself is to lose 60 pounds for year 2007. I am down 30
pounds so far. If I lose the 60 pounds, it will bring me to the top of my
weight range ( 190 pounds) for my height ( 6′1") and age (64).
Then for year 2008, I can work on getting down to the middle (175 pounds) or
low end (160 pounds) of my weight range.
My endo says if I get down under 200 pounds, he may eliminate the Lantus but
wants me to stay on the Metformin and the Byetta as long as it continues to
apparently be safe for longer term use and since I do not seem to have any major
adverse reactions to the Byetta. Many of the posters here have had very strong
nausea and vomiting and chills but my reactions have been very mild all along.
As so many others have posted here, you have to experiment a little to get the
combination that works for you.
John
John:
Thanks your reply. Fully understand Byetta does not make you lose
weight. However if you eliminate the low glucose levels by not
chasings glugose readings with more and more insulin, you will cut
the carbs and hopefully lose weight.
Query, have your glucose levels been more stable using Byetta.
Thanks for your reply
Bill
October 9th, 2006 at 1:23 am
Billy, many people have reduced or eliminated insulin after taking
Byetta for a while. They need to reduce to keep from going low all the time.