Starting Monday evening
Hello…I’m staring Byetta Monday evening and I was looking for some
FAQ’s or information as to how to approch this and what to expect.
Sorry if this is covered elsewhere in the posts…I’m searching and
reading like mad. I am just a bit apprehensive about starting. Thanks
for all the information and posts…great resource.
Bob
October 21st, 2006 at 12:03 pm
I copied and pasted this but hope it will help…feel free to ask
questions. One thing I strongly suggest is that when you eat your
first meal after injecting, eat less. Overeating tends to make you
sick and I, for one, was overeating when I started on Byetta.
Fortunantly, someone warned me.
Good luck,
Joan
1. Byetta: we call it Gilly, Lizard Spit, and a few others names, some
of which can be printed here. We call ourselves Lizard Lovers.
2. The nausea will pass. Until it does try:
- sea bands for motion sickness. They are bands that go around your
wrists and use acupressure to relieve nausea. They can be purchased at
CVS, Walgreens and similar stores. At Walgreens they are called Travel
Ease.
- Regalin and other prescription drugs
- crackers, pretzels, or other dry carbs
- GINGER! Ginger snaps, ginger gum, ginger ale, ginger pills
- mint, as in peppermint candy
- try eating less fat or less greasy food
- try eating less. Most people get more nauseous on a full stomach
- some report that folic acid helps
- try to think like a lizard. Avoid what would make a lizard nauseous
3. Will I lose weight?
Some do, some don’t.
5. I have the pen, now how do I get it ready to use?
- You have to prime the pen. The instructions say to put a needle on
the pen, twisty the thingy a time or two, and then shoot into the air
until a stream squirts out. If you don’t see the stream, the pen is
not ready to use. It can take a time or two, and the vendor puts
enough juice in the pen that you are not going to be cheated out of a
dose.
6. Where to inject
- there is a great picture in the files section of the group web site
- rotate your injection sites
- some folks report that if they inject too close to their belly
button, the Byetta leaks back out.
7. That darn drop - Don’t worry about a tiny drop of Byetta on the end
of your pen after you inject. It can help to leave the needle in till
the count of 10. It can also help to rotate the dial after the
injection, before you pull out the needle.
8. Keep a food log, and include symptoms and blood sugars. This helps
tremendously down the road as you learn what Gilly likes and doesn’t
like in your body. Some folks can’t handle onions, or beans, or lots of
different things.
9. What if I leave my pen out?
According to the folks at the help line, you can leave your pen out
for 144 hours total. That works out to a little over 4 hours per day
for a month.
10. Store Byetta between 36F and 46F. Most household refrigerators do
this. Don’t let it freeze.
11. Stop using your pen if:
- it gets cloudy
- it gets blood in it
These mean the pen is defective. If this happens, call Amylin, who
should give you a voucher for a replacement pen at no charge.
Throw the pen away if:
- it gets frozen
12. When to take it?
- some folks do better taking it right before eating
- some folks do better taking an hour before eating
- for some folks, it does not matter
- experiment and find out what works for you
13. What if I forget a dose?
- don’t take it if you have already eaten. Unless you are like
Lizardman, with his cast iron stomach. For him. Byetta works even if
he takes it after a meal.
14. Can I travel with my pen?
Check the links section of the group for cooler cases. Especially for
the Avent Thermal Tote and the Medicool Protectall Travel Case for
Byetta.
14. Can I still take insulin?
Officially, no. At the time of this writing, Byetta is only approved
for use with metformin and sulfonylurea drugs. And of course, talk to
your doctor about any meds you want to take. But lots of folks take
long-acting insulin along with Byetta. A few take short acting
insulin, or a short-acting drug like Prandin along with Byetta.
I used to think that taking Byetta with a short acting insulin was
redundant, but it has been made clear to me that this is not true for
everyone. Byetta has three actions:
- slowing the emptying of your stomach
- suppressing glucagon production (glucagon is made by the pancreas
alpha cells and tells your liver to dump glucose)
- increases insulin production.
For some folks, the third effect is just not strong enough, so they
need to supplement Byetta with a short term insulin.
16. Do I still have to watch what I eat?
Of course. You are still diabetic, aren’t you? Don’t go overboard just
because Byetta seems like a miracle drug. Many folks can tell you how
easy it is to overwhelm Byetta.
17. Will my taste in food or my appetite change?:
Probably.
- Many people report being less hungry and getting full on less food
- Many people report not having the urge to snack any longer
- As far as what you eat, some people report that they like things
they never liked before, such as meal worms and crickets and anchovies
- Some people report that they no longer like things they really used to like
- Some people report that they don’t like food as spicy as before
- Some people report that food does not taste as good as it did before
In general, ask yourself, "What would a lizard like to eat?" You can’t
go wrong doing that. LOL
18. Why do I now feel cold or hot?
Some folks report that Byetta changes the temperature at which they
are comfortable. Most who report this report feeling cold.
October 21st, 2006 at 10:06 pm
When I started Byetta 2 weeks ago, They gave me sample needles at the drs
office. The second pkg and the ones after were nova fine or something like that
and they hurt. I filled my rx and they are ultra fine short needles and Im
using them now and they arent hurting. I hope it stays that way. Ev
October 22nd, 2006 at 2:24 am
Has anyone experienced diarrhea as a side effect of Byetta? Ev
October 22nd, 2006 at 8:48 am
Jo in MN
October 22nd, 2006 at 11:00 am
I have always heard that metformin has that side effect. I tried glucophage
which is the same and thats what happened to me immediately. Ev
October 22nd, 2006 at 10:27 pm
Glucophage really messed my tummy up but to answer your question about
Byetta and tummy upset….yes, if I eat something that does not agree
with me…like I did tonight!
October 23rd, 2006 at 1:05 am
Not with Byetta but I did when I started glucophage. The only symptoms I’ve
had from Byetta is occasional mild nausea and headache. Finally noticing it
making me feel full faster (been on it 3 weeks now) but when the hunger
comes back, it’s like someone flipped a switch.
> Has anyone experienced diarrhea as a side effect of Byetta? Ev
October 23rd, 2006 at 8:29 am
Are there any special foods that will bring on diarrhea , with b yetta? Ev
October 23rd, 2006 at 12:47 pm
Signe, I had a terrible bout of it last night too. That has never happened to
me before. Not that bad. Now Im afraid to go anywhere. Ev
October 23rd, 2006 at 5:05 pm
Signe, I waited and took my injection after we were home a few hours and had
a snack afterwards. I didnt have much of an appetite at the buffet though,
which seemed a waste, since it was so expensive. What I did eat though, set my
stomach off on a rampage.
My numbers haven’t come down yet and its been a little over two weeks since I
started. Im kind of worried about that. Ev
October 23rd, 2006 at 9:23 pm
My nausea has died down pretty much but I still get headaches. Its funny that
you said that about your hunger coming back like someone flipping a switch
because, I dont have much of an appetite but once in a while It comes back like
gangbusters. That happened the other night and I ate way too much and was sick
all night. I dont think I will do that again. Ev
October 24th, 2006 at 3:20 am
Are there any special foods that will bring on diarrhea , with b yetta? Ev
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October 24th, 2006 at 7:38 am
I find I do better when I limit my carbs. I am not nearly so hungry. Does
anyone else notice that? Maybe it is just because I like carbs.
My nausea has died down pretty much but I still get headaches. Its funny that
you said that about your hunger coming back like someone flipping a switch
because, I dont have much of an appetite but once in a while It comes back
like
gangbusters. That happened the other night and I ate way too much and was sick
all night. I dont think I will do that again. Ev
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October 24th, 2006 at 11:56 am
Signe, I waited and took my injection after we were home a few hours and had
a snack afterwards. I didnt have much of an appetite at the buffet though,
which seemed a waste, since it was so expensive. What I did eat though, set my
stomach off on a rampage.
My numbers haven’t come down yet and its been a little over two weeks since I
started. Im kind of worried about that. Ev
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October 25th, 2006 at 11:35 pm
Great attitude, Signe!
October 26th, 2006 at 9:34 am
Signe, I hope my numbers come down soon. Sometimes at bedtime they are about
160 and then by morning over 200. Ev
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October 28th, 2006 at 7:15 am
I have to stop myself from doing this all the time! I have some co-
workers that look alot like me (apple shaped) and they eat horrible
things, and then they’re tired and sick all day. I haven’t worked up
the nerve to ask them if they want me to turn them into human
pincushions yet, but I think I will if they complain anymore!
Sarah in TX
October 28th, 2006 at 1:03 pm
Ev,
The Morning Bg’s are usually the last thing to respond to the byetta. Has
anyone here explained the dawn phenomenon?
Demetria-Beth
_____
Signe, I hope my numbers come down soon. Sometimes at bedtime they are about
160 and then by morning over 200. Ev
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