Comments on: traveling in a car with byetta http://www.diabetes-blog.wichy-girl.com/2006/12/23/traveling-in-a-car-with-byetta/ Byetta is an Incretin Mimetic, blog for diabetics! Wed, 07 Jan 2009 18:54:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: Ila Workman http://www.diabetes-blog.wichy-girl.com/2006/12/23/traveling-in-a-car-with-byetta/#comment-24434 Ila Workman Wed, 27 Dec 2006 04:24:21 +0000 http://www.diabetes-blog.wichy-girl.com/2006/12/23/traveling-in-a-car-with-byetta/#comment-24434 I carry my byetta pen with me everywhere. I don't ever refrigerate it. My endo said I didn't need to, as long as I was going from one air conditioned place to another (i.e. home to car, car to work, work to car, car to gym...etc...). I don't take it with me when I'm going to be outside for a while (like to the Renaissance festival), but for my day to day stuff I do, because I never know where I'm going to be when I need to take a dose. I can sometimes be the very definition of spontaneous, and other times I'm very boring. Anyways, I did go ahead and get the free kit from the website, but I'm not all that impressed. It wouldn't work for what I need it for. I was looking for something that would keep it cool for extended periods of time, like hours or days. I am going to have to get one of those portable mini fridges, I think. I was hoping to go camping this year, and tubing down the Guadalupe river (I know I can't take it in a fridge that way, but I'm working on how to include it in the coolers with the <!--more--> food). My doctor is probably going to put me on Lantus at night, which is going to mean I am going to have to buy a fridge sooner than I thought. Ok, so that sounded a little bad, and might need a little explanation. I did not mean to imply I never know where I'm going to be sleeping, because I do. I'm just in college, and all my friends live near the college and my work. But I live with my parents right now, which is 45 min to an hour away. So when we go out at night, or stay in for a movie marathon, I don't want to drive all the way home at 2 in the morning. So I crash on the couch (along with 4 or 5 other people, not on the same couch, but in the living room). This is a long way of explaining that I'm not *ahem* you know. Anyways, Everything has to be portable, because my life is portable. I feel like a bag lady most days - gym bag, purse, lunch, snacks, diabetes bag, gym shoes, planner, plus my school stuff. And if I'm going out or something after work and school then a change of clothes for that. Actually, that's what it would be if I was as organized as I wish I was. Most of the time I don't have my lunch and snacks together. I'm working on it though, because I HATE being somewhere and being STARVING or having a low, and having nothing but glucose tabs on me. They're great for getting over a low, but if I don't eat something "real" pretty soon after taking them, I just crash again. Ok, so this was a really really long reply. Basically what I'm trying to say is that my Endo said you don't have to be as careful about it as you are. If you have the time, and the inclination to keep it cool all the time, then great! But for me, there's just not enough energy to spare, and it works just as well on the last dose as on the first, even after being out for a month. So like everything else, it's up to you how much work you're willing to do, and YMMV. Sarah in TX (where it is already in the high 80's, and will get to the 90's by the end of the month) I carry my byetta pen with me everywhere. I don’t ever refrigerate
it. My endo said I didn’t need to, as long as I was going from one
air conditioned place to another (i.e. home to car, car to work, work
to car, car to gym…etc…). I don’t take it with me when I’m going
to be outside for a while (like to the Renaissance festival), but for
my day to day stuff I do, because I never know where I’m going to be
when I need to take a dose. I can sometimes be the very definition of
spontaneous, and other times I’m very boring. Anyways, I did go ahead
and get the free kit from the website, but I’m not all that
impressed. It wouldn’t work for what I need it for. I was looking for
something that would keep it cool for extended periods of time, like
hours or days. I am going to have to get one of those portable mini
fridges, I think. I was hoping to go camping this year, and tubing
down the Guadalupe river (I know I can’t take it in a fridge that
way, but I’m working on how to include it in the coolers with the

food).

My doctor is probably going to put me on Lantus at night, which is
going to mean I am going to have to buy a fridge sooner than I
thought. Ok, so that sounded a little bad, and might need a little
explanation. I did not mean to imply I never know where I’m going to
be sleeping, because I do. I’m just in college, and all my friends
live near the college and my work. But I live with my parents right
now, which is 45 min to an hour away. So when we go out at night, or
stay in for a movie marathon, I don’t want to drive all the way home
at 2 in the morning. So I crash on the couch (along with 4 or 5 other
people, not on the same couch, but in the living room). This is a
long way of explaining that I’m not *ahem* you know.

Anyways, Everything has to be portable, because my life is portable.
I feel like a bag lady most days - gym bag, purse, lunch, snacks,
diabetes bag, gym shoes, planner, plus my school stuff. And if I’m
going out or something after work and school then a change of clothes
for that. Actually, that’s what it would be if I was as organized as
I wish I was. Most of the time I don’t have my lunch and snacks
together. I’m working on it though, because I HATE being somewhere
and being STARVING or having a low, and having nothing but glucose
tabs on me. They’re great for getting over a low, but if I don’t eat
something "real" pretty soon after taking them, I just crash again.

Ok, so this was a really really long reply. Basically what I’m trying
to say is that my Endo said you don’t have to be as careful about it
as you are. If you have the time, and the inclination to keep it cool
all the time, then great! But for me, there’s just not enough energy
to spare, and it works just as well on the last dose as on the first,
even after being out for a month. So like everything else, it’s up to
you how much work you’re willing to do, and YMMV.

Sarah in TX (where it is already in the high 80’s, and will get to
the 90’s by the end of the month)

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