Diabetes & Byetta

Standard Long-Acting Insulin as Good as Newer Medications

May 2007 - An older type of long-acting insulin is as effective in
treating type 2 diabetes as newer and more expensive kinds, according to
the results of a recent systematic review. However, the newer
medications may cause fewer problems with low blood glucose while
patients are sleeping.

People with type 2 diabetes who need insulin take once-a-day insulin for
longer-lasting or "basal" control. (The review did not cover
shorter-acting insulins used to control the blood glucose spike that
comes from eating.)

Doctors consider the older medication, NPH, to be the current gold
standard for basal insulin. Newer drugs, insulin analogues such as
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why is it you have to switch to a 10 pen after a month? does the byetta lose
it’s strength after a while. if things are going well, can’t you just stay on
5?………….baz

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I first posted this as part of a posting on another matter, but I think
it’s important enough to deserve a heading of its own. I recently
started a blood-pressure medication called a Beta Blocker. My doctor
tells me that one of the side effects is that is MASKS THE EFFECTS OF
LOW BLOOD SUGAR. Previously, low sugars would have me waking up in the
night drenched with sweat. Now, they’re unnoticible. If I’m behind
the wheel of a car that could be a problem. Anyone taking a Beta
Blocker needs to be aware of this.

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Type 1 diabetes patients who maintain "tight
control" over their insulin levels, which they are encouraged to do to
reduce their risk of complications, tend to have relatively frequent
episodes of low blood sugar. These patients can now rest easy knowing that
these frequent dips in blood sugar are not associated with a decline in
mental function, according to a report in The New England Journal of
Medicine for May 3rd.

Dr. Alan M. Jacobson, from the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston, and fellow
investigators said this finding, obtained from two studies that spanned
nearly two decades, should allay patient concerns about the effect of low
blood sugar, also referred to as "hypoglycemia."

The Diabetes Control and Complications trial contained 1441 type 1 diabetics
between 13 and 39 years old, who were enrolled between 1983 and 1989.
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NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The use of diabetes drugs called
thiazolidinediones, such as rosiglitazone (Avandia) and pioglitazone
(Actos), may reduce the risk of lung cancer, according to a report in the
Journal of Clinical Oncology.

These are preliminary findings, Dr. Rangaswamy Govindarajan from the
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, told Reuters
Health. "Physicians should be cautioned not to start using these agents for
cancer prevention."

Govindarajan and colleagues investigated the effect of thiazolidinediones on
the risk of lung, prostate, and colon cancer in men aged 40 years and older
with diabetes, using a database covering 10 Veterans Affairs medical
centers.

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Byetta is very costly $265.00 a vile i think and if you get to the drug
store get sea bands for notion sickness it works .But the 5 is not to
bad it is when you switch to the 10 that you really notice the upset
set tummy more.

source: drweil

Supplementing a Diabetic Lifestyle

I routinely recommend the following three supplements for people diagnosed
with diabetes. They may help regulate glucose levels and promote heart
health, issues many diabetics face. Talk with your physician about the best
way to integrate these into your overall diabetes treatment program.

Chromium. A trace element that plays a role in blood sugar regulation,
chromium works with insulin to help transport glucose into cells. Take up to
1,000 micrograms of "GTF" chromium daily.

Alpha-lipoic acid. This antioxidant can enhance glucose uptake, inhibit
glycosylation (the non-enzymatic attachment of sugar to protein), and help
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By E.J. Mundell
HealthDay Reporter on 03/06/2007

TUESDAY, March 6 (HealthDay News) — The low-carbohydrate, high-protein
Atkins diet has nabbed first place in a yearlong, U.S. government-funded
study of four popular weight-loss regimens.

Women on the Atkins plan lost nearly 11 pounds on average over 12 months
– almost double that of participants on the Zone diet, the Ornish diet,
and a diet favored by nutritionists called LEARN.

There didn’t seem to be a downside to the Atkins diet, either — at
least in the short-term. The Stanford University researchers who
conducted the trial of 311 overweight women found no differences in
heart disease risk factors between the four groups, despite the fact
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I was on Byetta last year, but stopped after experiencing evil mid-
morning lows. I am also on Lantus. Since stopping Byetta, I’ve been
covering meals with Humulog insulin, but am gaining weight. My MD is
suggesting I try Byetta again, but with less Lantus, taking it more
slowly this time. I want to start back on it tomorrow, but I’m really
scared of lows. Any feedback or support would be appreciated! Thanks-

I am going on a 5 mile hike with a group of Scouts. Until recently my blood
sugar has been high. I changed when I take my glyburide and now it is better
during the day. The last few days I have been walking to prepare for the hike.
After about a mile or so my blood sugar is down to 75. I will still have 3 plus