Diabetes & Byetta

I spent almost two hours with a new dietician (hadn’t
seen one for about 8-10 years or maybe longer) because
my doctor’s office no longer had his own and he had
given me script to see one somewhere to learn to count
carbs. She went into detail about an ADA
1500 calorie standard exchange diet and said that if I
followed that my insulin would have something to act
upon and since I take no oral meds it was extremely
important that I follow it as closely as I could. She
said the carb counting was simple 45 grams of carbs
per meal and if someone isn’t really able to be
extremely strict with themselves it won’t work. I
didn’t understand that part at all. So, I will give
it a try and see what happens. I wonder what my endo
will say. I know the nurse who has been practically
(more…)

*Simple Guide Helps Diabetics Manage Their Meds*

An easy-to-follow guide can boost the number of diabetes patients who take
their cholesterol-lowering statin medications as prescribed, according to a
new Mayo Clinic-led study.

Statins can reduce the risk of heart disease, a common complicating factor
with diabetes.

The guide, designed to act as a decision aid to promote patient-doctor
discussions about medication, included four questions directed at patients:
What is your risk of having a heart attack in 10 years?; what are the
benefits of taking statins as compared to not taking statins?; what side
effects can you expect from statins?; what do you want to do now?

(more…)

My new insurance won’t pay for Accu-chek test strips, so Ihad to pop
for a new one-touch ultra meter. (It was cheaper than buying even ONE
month’s supply of strips for the old meter!)

So, my Accu-chek Aviva is now up for grabs, free to a good home in
about two weeks when I use up the remaining strips. (I want to run the
meters against one another to verify accuracy.)

Any takers? Make sure your insurance will cover the strips before you
answer. I’ll mail anywhere in North America.

I had to call the Byetta help line today because I left my pen in the
car for about two hours yesterday. It was hot. It was probably at least
95 degrees in the car and when I did get it out of the car it was warm
to the touch.

The CSR that I spoke to based his answer on leaving the pen in the car
for two hours at 95 degrees and he said the pen was fine to use. He
also said there was quite a bit of leeway in the recommended storage.
He said it still would have been okay to use if I had left it in the
car longer and if the temperature was higher than 95 degrees.

I thought this might be helpful for everyone especially since the
summer is heating up.

I dont think this matters, BUT…….
When shooting Byetta before dinner, it doesnt matter if you’ve had a snack,
say just an hour or two before that, does it? I mean, your stomach doesnt have
to be totally empty to inject, does it?
I know you are supp. to inject BEFORE eating… but how abt snacks from
earlier?
Is there a certain amt. of TIME (I guess is my question) that you should not
eat before injecting?
Thx,

No just nausea. I’ve been on the 5…Dr. Needed me to to go on the 10.
Hugs…



Life is not measured by the numbers of breaths that we take,
But by the moments that take our breath away!

——-Original Message——-

From: TINA PEDDIE
Date: 5/27/2007 5:41:45 PM

Melissa:
Are you actually throwing up with the Byetta 10??
If I was that bad with it, after a week or so, I dont think I could take it.
IF THE 5 does just as well for your BG, a person could stick with that. IF it
was helping.

I have been reading many of the posts for the past few weeks and I see
discussions concerning air bubbles and blood backing into the pen. I
noticed that when I started Byetta (5mcg) a few weeks ago the technique
had allot to do with getting air bubbles into the pin. When the pin is
set to give a dose you push the button on the end to adminuster the
dose. The rubber plunger moves only slightly and its design is such
that when you release pressure on the button before or as you remove
the needle, the plunger will back up ever so slightly. Thus causing a
suction that would allow either air or blood to get back into the pen.
While I have not noticed any blood getting into my pen, I did notice
air getting into it when I first started using it.

The solution I have found that works for me is once I insert the needle
and press the button, I hold it for at least a count of 10 and I don’t
take pressure off the button until it is removed from my skin, capped
(more…)

I started back on it last week…the #10…. I bought Ginger yesterday… It
always makes me queasy, but not like Lantus did. I had to keep a bucket with
me in the mornings.



Life is not measured by the numbers of breaths that we take,
But by the moments that take our breath away!

——-Original Message——-

HI all:
Appreciate all your comments, experiences and suggestions.
I’ve been on Byetta quite a while, but a couple things I’d recommend for
newbies:
(more…)

HI all:
Appreciate all your comments, experiences and suggestions.
I’ve been on Byetta quite a while, but a couple things I’d recommend for
newbies:
1. Start it when you have a few days, like weekend, to not worry about being
nauseous, just in case. I had the nausea pretty bad at first, esp when starting
on the 10. But after about a week or so, it went way down.
2. Make sure you eat enough in that meal you take it before, otherwise it will
give you nausea. I made the mistake of injecting and then only eating like two
pieces of wheat toast. NOT A GOOD IDEA! So I wont inject unless I know I’m
eating a decent sized meal, not just a snacky meal.
3. I would have something onhand like Ginger or an anti nausea pill, just in
case. (Esp. for people, like me, who tend to not do well with motion sickness,
etc.)
4. Definitely have the doctor’s ofc show you ON YOU the first time how to
(more…)