Newbie here…
Hi all, I enjoy reading all the good advice here sinse my dr.
directed me towards this wonder drug. I’ve been on it a total
of 2 whole days now. I haven’t had a "full feeling" and haven’t
had any nausea. Is it too soon to feel anything? I’m still
hungry though. I know I started the pen correctly and I’m assuming
it’s injecting correctly. any advice?
Dianne
June 27th, 2007 at 10:16 pm
Gary, Yes, it is incredibly lower. I’m just waiting for
something bad to happen I guess. So far all has been well.
The injection doesn’t even hurt or bruise like some people
here have had. I know we’re all different, but I keep
waiting for the bomb. Thanks for your reply.
Dianne
June 28th, 2007 at 2:54 am
Hi, you may not feel any differen’t on Byetta 5 .I didn’t notice
anything till I went on Byetta 10 than look out .But my numbers are now
great and I’ve lost 50 lbs ,I’m not hungry infact food doesn’t even
look or smell good to me .But i still get sick 2 times a day
*** much to my delight I also feel pretty good on Byetta 10…..no bomb
June 28th, 2007 at 4:38 pm
On 7/23/07, dianneinohiousa wrote:
<< Hi all, I enjoy reading all the good advice here sinse my dr.
directed me towards this wonder drug. I’ve been on it a total
of 2 whole days now. I haven’t had a "full feeling" and haven’t
had any nausea. Is it too soon to feel anything? I’m still
hungry though. I know I started the pen correctly and I’m assuming
it’s injecting correctly. any advice? >>
That is the only thing I do not like about this group. The side effects are
emphasized so much that I think newbies EXPECT side effects. The mind can
be pretty easily swayed. If you start Byetta and feel nauseaus, you will
automatically assume it is the med because so much is said about it and it
could be something you ate in general. Many take the Byetta with no side
effects or some side effects that are minor. Some side effects are good -
like feeling full and not being hungry - that is why many lose weight. But
many of us don’t get that. The good thing is the drug is doing what it is
supposed to do - it is getting your post-meal numbers down. That is all it
was designed to do.
And, the 10 pen may not give you any side effects either. It didn’t for me
at all. But my numbers started getting even better.
June 30th, 2007 at 11:21 pm
Thanks for that reply. I WAS expecting something to happen
as that seems to be the norm. I do seem less hungry, but other
than that I have no other (negative) symptoms. My post
numbers have been excellent!!
Dianne
July 1st, 2007 at 7:30 am
its great you dont have side effects… but i honestly do wonder.. we read all
the stuff that meds are supposed to do and their side effects.. that i wonder if
our minds expect the bad reaction…
dunno… but i am NOT doubting anyones side effects.. believe me i do know
side effects are reall…
the only bad reaction i have had was once i got distracted and ended up giving
myself two shots of byetta 10… oh my.. i was defiantely ill…;)
but i have noticed that my byetta seems stronger at the beginnin of my pen
then that end of it ..i do wonder if that is a problem from them not having to
be refridged….anyone else notice that ??
Ramona
Dianne
test’; ">
July 1st, 2007 at 12:34 pm
i have noticed that my byetta seems stronger at the beginnin of my pen then
that end of it ..i do wonder if that is a problem from them not having to be
refridged…i have noticed that my
*** I still keep mine refrigerated….77degrees is pretty easy to exceed
especially in the summer. Better to be safe….
July 2nd, 2007 at 3:41 am
i have noticed that my byetta seems stronger at the beginnin of my pen then
that end of it ..i do wonder if that is a problem from them not having to be
refridged…i have noticed that my
*** I still keep mine refrigerated….77degrees is pretty easy to exceed
especially in the summer. Better to be safe….
Suzanne
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July 4th, 2007 at 12:26 am
i have been reading about how people keep their pens from getting
hot (like right now in summer time) and especially when they are
travelling or just going on day trips where you need to take it with
you. i did okay flying to denver, no problem because it never got
hot. when i’m home, i started keeping mine back in the fridge this
summer. my problem is going out for day trips where i can’t control
temp. i would think ice packs would be considered "freezing it" and
the travel bag i got from byetta with refrigerated gel packs i just
can’t see that withstanding 90 degree weather for 5 hours because
i’m at the pool or we are driving along in the convertible.
for example, saturday we took a day trip that lasted longer then i
thought it would. i had planned to be home in time for my shot and
dinner so didn’t take it. i was late eating, sugar dropped too low
and i had a panic attack. i need to take my byetta with me in case
i don’t get home. yes i could have just eaten something but then my
sugar would have just skyrocketed and i’d have felt just as bad.
catch 22. i’m still trying to figure all this out.
thanks, bear with me, i’ll get this eventually.
July 4th, 2007 at 10:12 am
I just bring a small cooler with me and one of the small freezer packs (like
blue ice). I keep the pen wrapped in bubble wrap. Sometimes I just stick a
bottle of frozen water in the cooler and later in the day I have something
to sip on. This has worked for me even in my hot car.
It takes 30 days to make a habit. Grabbing my cooler when leaving the house
and bringing it in from the car is now my habit. I put healthy snacks in
it, too, so I am not tempted to eat unhealthy food when I get delayed while
out and about.
July 4th, 2007 at 1:19 pm
that’s actually a good idea that is i do a cooler and i can put a
snack in there as well.
thanks for suggestion
July 5th, 2007 at 9:24 pm
I am new here too. It is very hot here in Southern Oregon in the summer. I
put the pen in a sandwich size Ziploc bag and put that and two small frozen
water bottles in with it, the pen is in the case from the company which says it
is only good for 3 hours and then put it all in a large ziplock. I am getting
ready to take a cruise on Sunday and have a fridge in the room but have to drive
to Seattle to depart, and then back again next week. I will use the frozen
bottles and a 6pack cooler up and get ice from the ship to get home. The Ziploc
is important to keep the condensation away from the pen. I have been on the ten
pen for almost 2 months. Have to do a little Lantus at night. We are still
tweaking the whole thing. An endocronolist was my magic improvement and lucky I
have insurance or could never afford it. I am 55 and obese but the weight is
coming down slowly. With the Byetta I don’t feel hungry an hour after eating.
That has helped. Nice to meet you all, going to go from EMail to digest while
away on the trip. KatyOregon
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
July 6th, 2007 at 8:39 am
I just took my first shot of 5mcg. And it was way easier than I had
thought. Didn’t feel the needle one bit. I am using very fine, very
short needles to start, but will likely change up in a week or so.
For those of you that did have side effects (nausea, headache etc).
How long after a shot did they start?
I have also, for the time being, chosen to eat right away (today two
poached eggs and a low carb tortilla).
Prilosec has been mentioned a few times. I already take a morning
dose, but for those of you that use it, when do you take it?
Hi Jennifer:
The needles come in three sizes and I also took the baby needle for the
first few weeks and suspect I wasn’t getting a full dose of Byetta as it stopped
working after the third week. I transitioned to the 10 mcg a week early and
it’s a little bit harder but nothing I can’t handle. I don’t experience nausea
but did get a headache the first week or so and it has pretty much stopped.
I have to be careful what I eat. I was feeling lazy the other night and
bought a barbequed chicken and the lizard didn’t like that at all. First time I
felt mildly queasy. We are all so different and I think the effect of the
Byetta on our bodies will also change.
I take 20 mg of Prilosec twice a day; once before breakfast and again before
dinner. It is a tremendous help and probably keeps me from having and GI
effects or nausea. I find the appetite suppressing effect is stronger if I
wait
20 to 30 minutes after I take the shot but also ate right away the first few
weeks. Saw my doctor today and lost 11 pounds since starting Byetta three
and half weeks ago. The 10mcg is harder but I still feel very good and am
hopeful about losing weight for the first time in a long time. My doctor told
me
that my numbers will come down and everything will change if I can lose some
of the belly fat I carry…
Good luck and don’t worry if you don’t feel sick; a lot of people don’t.
Suzanne
July 6th, 2007 at 1:18 pm
I’ve had virtually no appetite suppression, which was a disappointment after
a friend raved to me about what a *miracle* Byetta was, and it changed her
entire relationship with food, and for the first time in her life she could
just look at food without wanting to gobble up every bite in sight.
It sounded too good to be true! And for me I guess it was, at least so far.
But I have already lost 80 pounds doing it the hard way, and Byetta is
certainly giving me far better BG control.
July 6th, 2007 at 5:15 pm
It sounded too good to be true! And for me I guess it was, at least so far.
But I have already lost 80 pounds doing it the hard way, and Byetta is
certainly giving me far better BG control.
Debbie
Hi Debbie:
That is fantastic: I don’t think anybody gets the weight loss for free
unless they are incredibly sick on the Byetta: I lost 11 pounds the first
month
and don’t expect that will continue. I’d be happy to lose a pound a week and
I am also dieting and swimming three or four times a week. For me there is a
mild appetite suppressing effect if I pay very close attention to my body
and don’t eat when I’m not hungry. I did the weight watchers program for six
months and finally gave up because I wasn’t losing a thing even when I followed
the diet perfectly. That’s when I was taking two kinds of insulin and
things have changed for me since taking the Byetta.
I am also developing a wonderful relationship with food, listening to my
body and eating very healthy, low fat, low carb, lots of veggies and whole
grains and it feels great….but that’s a choice I’m making and the Byetta is
helping me stick to it. How did you lose all that weight?
July 6th, 2007 at 9:33 pm
Question: When you say "stopped working" do you mean you saw an
increase in your BGs? Or that the appetite suppression wasn’t as
strong? Or….?
**** A little of both. I started getting hungry at night and the Byetta
just didn’t feel as strong. My FBS started to increas by the third week and
not go as low after meals. I had a yeast infection at the time and that may
have affected my numbers. Since I’m on the ten the appetite suppressant effect
is definitely back. I’m just not as hungry and stop eating after much
smaller portions. I eat half of what’s on my plate and am learning to purchase
and prepare smaller amounts of food. I find now that there is a distinct but
fine line when I get the message that I’m full; but it’s easy to keep eating
or overwhelm it out of habit. I had breakfast today at 7:30 and wasn’t even
hungry again by 2:00 so I just ate a little goat yogurt and blueberries. Of
course I also want my BG
to be under good control and for me they go hand in hand. I I can lose the
weight that will be much easier to do.
July 7th, 2007 at 2:12 am
Well not too differently from the way you describe, except that I never
Snacks would usually be things
tried especially to be low-fat. It was mostly lower carb, "healthy carbs"
(veggies, whole grains, etc), high fiber fruits in small portions, trying to
stay sugar-free and white-flour free. In fact avoiding most "white" things,
though not all as I do love cauliflower.
like nuts, especially almonds.
But even though I have lost 80 pounds it’s just a drop in the bucket sadly,
and I really need to lose at least that much again! But it can be
done.Ihave one friend who started at 310 pounds, yet four years later
she was
working as an exercise instructor at a YMCA and ran in and completed the NY
Marathon. She was a very strict low-carber. I don’t anticipate running a
marathon, but at least I have hope that my loss can continue, and if I ever
make the switch up to the 10 mcg Byetta perhaps the appetite suppressant
affect may be more noticeable.
July 7th, 2007 at 6:08 am
Well not too differently from the way you describe, except that I never
Snacks would usually be things
tried especially to be low-fat. It was mostly lower carb, "healthy carbs"
(veggies, whole grains, etc), high fiber fruits in small portions, trying to
stay sugar-free and white-flour free. In fact avoiding most "white" things,
though not all as I do love cauliflower.
like nuts, especially almonds.
Hi again:
By low fat I mean no trans fat or fatty meats and things. I stir fry tofu
and veggies in olive oil and eat lots of avocado which is full of good fat. I
guess I eat kind of Mediterranean without the pasta, unless it’s high fiber
and whole grain pasta. I like Dr Rosedale’s diet book and also Dr.
Perricone’s….lots of salmon and veggies….and usually the only carbs I eat
are
chock full of fiber. I love fruit but find I have to limit it to one or two
small servings a day and mostly eat berries or my sugar will go up. The only
time I’m in need of will power is at night.
Well, let’s keep at it. I’m determined to lose weight. I’m too old for the
marathon but I’d still like to do some traveling and avoid some of the more
serious damage that diabetes can cause.
July 7th, 2007 at 10:26 am
What kinds of drops did you see? Post meal? Fasting? A1c? And if
you could discuss in numbers, not just "my BGs are good!", I’d so
very much appreciate it.
Hi Jennifer:
I’ve only been on Byetta a month and My BG drop has been modest so far. That
may have been influenced by a yeast infection and the fact that my needles
were too short. My FBG dropped from 245 and higher to around 200 (still way
too high) and I’m taking 15 units of Lantus before bed. Post meal is
generally better down to 150 or less depending on what I eat. I do best if I
eat
mostly protein. My lowest BG is two hours after I take the Byetta and highest
in
the morning. I don’t want to increase the insulin and will probably replace
it with a low dose of metformin when I see an endochronologist on September
6. I saw my primary physician today and he thinks I’m okay with what I’m
doing until then and was happy with the 11 pounds I lost. We definitely chose
Byetta because of it’s potential to help with weight loss and I will try
metformin because it is the only other diabetic medication that is known to at
least, not cause weight gain as a side effect. We had a round of discussion
on
this list about the emphasis on weight loss a few weeks ago and for me
personally, they are totally intertwined. If I can lose some of the dangerous
belly fat that causes me to be insulin and leptin resistant it will be a lot
easier to control my blood glucose and the better I can control my BG the
easier
it becomes to lose weight. I was trapped in a vicious cycle when I was on
insulin; needing more and more insulin and getting fatter and fatter
July 7th, 2007 at 3:54 pm
My morning readings are reading between 135 and 150. Two hours post meal my
readings are ranging between 75-110. I am on 5mcg of Byetta (for two weeks) and
1000mg Metformin in the am and 100mg of Metformin in the pm. I am also on a
very strict low carb diet.
I should say that before starting the Byetta my average morning was 250 and post
meal was between 250 and 400.
I was hoping for some of the sickness with the Byetta so I could lose some of
this weight, but I haven’t gotten it except once. I will say though that meat
is much less appetizing to me than it was a few weeks ago.
Stacy
What kinds of drops did you see? Post meal? Fasting? A1c? And if
you could discuss in numbers, not just "my BGs are good!", I’d so
very much appreciate it.
Hi Jennifer:
I’ve only been on Byetta a month and My BG drop has been modest so far. That
may have been influenced by a yeast infection and the fact that my needles
were too short. My FBG dropped from 245 and higher to around 200 (still way
too high) and I’m taking 15 units of Lantus before bed. Post meal is
generally better down to 150 or less depending on what I eat. I do best if I
eat
mostly protein. My lowest BG is two hours after I take the Byetta and highest
in
the morning. I don’t want to increase the insulin and will probably replace
it with a low dose of metformin when I see an endochronologist on September
6. I saw my primary physician today and he thinks I’m okay with what I’m
doing until then and was happy with the 11 pounds I lost. We definitely chose
Byetta because of it’s potential to help with weight loss and I will try
metformin because it is the only other diabetic medication that is known to at
least, not cause weight gain as a side effect. We had a round of discussion on
this list about the emphasis on weight loss a few weeks ago and for me
personally, they are totally intertwined. If I can lose some of the dangerous
belly fat that causes me to be insulin and leptin resistant it will be a lot
easier to control my blood glucose and the better I can control my BG the
easier
it becomes to lose weight. I was trapped in a vicious cycle when I was on
insulin; needing more and more insulin and getting fatter and fatter
regardless of what I ate. So for me Byetta is a real blessing…. Suzanne.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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9:56 AM
July 7th, 2007 at 9:15 pm
Jennifer,
Here’s my results since starting on Byetta a month ago….??
Before Byetta I was on 1000 mg Glucovance am & pm, and 100 mg Januvia, also am &
pm.
My BG’s were never under 200, as a matter of fact, they were usually over 250,
fasting and after meals.
My Doctor started me on Byetta (5 mcg) June 16th, and had me stop the Januvia,
but continue the Glucovance.
My fasting numbers are still? somewhat high (150-170) but SO MUCH better than
before.? My after meal numbers are never above 160, and I’ve even had a couple
of low BG episodes late in the afternoon (70-75) where I’ve had to take a couple
of glucose tablets.? My
bedtime BG is always around 100-130.
Needless to say, I’m thrilled.? My Doctor wanted me to stay on the 5 mcg dosage
for 3 months, instead of just one.? So I won’t see her again till September.?
As a side note, I have also experienced the pleasant side effect of weight loss,
and that full feeling, and I have lost about 15 lbs.
And I’m one of the lucky ones.? The only nausea I feel is immediately after my
injection and it only lasts about 5 minutes.
Michelle D.
I’ve noticed that a majority of the posts focus a lot on the weight
loss - loss of appetite Byetta connection.
July 9th, 2007 at 12:14 am
Here are my numbers….
When first diagnosed my fasting BG was 250.
Taking Metformin 1000 mg in morning and evening. Fasting BG was between
130 - 150. After taking metformin in the morning my BG would drop into the
90’s (if I didn’t eat enough for breakfast it would drop into the 60’s, not
a good feeling). After lunch up to 120 - 140.
After adding Byetta to the Metformin routine for 6 months, my A1C is 5.3,
fasting BG is between 97 and 105, 2 hours after meals 120 tops. I love the
lizard, I feel really good. Just had blood work and saw the endo, ALL my
blood work came back looking great! LDL and HDL all within normal range.
Just have to work on Triglycerides, they are still too high. Cardiologist
wants me to increase my fish oil intake to try to get the triglycerides
within normal range. Cardiologist put me on tricor but it made me feel
lousy.
I also lost 22 pounds, it has been slow BUT STEADY weight loss. The first
three months I lost 7 pounds, the next three months I lost 15 pounds. I
watch what I eat, I went to a nutritionist who helped me understand how to
eat more healthy, and I walk at least 45 minutes a day. Twice a week I get
on the tread mill and do a combination of walk/jog/run for 30 to 45 minutes.
T
That’s fabulously encouraging. Thanks Stacy and everyone else who responded.
Anyone else want to chime in, I’d love it!
July 9th, 2007 at 8:49 am
I have a question about taking metformin (which I’m about to start) and
byetta. At first I’m taking one tab a day so it won’t be a problem, do it
at lunch (I do byetta at breakfast and dinner). but when you move to two,
and don’t want to take it with the byetta, how do you do that? Just have
breakfast an hour later?
Lin
who’d finished her 5th shot and knows she needs to give up coffee.
July 9th, 2007 at 3:11 pm
I take my byetta before my meal and Metformin afterwards. I haven’t had any
issues with it at all.
Stacy
I have a question about taking metformin (which I’m about to start) and
byetta. At first I’m taking one tab a day so it won’t be a problem, do it
at lunch (I do byetta at breakfast and dinner). but when you move to two,
and don’t want to take it with the byetta, how do you do that? Just have
breakfast an hour later?
Lin
who’d finished her 5th shot and knows she needs to give up coffee.
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9:56 AM
July 9th, 2007 at 6:30 pm
I take 1000 mgs of Metformin with each shot at the same time. They are supposed
to work together.
Tami
Lin
who’d finished her 5th shot and knows she needs to give up coffee.
July 10th, 2007 at 7:12 pm
Thanks - I’ve read that because the byetta keeps food etc in your stomach
longer that you should take the metformin (and your other pills) at least
an hour before or two hours later - but to take metformin with meals to
counteract any stomach issues, therefore not at a byetta meal.
Are you having good BS levels doing it that way? It would certainly be
easier!
I take 1000 mgs of Metformin with each shot at the same time. They are
supposed to work together.
Tami
July 11th, 2007 at 1:05 am
I take 1000 mgs of Metformin with each shot at the same time. They are
supposed to work together.
Tami
Lin
who’d finished her 5th shot and knows she needs to give up coffee.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
July 11th, 2007 at 1:59 pm
Thanks - I’ve read that because the byetta keeps food etc in your stomach
longer that you should take the metformin (and your other pills) at least
an hour before or two hours later - but to take metformin with meals to
counteract any stomach issues, therefore not at a byetta meal.
Are you having good BS levels doing it that way? It would certainly be
easier!
I take 1000 mgs of Metformin with each shot at the same time. They are
supposed to work together.
Tami
July 12th, 2007 at 2:25 am
I take my metformin and glyburide about 30 minutes before my
Byetta injection which I give myself about 30 minutes before I
eat. Metformin no longer causes stomach upset for me but if it
does for others, you might want to eat a couple saltine crackers
or some light snack just so you’re not taking it on an empty
stomach but light enough that your Byetta injection won’t cause
nausea. I just find that with my schedule, this works better than
trying to stagger when I take my meds.
–Michael
July 12th, 2007 at 10:59 am
Well, according to my meter my readings are good.
Tami
Are you having good BS levels doing it that way? It would certainly be
easier!
I take 1000 mgs of Metformin with each shot at the same time. They are
supposed to work together.
Tami
July 13th, 2007 at 8:17 pm
how long have you been on the byetta? Mine are still 160-200, but it’s been
less than a week. last nite I went to bed at 160, got up this a.m. at 204.
sigh.
I don’t know about my A1c, but my morning fasting numbers are in the 95 to
120 range. Before I started on Byetta, my morning numbers were in the 150 to
200 range.
_____
July 14th, 2007 at 12:35 am
Then it’s working for you. It would be so much simpler for me to do it this
way. Thanks!
Lin
Well, according to my meter my readings are good.
Tami
July 14th, 2007 at 6:58 am
I think it matters how you are eating too!!
how long have you been on the byetta? Mine are still 160-200, but it’s been
less than a week. last nite I went to bed at 160, got up this a.m. at 204.
sigh.
I don’t know about my A1c, but my morning fasting numbers are in the 95 to
120 range. Before I started on Byetta, my morning numbers were in the 150 to
200 range.
_____
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6:01 PM
July 14th, 2007 at 10:06 am
I think it matters how you are eating too!!
**** Absolutely! I’m still taking 15-20 mg of Lantus at night and my FBG
was under 200 for the first time this morning. The Byetta really only covers
two meals and my numbers go down to around 140 two hours after taking the
Byetta but I have a way to go. I do much better when I eat only protein and
vegetables at dinner and if I have a bedtime snack it’s usually soy milk or
something carb free. I can have a high fiber muffin or oatmeal and fruit in
the
morning but find it helps to stop eating carbs at lunch time….Suzanne
July 14th, 2007 at 1:29 pm
I’m eating about 30 carbs with the byetta meals - in whole grains and
veggies. I started the metformin yesterday - and the 160 before bed was
alot lower than it had been. Did have a hot dog at the baseball game last
nite though. Kind blew the whole grains thing.
Right now I’ve got two batches of brown rice going in my steamer for next
week’s dinners.
I think it matters how you are eating too!!
Stacy
—– Original Message —–
From: Lin Maine
July 14th, 2007 at 7:51 pm
30 carbs in one meal?? I am doing about 15-20 carbs a day. I think that is how
I am keepingmy numbers so low!
Stacy
Just a thought: You might be underestimating your carbs.
For example… a half cup of brown rice (which is not a lot) is 23g
with 2g of fiber. That’s almost all of your 30g right there.
Jennifer
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6:01 PM
July 14th, 2007 at 11:00 pm
I’m eating about 30 carbs with the byetta meals - in whole grains and
veggies. I started the metformin yesterday - and the 160 before bed was
alot lower than it had been. Did have a hot dog at the baseball game last
nite though. Kind blew the whole grains thing.
Right now I’ve got two batches of brown rice going in my steamer for next
week’s dinners.
Hi Stacy:
Well, I guess we have to treat ourselves once in a while. I went out to
dinner with a friend on her birthday and had a creme brulee (pure cream and
carmelized sugar) and my FBG the next day was unaffected. Let me know how you
feel on the metformin. I have an appointment with an endochronologist on Sept
6
and if the Byetta and small amount of Lantus I take at night isn’t doing the
trick, I may trade in the Lantus for a small dose of metformin. I’m a little
afraid of GI symptoms which I had in the past when I tried glucophage; but I
wasn’t taking Prilosec then. I am determined to get my sugar under good
control and to keep losing weight. Metformin is one of the few , if not the
only
other diabetic medication that doesn’t cause weight gain…So I’ll see what I
can accomplish with the Byetta until then. I switched to the 10 last weekend
and am doing alright with it. I am feeling tired a lot and sometimes dizzy
but nothing I can’t handle… no nausea….and not too interested in food
except late at night.
Trader Joe’s sells browm rice already frozen in two cup packages….4
minutes in the microwave and you could never tell it isn’t fresh….the lazy way
to
good health
July 15th, 2007 at 2:23 am
Once in awhile is about how often I get to a ball game! Right now on the
metformin I’m okay - just exhausted. I started it yesterday so I have a
long way to go to build up to the max dose. right now I’m 500mg per day.
I am seeing a small weight loss (byetta since tuesday) - 2.5 pounds - could
be anything though. I’ve been on glipizide which makes you gain. He wants
me to use it as well when my pre-meal BS is over 150. I’m like you - bound
and determined to get off these beds.
I usually buy the TJ’s rice - it’s so easy! but I just bought a steamer and
have to justify it! lol! I’m also going to do a brown /wild rice blend with
herbs - more rationalization for the steamer.
Lin
Well, I guess we have to treat ourselves once in a while. I went out to
dinner with a friend on her birthday and had a creme brulee (pure cream and
carmelized sugar) and my FBG the next day was unaffected. Let me know how
you
feel on the metformin. I have an appointment with an endochronologist on
Sept 6
and if the Byetta and small amount of Lantus I take at night isn’t doing
the
trick, I may trade in the Lantus for a small dose of metformin. I’m a
little
afraid of GI symptoms which I had in the past when I tried glucophage; but
I
wasn’t taking Prilosec then. I am determined to get my sugar under good
control and to keep losing weight. Metformin is one of the few , if not the
only
other diabetic medication that doesn’t cause weight gain…So I’ll see what
I
can accomplish with the Byetta until then. I switched to the 10 last
weekend
and am doing alright with it. I am feeling tired a lot and sometimes dizzy
but nothing I can’t handle… no nausea….and not too interested in food
except late at night.
Trader Joe’s sells browm rice already frozen in two cup packages….4
minutes in the microwave and you could never tell it isn’t fresh….the lazy
way to
good health
Be well…..Suzanne
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
July 15th, 2007 at 6:41 am
You’re right - that’s probably why they’re low.
Yeah - the diabetic instructor told me to do 30 carbs/byetta meal. Jennifer
is right - 1/2 cup brown rice is 30 carbs. So is one banana. I did south
beach for a few years, so I’ve got my carbs and GI index down pretty well.
Supposedly the reason she brought it up so high is to eliminate the nausea
although she said that would give me the full benefit of the byetta. since
I’m not having any of the nausea issues I’ve been thinking of bringing it
down. All those years of south beach make 30 carbs seem like 100.
but, my husband, who’s type 1 brittle diabetic also controls best on 25-30
carbs per meal, so it didn’t seem way out of whack there.
Lin
30 carbs in one meal?? I am doing about 15-20 carbs a day. I think that is
how I am keepingmy numbers so low!
Stacy
July 15th, 2007 at 10:59 am
The discussion of carbs made me think- and maybe you’ve all done this
before, if so I’ll scan the old posts.
What’s the typical diet of a successful ‘byetta-er’?
Lin
July 15th, 2007 at 5:21 pm
I really miss my carbs, but feeling better is so much worth it!! I hope to get
up to about 50 a day, but not until I lose a bunch of this weight. I have well
over 100lbs to lose.
Stacy
But your husband is on insulin. He can cover the carbs. Why not
slip down to 15 - 20 per meal and see what happens?
I aim for 10 - 20 per "eating episode". Aim… not always hit ; )
Jennifer
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July 15th, 2007 at 7:35 pm
I’m definitely going to do it - lower the carbs - that’s what I was doing
before, when my bs was controlled and I was doing well on SB. I’m finding
that a little ginger tea is helping whatever nausea I have, so I’m
definitely going to lower the carbs. Even the good carbs have a tendency
to increase my BS.
You all are giving me the role models I need!
Lin
But your husband is on insulin. He can cover the carbs. Why not
slip down to 15 - 20 per meal and see what happens?
I aim for 10 - 20 per "eating episode". Aim… not always hit ; )
Jennifer
July 16th, 2007 at 12:47 am
I really miss my carbs, but feeling better is so much worth it!! I hope to
get up to about 50 a day, but not until I lose a bunch of this weight. I have
well over 100lbs to lose.
We are all so different I guess. I don’t count carbs. I feel terrible on
eat carbs that
very low carb diets like Atkins and stop losing after the first few weeks. I’m
doing the weight watchers CORE Program which allows some high fiber grains
and cereal once a day as well as unlimited protein, fruits and veggies, and
low fat dairy. I find I have to cut down on carbs AND fat before I lose weight
consistently. Not all carbs are the same and for me the key to carbs is
fiber. I never (well, except for the occasional creme brulee
aren’t packed with fiber. At Weight Watchers half a cup of brown rice is
only two points and zero points on the Core Program because it’s a whole grain,
high fiber food. Anyway, I lost eleven pounds the first three weeks on
byetta and continue to lose. The Byetta really helps with portion control
which
is a blessing. I have that much to lose also and am feeling very hopeful
about being able to do it. I’m shooting for slow and steady (my doctor thinks 5
or 6 pounds a month is about right). How did we ever live before Trader
July 16th, 2007 at 6:15 am
My mom is doing a low carb/low fat diet called Kimkins and LOVES it. She has
lost almost 30lbs in a little over a month. She started at over 300lbs.
Stacy
I really miss my carbs, but feeling better is so much worth it!! I hope to
get up to about 50 a day, but not until I lose a bunch of this weight. I have
well over 100lbs to lose.
We are all so different I guess. I don’t count carbs. I feel terrible on
eat carbs
Suzanne
very low carb diets like Atkins and stop losing after the first few weeks. I’m
doing the weight watchers CORE Program which allows some high fiber grains
and cereal once a day as well as unlimited protein, fruits and veggies, and
low fat dairy. I find I have to cut down on carbs AND fat before I lose weight
consistently. Not all carbs are the same and for me the key to carbs is
fiber. I never (well, except for the occasional creme brulee
that
aren’t packed with fiber. At Weight Watchers half a cup of brown rice is
only two points and zero points on the Core Program because it’s a whole
grain,
high fiber food. Anyway, I lost eleven pounds the first three weeks on
byetta and continue to lose. The Byetta really helps with portion control
which
is a blessing. I have that much to lose also and am feeling very hopeful
about being able to do it. I’m shooting for slow and steady (my doctor thinks
5
or 6 pounds a month is about right). How did we ever live before Trader
Joe’s? Enjoy the new steeamer
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July 16th, 2007 at 9:23 am
My mom is doing a low carb/low fat diet called Kimkins and LOVES it. She has
lost almost 30lbs in a little over a month. She started at over 300lbs.
Stacy
***
That’s a lot of weight to lose that quickly. I’ll check it out. The other
one that I like is the Rosedale diet….also very low fat/low carb. BTW I
just looked at the Trader Joe’s frozen brown rice package and it has a whole
cup
at 34 carbs with 2.5 fiber. I find 1/4 cup plenty of rice so it’s not a
very high carb food at all….When I’m in a hurry I also love Dr. Praegger’s
spinach or broccoli pancakes. They’re delicious and only have 6 carbs and 3
fiber grams. Now I’m making myself hungry….Suzanne
July 16th, 2007 at 2:51 pm
It is alot of weight, but almost everyone who does that diet loses that fast.
My mom went off of it for a week when they came here on vacation and gained 7lbs
but was able to start right back up and lost it all very fast. The one thing
about it is that my mom generally only does between 800-1000 calories a day.
That isn’t very much food, but she says she never feels hungry. This is from a
woman who has been a compulsive eater my entire life and yo-yo’d between 180 and
350lbs for the 31 years I have been alive.
I want to try it, but I really like to eat:-)
Stacy
My mom is doing a low carb/low fat diet called Kimkins and LOVES it. She has
lost almost 30lbs in a little over a month. She started at over 300lbs.
Stacy
***
That’s a lot of weight to lose that quickly. I’ll check it out. The other
one that I like is the Rosedale diet….also very low fat/low carb. BTW I
just looked at the Trader Joe’s frozen brown rice package and it has a whole
cup
at 34 carbs with 2.5 fiber. I find 1/4 cup plenty of rice so it’s not a
very high carb food at all….When I’m in a hurry I also love Dr. Praegger’s
spinach or broccoli pancakes. They’re delicious and only have 6 carbs and 3
fiber grams. Now I’m making myself hungry….Suzanne
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6:01 PM
July 16th, 2007 at 5:59 pm
How are your BGs doing?
Jennifer
***** Ah, my alter ego :-)….I’m going on and on about losing weight
again, huh? Well my FBG was 192, first time under 200 since starting on
Byetta
a month ago and it was 148 two hours after lunch and after dinner should be
even better. It isn’t that I don’t care about my BG….I’m concerned about
both….It’s just that I am so excited about being able to lose weight again
after a time when it seemed impossible because of the insulin I was taking.
I’ve had diabetes for about thirty years and managed it with diet and exercise
for many of those years..before things got out of control. I’m doing great
on the Byetta…making progress i nterms of BG and weight. How are you
July 16th, 2007 at 11:27 pm
She actually doesn’t take anything but vitamins. She is not diabetic and
according to her Dr the other day, except for her weight she is the picture of
health.
Stacy
does she take pills or what..
——-Original Message——-
It is alot of weight, but almost everyone who does that diet loses that fast
My mom went off of it for a week when they came here on vacation and
gained 7lbs but was able to start right back up and lost it all very fast.
The one thing about it is that my mom generally only does between 800-1000
calories a day. That isn’t very much food, but she says she never feels
hungry. This is from a woman who has been a compulsive eater my entire life
and yo-yo’d between 180 and 350lbs for the 31 years I have been alive.
I want to try it, but I really like to eat:-)
Stacy
My mom is doing a low carb/low fat diet called Kimkins and LOVES it. She
has
lost almost 30lbs in a little over a month. She started at over 300lbs.
Stacy
***
That’s a lot of weight to lose that quickly. I’ll check it out. The other
one that I like is the Rosedale diet….also very low fat/low carb. BTW I
just looked at the Trader Joe’s frozen brown rice package and it has a
whole cup
at 34 carbs with 2.5 fiber. I find 1/4 cup plenty of rice so it’s not a
very high carb food at all….When I’m in a hurry I also love Dr. Praegger
s
spinach or broccoli pancakes. They’re delicious and only have 6 carbs and
3
fiber grams. Now I’m making myself hungry….Suzanne
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6:01 PM
July 17th, 2007 at 3:26 am
*I miss TJ’s. We had one in Yorktown, Virginia but there are none in
Texas. You will love your steamer. Cook up a big batch - enough for the
week. Then, to reheat, add 1 TBSP of water per 1/2 cup of rice and
microwave just until hot (time varies per microwave - but 1 to 2 minutes
seems right).*
July 17th, 2007 at 7:14 am
Hey, why not! My parents were both type II diabetics. Both diagnosed in
their early 50s, about same age as when I got my diagnosis. Mom died of
Alzheimer’s complications in 2004 but Dad is still going strong and will be
80 on his next birthday. I don’t know how he does it! He’s on metformin
twice a day (not sure of dose) but he *never* checks his BG numbers and
never has a clue what they are, eats whatever he wants, which is usually
Dunkin Donuts, or scrambled eggs, sausage and hash browns - for breakfast.
Lunch is typically pizza, burgers from Hardee’s, a reuben sandwich and
fries. Dinner tends to be a heated up microwave meal with some cookies or
cake or pie or ice cream for dessert! But his Dr. tells him his A1C numbers
are not bad (though my dad never has a clue what they are because he never
asks and does not care).
And as I said, almost 80, still in his own home and doing well, almost 30
years as a diabetic.
July 18th, 2007 at 3:11 pm
Thanks - I’ve read that because the byetta keeps food etc in your stomach
longer that you should take the metformin (and your other pills) at least
an hour before or two hours later - but to take metformin with meals to
counteract any stomach issues, therefore not at a byetta meal.
Are you having good BS levels doing it that way? It would certainly be
easier!
I take 1000 mgs of Metformin with each shot at the same time. They are
supposed to work together.
Tami
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
July 19th, 2007 at 12:57 am
Thanks Nita!
It’s been awhile since I had one and they’re soo handy. My ex husband ‘got
custody’ of ours. After griping for 7 years about not having one, I finally
bought a new one - and I like it better than my old one! lol!
When I first moved here (Phoenix) they didn’t have any TJ’s close to me -
now they do. Love it!
Lin
sipping on my ginger tea. sigh.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
July 19th, 2007 at 5:15 am
I was dx’ed in 2003 - and was well under control till I went off avandia
(can’t take actos). sigh.
Interesting about the Prandin. My doctor was telling me, now that I’ve
switched to byetta and metformin, to take glipizide (1 a day) if my
pre-meal numbers are over 150. I had been taking glipizide prior.
What caused your diabetes to go out of control?
Lin
I currently take 1000mg of Metformin 2x a day. Been doing that
forever. I also keep Prandin around for any carb "excursions" I
might encounter ; )
Jennifer
July 19th, 2007 at 7:15 pm
Hi Char~
I was wondering if you were still taking Alli? If so how’s it going? Is it
helping with your weight loss? How are are your meter readings, effected at all
by it?
Thank You~
Tami
——-Original Message——-
It is alot of weight, but almost everyone who does that diet loses that fast
My mom went off of it for a week when they came here on vacation and
gained 7lbs but was able to start right back up and lost it all very fast.
The one thing about it is that my mom generally only does between 800-1000
calories a day. That isn’t very much food, but she says she never feels
hungry. This is from a woman who has been a compulsive eater my entire life
and yo-yo’d between 180 and 350lbs for the 31 years I have been alive.
I want to try it, but I really like to eat:-)
Stacy
My mom is doing a low carb/low fat diet called Kimkins and LOVES it. She
has
lost almost 30lbs in a little over a month. She started at over 300lbs.
Stacy
***
That’s a lot of weight to lose that quickly. I’ll check it out. The other
one that I like is the Rosedale diet….also very low fat/low carb. BTW I
just looked at the Trader Joe’s frozen brown rice package and it has a
whole cup
at 34 carbs with 2.5 fiber. I find 1/4 cup plenty of rice so it’s not a
very high carb food at all….When I’m in a hurry I also love Dr. Praegger
s
spinach or broccoli pancakes. They’re delicious and only have 6 carbs and
3
fiber grams. Now I’m making myself hungry….Suzanne
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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6:01 PM
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
July 20th, 2007 at 3:40 am
Nothing has changed in my life or eating habits. This is a
progressive disease and sometimes we can do everything right and yet
it still progresses. Albeit slowly. I had read about Byetta and
chose to try that instead of raising my Metformin or adding
Actos/Avandia (which now seems a great decision!)
Hi Jennifer, All
I am 63 now and was diagnosed when I was 34 and in spite of taking good care
of myself much of the time I’ve developed neuropathy in my feet and had to
stop walking for exercise about five years ago after I had what they call a
diabetic chargot event. I was walking five miles a day on broken bones in my
foot and never knew it until I came home one day to a very swollen foot. After
eight months in an air cast I was pretty depressed and had gained a lot of
weight. It took me two years of not exercising and out of control BG before I
said "enough " and started to walk in a warm shallow pool at the Y. Nowadays
I also swim three times a week. I felt awful on metformin and took actos and
insulin for a long time. The Actos made my legs swell and my doctor took me
off of it. Eventually I needed more and more insulin and gained more and more
weight as a result and my last A1c was 7.00, my highest, in a long time. So
we decided to try the Byetta which so far has been a great decision. My FBG
was 240 this A.M so I know I’m going to need to add something to the Byetta.
I have an appt with an endochronologist on Sept 6 and am hoping to do alright
until then, as my primary physician is off to Paris for two weeks. My BG
drops below 150 two hours after I take the byetta and I get dizzy from the drop
in glucose if it is too sudden. I’ve also started experiencing some mild
nausea a few hours after breakfast and wish I had some sugar free ginger candy.
I’d go anywhere and pay most anything for hard candy made with stevia or
some other natural sweetener. I don’t think splenda is all that good for us
and try to eat mostly natural and organic foods.
Anyway, I’m really grateful for all the support and good information
provided on this list. When you get to be my age and you’ve had diabetes as long
as
I have things can start to get scary; even if you are doing the best you can,
as Jennifer says. My Mom spent the last ten years of her life battling one
diabetic ulcer after another. I have diabetes everywhere in my family; all
four grandparents, my mother and brother, aunts and uncles, cousins,etc.
Actually, considering how long I’ve had diabetes, I’m doing reasonably well,
except for the neuropathy and some mild arthritis pain. My eyes and kidneys
are fine and I’m otherwise reasonably healthy. I might have avoided some of
the nerve damage if I did a better job keeping my weight and sugar down but
I’m planning on being around at least another 20 years. My Mom was 83 when
she died and her mother was 98. My father’s mother also lived into her 90’s
with diabetes and that was before they had many medications.
I just dropped a $100 at Trader Joe’s and stocked up on nitrate free turkey
bacon, chicken, eggs, tofu, fish, brown rice and veggies. I’ve decided to go
even lower on the carbs and see if I can’t get that morning sugar down. I
don’t think I’m eating more than 1200 calories a day but my BG is still so
high. I’m willing to give metformin another try and maybe now that I have
Prilosec I’ll be able to handle it better, but I have to wait a whole month to
do
that. Oh well, will just keep at it. Hope everyone is well. It’s hot and
muggy here in Western Massachusetts with some thuder storms on the way.
Suzanne
July 20th, 2007 at 7:20 am
Suzanne wrote…
I’ve also started experiencing some mild
nausea a few hours after breakfast and wish I had some sugar free ginger candy.
I’d go anywhere and pay most anything for hard candy made with stevia or
some other natural sweetener.
Altoids has a very low carb…I think it’s 1 carb per 2 pieces… ginger candy.
They are quite hot, but only 1 works well for me. And they’re handy to carry
in their metal case.
If you can’t find them locally you can find them to order on line by going to
Google. I just asked my local grocery, where they carried other Altoids, if
they would order them. One nice thing about living in a small town, he did
order and I see I’m not the only one buying them.
July 21st, 2007 at 5:27 pm
I did reduce the number of carbs I ate today (and last nite) and haven’t
been over 165 all day. Since I’ve been running over 200 most days lately
this is a big deal! That’s with 5mg x2 byetta and only 500 mg metformin a
day. Yee haw!
I try to eat a lower carb Way Of Eating…
_____
July 23rd, 2007 at 8:08 am
How are you feeling on the 10?
I was on 5 units for a month, and 2 weeks ago, I started on 10 units. I
think its working ok.
_____
July 26th, 2007 at 7:23 pm
You can call the Byetta help line for your meds if you want but, I take my
Byetta in the morning. Wait about an hour (more or less just depends on the
morning) then I eat. After I eat I take my metformin. Then in the evening I
take my Byetta. I have a snack before bed and take my evening pills with that.
I have had better results since doing that. I hope this helps you. Just try
different things and check your meter.
I had a complecated morning routine where I got up and took my metformin.
July 27th, 2007 at 11:55 pm
I’m curious, why do you say you wait an hour to eat after you take your Byetta.
The instructions say to eat within an hour. Everything I’ve read says that
Byetta loses some effectiveness if you don’t eat within an hour of taking your
shot.
Kendall
You can call the Byetta help line for your meds if you want but, I take my
Byetta in the morning. Wait about an hour (more or less just depends on the
morning) then I eat. After I eat I take my metformin. Then in the evening I take
my Byetta. I have a snack before bed and take my evening pills with that. I have
had better results since doing that. I hope this helps you. Just try different
things and check your meter.
I had a complecated morning routine where I got up and took my metformin. Waited
an hour and took my byetta and then waited and then ate. My bg was very high
during that time. Not so good.
Pam
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
July 28th, 2007 at 7:31 am
George perhaps you and I are among the only ones with no adverse side effects
from Metformin?
Before joining this list I really had no idea how many folks dealt with the side
effects that have been shared… doesn’t sound fun at all.
I’ve been on it for several years, can’t recall exactly how many now and
fortunately have yet to have any of the GI side effects, or any others for that
matter.
Actually, I’m doing very well, with no noticeable side effects. But I also
had no side effects from metformin when I started that… go figure.
_____
How are you feeling on the 10?
I was on 5 units for a month, and 2 weeks ago, I started on 10 units. I
think its working ok.
.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
July 28th, 2007 at 10:05 am
I’m curious, why do you say you wait an hour to eat after you take your
Byetta. The instructions say to eat within an hour. Everything I’ve read says
that Byetta loses some effectiveness if you don’t eat within an hour of taking
your shot.
Kendall
You can call the Byetta help line for your meds if you want but, I take my
Byetta in the morning. Wait about an hour (more or less just depends on the
morning) then I eat. After I eat I take my metformin. Then in the evening I take
my Byetta. I have a snack before bed and take my evening pills with that. I have
had better results since doing that. I hope this helps you. Just try different
things and check your meter.
I had a complecated morning routine where I got up and took my metformin.
Waited an hour and took my byetta and then waited and then ate. My bg was very
high during that time. Not so good.
Pam
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
July 28th, 2007 at 2:22 pm
George perhaps you and I are among the only ones with no adverse side effects
from Metformin?
Before joining this list I really had no idea how many folks dealt with the
side effects that have been shared… doesn’t sound fun at all.
I’ve been on it for several years, can’t recall exactly how many now and
fortunately have yet to have any of the GI side effects, or any others for that
matter.
Actually, I’m doing very well, with no noticeable side effects. But I also
had no side effects from metformin when I started that… go figure.
_____
How are you feeling on the 10?
I was on 5 units for a month, and 2 weeks ago, I started on 10 units. I
think its working ok.
.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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11:14 PM
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July 30th, 2007 at 8:32 am
I didnt have any problems when going on Metformin either, back when it
was brand new*G*
I was started on 1/2 a 500 tablet and then worked up. I think doctors
are starting people on too big a dose and that is why there are so many
having GI problems.
One doc started a resident where I work, on 1000 x2!!!!!!!! Poor guy
was pooping his pants all day long. I finally convinced them to ask the
doc to lower the dose and work up to the higher one. Resident felt much
better*G* I am the only diabetic on staff so they are always coming to
me to figure things out. They had an insulin vial that they couldnt get
any insulin out of. come to find out they werent shooting air into the
bottle. I shot it full of air and they used the rest of the vial. Scary!!!