On a New Med - Byetta
 

Hi, I had an endo appointment today and I was put on a new medicine (in addition to my metformin) called Byetta. Just wondering if anyone else takes this and could give me some feedback/advice? - How you like it, side effects, ease of use? etc.

Thanks!!

Try this thread. :eek:

Didn't tolerate Byetta
 

Byetta often made me nauseous and I sometimes vomited. I stopped taking it after 2-3 months. I actually don't remember if the drug was working.

I was just recently placed on Byetta to help decrease my appetite and help with weight loss. I've had no problems like nausea/vomiting and it has been working for me. I take the Byetta approx. 30-45 minutes prior to eating breakfast and dinner and I haven't had any problems. One possible side effect is pancreatitis so talk to your Doctor about this.

I was also prescribed and been giving myself shots with byetta. Lost 8 pounds in the last 3 weeks or less and my sugar levels had been from high 200's now down in the 90's. I have become more motivated to go on with my current treatment regimen considering the positive outcomes.

That's great to hear! I've lost 5 lbs in about the same amount of time. Byetta is a good drug although I don't plan to be on it forever. Keep up the good work!

Didn't help me lose weight and I often went hypo. Carry some glucose with you in case

I managed to tolerate Byetta for about 10 months. Went from 5mg to 10 and lost no weight in all that time. Had no nausea on the 5, and was put on the 10 after a month of good results, nausea kicked in after a few days on 10, persisted with it, played with the timing, thought from time to time I had it beat but it would always come back. Doc kicked me back to 5, 6 months ago... Apparently the 10 had sensitised me in some way because I was now having bouts of nausea on the 5s. They didnt last as long as on the 10s, only an hour or so, but in the end, I decided to stop having it. That was about 6 weeks ago. My numbers actually didnt change much from 5 to nothing, but I had a big response to going from the 10 to the 5. BGLs went up and stayed up.

I've got a handle on the levels now, still taking Metformin, and Diamicron. My HbA1C is going to be terrible this time round but I'm still not keen to have insulin, particularly since I have shown myself (and hopefully will show my endo next week) that I am able to get my levels to something approaching normal.

My concerns about Byetta really surfaced when I read that it can fry your pancreas. So can Diamicron so I am going to be asking for something different (maybe Januvia, which worked for me in the past, but which I stopped because my local pharmacy was being difficult about stocking it... thats no longer an issue now that more people are on it... back then, I was the only one in their database taking it)

I'm rambling...

Summary:
Whats good about Byetta: your BGLs will get into a normal range, and you might lose weight.
Whats potentially bad: it can produce nausea in some individuals, but not all, and it can fry your pancreatic function (with or without pancreatitis, which it can also provoke).

Byetta has helped me lose weight and keep my A1c down. Don't be worried by the needles, they are very small and you will get used to it! It is worth it.

I have been on byetta for about 3 years. It does what it is suppose to do - help with my bs. My A1C has gone done to around 6.0. I take it along with metformin. I cannot take both at the same time so I take my metformin about 30 minutes after I eat breakfast and before bedtime.
There are side effects with byetta that I have learned to live with. It does make you nauseas and at times can be rather bad. I have also gotten Diarrhea. You CANNOT take it with other medications so I try to take my other medication after I eat. (I take medication for b/p.)
One of the side effects of byetta is it surpresses your appetite which has really worked for me. I have lost over 50 lbs with it which has helped my b/s.