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Permalink Reply by PatientX on November 5, 2009 at 7:47pm

I am a type 2 and my endo at one point suggested byetta but they put me on januvia instead. I had hell with that drug and did not want to take it anymore. My endo did not help me get off of the drug for some reason they were hell bent on keeping me on it, so I dropped the endo and the januvia at the same time.

So here is my thought on this. If I have to take a shot anyway why would I want to take this drugs with side effects. The extreme is organ damage the other side effects are stomach problems and diarrhea. So I decided that if my metformin quits working I am going back to good old insulin and I am not taking any other worthless meds. I think if we want this junk off the market then we kill the supply and demand. We dont demand the drug then it goes off the market. I think at one point in this diabetes train you either let the endo drive it, which they dont live your daily life with drug side effects or we can drive the train. I switched endos and I am not going to be a test subject for pharma. I dont know why endos dont just manage type 2 on insulin instead of these crazy drugs. I liked the insulin management better than the pill one

cheers

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Permalink Reply by carolyn mcquis on November 5, 2009 at 7:53pm

You are so right. However, what do you do to combat the weight gain on insulin? That's a big problem with insulin.

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Permalink Reply by Gerri on November 5, 2009 at 8:26pm

I've read several recent articles recommending that doctors put Type 2s on insulin sooner, but they also talked about insulin in combo with meds. As a Type 1, I worry about those meds for our Type 2 sisters & brothers. Many Type 2s are hesitant to take insulin, but I hope this becomes more a part of standard treatment.

Insulin, though a fat storing hormone, doesn't necessarily mean weight gain. Exercise helps, of course. Eating lower carb with correspondingly lower doses of insulin helps a lot. Eating lots of carbs & taking high doses of insulin can put on the pounds.

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Permalink Reply by Anthony Holko on November 5, 2009 at 9:16pm

Dear Gerri

I agree. You must minimize the amount of insulin you take or you will gain tonnes of weight. Low carb, exercise and possibly metformin, or all 3 if you can. The Canadian FDA did not approve Byetta yet, could be that there are severe problems. Modern insulin does not have C-peptide in it which could be a problem on the long run your FDA should force the companies to add it. Otherwise I think it is the treatment of choice if metformin does not do by itself or for the diabetics that can't stomach it.

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Permalink Reply by Susan M on November 10, 2009 at 4:09pm

I started on Byetta 3 years ago this Thanksgiving. This February I was diagnosed with Kidney Cancer, I had one kidney removed in May. In July I was taken off Byetta and put on Januvia, I felt awful; I also gained 16 pounds on Januvia. In September my primary took me off Januvia and put me back on Byetta, on Friday Joslin Diabetes Clinic took me off the Byetta and put me on Metformin XR. I can't take a chance damaging my other kidney, What kind of reaction did you have with the Januvia, my endo made it sound like I was the only one that did not feel well on the med, also said it was weight neutral. I ate no differently than I did before, I count carb's and portion control. I am so sick of being tired and not feeling well.

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Permalink Reply by carolyn mcquis on November 10, 2009 at 8:07pm

I am so sorry to hear about your kidneys. Please protect yourself. Only you can be responsible for you. Don't let them put you Byetta anymore. Januvia is a hell pill too. I was gaining weight, hurt from head to toe, had swelling and awful joint pain. Now she has me on Novolog 70/30 and 2500 mgs of metformin per day. I'm still not controlled.

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Permalink Reply by Brian (bsc) on November 6, 2009 at 5:39am

It can be really hard to sift through and figure out exactly what the risks are. After all at the same time, in October of this year, the FDA approved Byetta as a first line treatment for T2. 62 cases of acute kidney failure in diabetics, when over a million patients have taken it? Byetta already cautions to not use for patients with kidney problems.

How do we compare the risks here. What about statins? I know I had terrible problems with statins and consider myself lucky to have survived. Yet every doctors visit I get pressured to go back on them. And I have to remind the doctors about my "nearly fatal reaction."

It is important to balance the risks and benefits and often we need to do this with insufficient information. In the case of Byetta, it has markedly improved my blood sugar. In my case, I have healthy kidneys, I get my function checked at regular doctors visits and I am diligent. I'll continue to use Byetta with little concern. If I had end stage kidney failure, I'd certainly think twice about using Byetta.

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Permalink Reply by Kristin on November 6, 2009 at 9:35am

I know some type 2s who had a very time controlling their blood sugar until they started on Byetta. Perhaps like so many medicines, it helps some, but not all.

I also read the FDA warning that many cases already had kidney failure. I guess that this warning should inform doctors to test for early signs of kidney failure before prescribing Byetta.

Consumers have the choice to not take Byetta, but I would not want the drug removed from the market if it is truly helping many. I don't know enough information from this FDA report.

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Permalink Reply by Doris D on November 7, 2009 at 3:57pm

Gotta go with Kristin here.

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Permalink Reply by Joe Dennis on November 7, 2009 at 5:04pm

If the big Pharm was'nt pulling the FDA string ;it would have been pulled from the market long ago$$$$$.(maybe the FDA does'nt like diabetic and does'nt care about us) Any other company that had this kind of track record would not be allow to.... The consumer may have other choices but I would say: 1.Most do not know that there are other options. 2.Most do not question their doctor even though the doctor got their info from the drug rep.Far as I'm concern Drug reps are legalized drug pushers! 3. Most patient are unaware of the danger. Unfortunely, most never look into anything about their disease or treatment. . Since there are other choices ,why should a high risk drug be allow to continue on the market.

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Permalink Reply by Mick on November 8, 2009 at 5:47pm

Thank you.

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Permalink Reply by John Townsend on November 6, 2009 at 12:09pm

I have a friend who is type 2. When I was diagnosed, she told me.. "whatever you do, don't let them put you on Byetta." She had an awful time with the stuff. Made her constantly sick. She eventually switched to metformin.

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