My Byetta isn't working for me

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Permalink Reply by Kathy on June 15, 2009 at 5:58am

It took me about 2.5 months before the Byetta kicked in. My sugars although not normal are anywhere from 130-160 ususally. I still spike at night sometimes so my fasting BS is usually over 200. (this morning 215). I've lost 25 since March. I guess that's ok. I remember in my younger days when I could lose weight faster. The doctor may put me on Insulin in July depending how my Sugars go. Make sure you don't stay on the Januvia for too long. I've heard some nasty things about it. I was on it for about a year. Now I'm just on Metformin and Byetta. Sounds to me like you are on the right track. Keep it up and don't give up.

Kathy

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Permalink Reply by Tony S. on June 16, 2009 at 2:59am

Thanks for your reply, Kathy --- I think we're going through a similar patch. All I know for sure is that something is happening with my body as it adjusts to the Byetta . Before, when I was taking Glyburide, my fasting BS was low, near normal, now it's high like yours. I wake up with over 200 readings. But Glyburide is nasty, too. I'm glad to be rid of it.

You know, what the Byetta has done is got me over my fear of injections. If ultimately I need to be on insulin occasionally for awhile, okay, so be it, as long as the weight comes down and there's an end date for it in sight. I am using the Novolog [insulin] when I need to eat and the BS number is high, around 200 or higher. I'm also supposed to walk a bit after a meal.

The doctor said that BS readings are whacko while the body adjusts to Byetta and not to pay too much attention to them. He has huge faith in Byetta. He also remarked that the Januvia really doesn't do anything. I should have asked: then why do I still need to take it? My previous doctor had me on all four classes of oral meds, and the weight kept creeping upwards, particularly with Actos, whereas Glyburide hindered weight loss.

I ultimately want to lose more weight, get off all the meds, and just use only diet and exercise again for BS control.

Cheers and good luck to you --- and thanks again for sharing your experience.
Tony

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Permalink Reply by Sarah on July 26, 2009 at 9:17pm

Me too me too me too. It is so discouraging!!! I have followed my diet to the letter and I am still hovering around 200. Grr. I hope this works because I am insulin resistant. What would they recommend next I wonder? This is only my first year with the diagnosis.

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Permalink Reply by Michele McWilliams on July 27, 2009 at 9:56am

I've been on Byetta for about 3 years......I really don't lose weight on it...but my numbers are pretty good...my A1C's stay between 5.5 and 6.5, on an average.....the main problem is just adjusting the carb intake....I just started reading a book, "Miracle Metabolism", by Diane Kress....she's a registered dietician in NJ who also has type 2 diabetes........She explains why type 2 diabetics don't really lose weight with the diet that is given to them. (she used the "original" diet also, and didn't lose weight either)...and as I'm sure you all know it comes down to the pancreas and the liver and what happens when we eat.....Byetta is designed to make your digestion slower, and therefore you don't feel hungry...it is a "gut" medication. however, if you don't wait at least 30 minutes for it to take affect, you can become sick to your stomach, and may throw up....if you eat carbs , the carbs (like fruit for example), will make your sugar instantly rise, then drop too low....but that's not the byetta....thhat's the other meds you are on....I've had both problems and just have to work with it.....and really watch the type of carbs I eat at a meal.....but if you want a really good explanation of how all of this works, I really suggest that book...it really explains the problem with weight loss for us! Good luck and hope this helps some!

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Permalink Reply by Kathy on July 28, 2009 at 7:06am

My Doctor has added Levimier to the mix and now my sugars and my weight have been coming down. Hopefully this trend continues. Thanks for all of your helpful comments.

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Permalink Reply by Tony S. on August 3, 2009 at 2:23am

Thank you so much, Kathy. I will ask about Levimier next endo visit.

My numbers are running high like yours were and I did the home A1c test and the numbers are up over 9 [started at 8.4]. The doc saw the 17 lbs weight loss and said everything was working fine and I should drop the Metformin in a week or two.

I feel like a fool for trusting the doc ---- but he says his patients never get complications from Diabetes and his reputation is good.

No one seems to say anything about Byetta not working for everybody. So the weight loss thing is good, yes, but the BG numbers really scare me --- usually never lower than 150 [except after exercise] and just under 200 when I awaken. My daily average is over 200. I'm going to sleep now and it's up at 235.

I'm exercising a lot, eating right, and I'm just getting more and more confused by this drug and this disease.

Sorry to dump all this on you all, but this seems the place to be honest with yourself. Any help appreciated.

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Permalink Reply by Tony S. on August 11, 2009 at 1:57am

Follow-up: This past week, all of a sudden, my blood sugars dropped lower. I read something in the Blood Sugar 101website about timing of other diabetes meds in addition to Byetta which was really helpful. My oral meds [only Metformin and Januvia now] seemed to be doing nothing. Then I read this:

Byetta slows emptying of the stomach. Thus meds taken at the same time as the Byetta shot could be slowly dissolved in the stomach and prove to be less effective than intended. It is therefore wise to take meds at least an hour before or a couple of hours after injecting. This is especially true regarding metformin, which is frequently taken after a regular meal since it can cause an upset stomach. Please follow your doctor's directions for medications that must be taken "with" food.

Wish my doctor had mentioned this timing issue.

I started waiting two hours after a shot before taking the oral meds. I also have stretched the time between Byetta injection and beginning eating to closer to the one hour limit and that has helped curb the appetite.

Along with eating less, I have stepped my cycling and exercise, feel great and have steadily lost weight: over 20 lbs in less than four months on Byetta.

I guess Timing is everything.

Hope this info helps someone else.

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Permalink Reply by Kathy on August 11, 2009 at 6:11am

It's amazing how everyone's body works differently. I take my Byetta 30 minutes or less before eating. lately I've moved my Metformin up from taking at bedtime to taking at dinner. I take my Levimier at 8pm every night. For the last week my sugar has not gone over 150 but most of the time I am under 115. I was having high's at night before bedtime until I moved the metformin back. Last night my bedtime sugar was 95. This mornig it was 129. I'm very happy with the way things are working out. Right now I've got another medical issue that is causing some stress which could raise my BS, but that all should be resolved by the end of the month. Thanks again for your input.

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Permalink Reply by Tony S. on August 11, 2009 at 9:29pm

Hi, Kathy

Thanks for sharing this. I guess you start getting nauseous if you wait more than 30 minutes after your shot to start eating? Closer to 60 min. works for me, but as you say, everyone's body works different,

I've been charting my numbers, and the last week was wonderful --- that and the scale has started to move downward again [had hit a "plateau."]

My doctor actually wants me to drop the Metformin --- I though he was being a bit overoptimistic. He's like really gung-ho on Byetta. When the numbers came tumbling down this week, I thought he might be onto something --- he told me to be patient about the BG numbers. He's very confident about Byetta.

I plan to still take the Metformin if my numbers run high --- like now after my mother let me eat a small piece of cake. [Thanks, Mom.]

My eyes have been bothering me --- blurred vision, I think, from all those high numbers these past months. Suddenly I WANT my reading glasses --- they were optional before.

Thanks for responding to my post --- really can't talk to anyone else about this; they just don't get it.

Good luck as always!

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Permalink Reply by Camille Gongon on August 6, 2009 at 4:59am

I asked my doctor to prescribe this medication becuase ive heard good review and i witness how well its work for a friend of mines not only with her bg but in loosing wieght i can honestly say she has lost like 100 pounds and this is something i can really use, actually i feel if i lost the weight i might not even need medication for my bg. I never started it though because it is so expensive, im taking glyburide/metformin 250/500 mg and it only cost me 10 dollars a month, Byetta would be like 60 a month for me at least, 30 the injection, then the needles and the metformin i have to take with it. But listening to everyone here and seeing it on my friend im wondering if i should just go and use it for a couple of months. I really need to get the wieght off for health reasons :O(

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Permalink Reply by Kathy on August 6, 2009 at 5:48am

I think you should try it out. Since starting it in March I've lost 30 lbs. True I'm watching what I'm eating now, but I think the Byetta helps to curb my appetite a bit. Right now my BS is under control and I think that is due to the fact that my doctor put me on 12 units of insulin a day. Byetta wasen't bringing my BS down enough although it helped some. Try it for a couple months and see what happens.

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