Bydureon

I have been a forum member for quite some time, but like most byetta users I just drop in from time to time. On Monday I will be taking my first bydureon injection. Given the success I have had with Byetta, I am really excited about the change. I am lucky because my insurance company sees the benefits of GLP-1 inhibitors and makes them very affordable for diabetics. I am looking for advice, suggestions and observations from any people who are on Bydureon. I just want to know what to expect over the next few weeks.

Tony

Lanie,

Bydureon is the once a week version of Byetta. I am changing because my insurance company is requiring Byetta users to go on the medicine with better glycemic control. My insurance company has a chronic care plan for diabetics that will give us the copay of a generic drug for name brand drugs in the formulary. In my case I get a three month supply of bydureon for $20. Hard not to change with that kind of incentive.

Tony

Well, dose number one was administered at 11:50 am EST today. I took the first part of my day off to see how I will be reacting to it. I had watched the administration video several times on the internet and the process was actually very easy. The problem I was dreading was the 23 gauge needle. Fortunately that was not a problem.

Tony

Lanie, I am so afraid of needles it is not even funny. That said if that is the difference between staying healthy or becoming insulin dependent, I choose the needle. There was a big psychological issue with the size of the bydureon needle, but in the end non insulin dependent wins out every time.

So I took my first dose of bydureon on Monday. The first three weeks of transition from Byetta to Bydureon are supposed to result in Blood Glucose reading that are all over the place. I decided to allow myself to let lose for the first week. I am still impressed with how the medicine is working.

Things of note:

1) the 23 gauge was not as bad as I thought for injecting the medicine
2) If you follow the instructions online or in the package the process of preparing and taking the shot are very easy.
3) I did not get a bydureon bump at the injection site.
4) I love the freedom of not having to take a shot twice a day.
5) I am happy to have an option that is not in any way associated with victoza.

I will chime in again sometime after the second dose.

Tony

Tony, I think it's great that a shot only once a week can control your blood sugar.  I'm just trying to imagine how this is possible.  I can understand time release or extended release taken on a daily basis, but how in the world can a shot taken once a week work?  It's incredible!

I'm glad the shots are not difficult for you.  How long will it take for the blood sugar to "even out" and not be all over the place? 

Tony,

I think for some occasions you can sneak a little of the food that's normally off the list but not on a regular basis.

Peg,

I was on byetta for three years prior to starting bydureon last week. So I was used to taking a twice daily shot with a 31 or 32 gauge needle. While 23 gauge is a big needle for most people, I have so far found the transition to be completely painless. That is counter to your statement above, but I suspect I learned a thing or two about injections and what is most comfortable for me in the three years I took byetta. So far I have injected only in the belly. I do not have the right amount of fat to use my leg and I cannot reach the back of my arms with this needle set-up. I do not get the bumps and I am curious to see if you are more likely to get the bump if you did not take byetta.

Again I have been taking shots for three years twice a day. A little 31 or 32 gauge can be painful as all heck if you overuse an injection site or his a sensitive area. After three years of byetta I know the places I can and cannot use for injection site. The only criteria I have for choosing an injection site is comfort. I hope this helps.

tjbessey

Peg,

My theory with Byetta is two fold, but I have not been taking Bydureon long enough to know if I will or will not get the bump. I will post that as time goes by so others here can learn more about the medicine before they take it. The other part is just that I have been giving myself injections for three years and because I know in painful detail what does and does not work for me, I am not able to have a pain free shot just about every time. I just seconds ago took my third does with no pain or discomfort.

As for Victoza, that was not an option for me. As I mentioned I have followed Byetta for two to three years. I am a very highly self educated diabetic. Before I got my business degree in college I was a nursing major studying Biochemistry, Biology, pharmacology and anatomy and physiology. I am highly motivated to use my knowledge to prevent Diabetes from ruining my life. During its own FDA approval process the makers of Victoza did all kinds of things to imply that Amlin had not done all its research on the Bydureon product at a time when the FDA was wrapping up work with Amlin to satisfy questions about accellerated heat beats. Just when victoza was approved the FDA decided once again to review the black box warning research on thyroid tumor growth to make sure Amlin had done all of their homework. That delayed Bydureon from hitting the market for two years.

If victoza were the only medicine left of the earth to help control my diabetes and I have the choice between taking victoza and losing fingers, toes and more...... I would cut them off myself when the time came. That is how much I HATE Novo Nordisk and crapoza.

Tony

Tony, it looks like your average numbers are coming down then.  That's great! 

I am also a 'walker' - or was, until I was hit by hip bursitis in the spring.  And this reminds me to remind others to stretch.  I was walking for about 50 minutes a day.  (I don't have a pedometer.)  To make a long story short, my hip bursitis was a result of inflammation of the IT band, the ileo-tibia muscle that is on the outside of the thigh from the hip to the knee.  After two bouts of this and therapy, it was an astute therapist on the second round who pressed on my outer thigh which made me see stars.  This was confusing to me because I was in therapy for the hip.  She explained the bursitis was the symptom of the IT inflammation/strain and that was caused by not stretching before or after my walking.  So, all this time I had been treating the symptom but not the cause - and it was my second therapist who explained this cause/effect, not the doctor.  Previously the doctor prescribed prednisone pills and then a cortisone shot and other therapy but the pain returned.  If I had spent time stretching, I wouldn't have aggravated that muscle and the muscle wouldn't have bothered the bursa in the hips.  Live and learn!

Walking is free.  It also gets you outside into fresh air.  It helps your circulation, is easy on the joints, helps blood pressure and the heart and blood sugar.  It also helps our 'mood'.  Make sure you have proper walking shoes.  I did go to an athletic shoe store and was fitted with some 'tennis' shoes, which are a size or half a size larger than I would normally buy because, as the lady explained, our feet will swell with all this activity and you don't want to cramp your toes and feet.  And don't wear cotton socks because they keep moisture which is bad for your feet.

So, Tony, I'm very glad for your success!  Thanks for the updates, too, because they help all of us understand the process you're going through with this medication. 

I got a prescription for Bydureon but have clo clue how to use it so I have to go to the pharmacy to find out...

I had planned to start this last week but got sick with the flu and had to postpone it. Still not feeling well so dont know exactly when I will start it

Did you get nauseaus or anything? Any side effects?



I too HATE Victoza. It put me n the hospital twice with pancreatitis before anyone figured out it was the Victoza. Also, I think it destroyed my pancreas as I wasnt on on insulin shots until after the Victoza fiasco.

Yes I am on insulin. My family dr prescribed Victoza. But he retired, so I got a new family dr who is also diabetic and he prescribed the Bydureon.

well I have an appt with my family dr on Nov 9 so maybe I will just put it off til I talk to him. I searched the web after reading your post and discovered you are right...
I also need to go to the pharmacy this afternoon and I am going to talk to the pharmacist just to see what he has to say.


Ever since I have been on insulin, I am hungry ALL THE TIME. It never goes away.
I was hoping the Bydureon might help that.

Actually I was on Victoza before I was on insulin, it caused me so many problems. I do believe that is how I ended up on insulin.