Byetta

Hi Elxlirice,

I'm so sorry you're suffering from the Lizard Bite. Hang in there; in most cases its just a matter of time before it gets better! 

Now, as to that partially unused pen of yours.  My Endocrinologist told me to go ahead and just use it up regardless of if it had been 30 days or not. (personally I think this is how the drug company keeps you current with your perscription and gets you new drugs so that you don't ever run out).  I'm reasonably sure that you're meds don't go bad on the 30th or even the 40th day.  My heath care provider ships me 3 pens or a 90 day supply at a time.  I order 3 new pens after 60 days so typically Im getting to the last pen after its been in the fridge for 120 days prior to my first use.  If it broke down in 30 days Im sure they wouldn't send me 3 pens at a time!!!  So go ahead and use the extra thats left next time you have a need!!

Warren

Has anyone heard anything about hives or other allergic reactions occuring due to use of Byetta and Metformin together? I have been experiencing severe hives, and am trying to pinpoint what exactly the cause is-already ruled out new foods, laundry detergents, etc... I went to a dermatologist and she said that she thinks it's because of the metformin, because it can cause some people to have rashes, but I've been taking metformin for 3+ years and never had a problem before. I recently just started using the 10 mcg pen... Could there be a connection? Thanks in advance!

-Lisa Marie

Post Edited (ElixirIce) : 12/28/2005 3:14:58 PM (GMT-7)

Jeannie 143(forum moderator),
Iam a new member and iam really thrilled at the to and fro discussions going on about Byetta which are very informative.Iam a medical professional with type 2 diabetes residing in India;Byetta hasn't hit our shores yet.I have read volumes of theory on Byetta,but nothing compares to the practical experiences shared in the forum.I think iam already learning a lot of practical points from all the write-in's and i feel really previleged to be a member.
sharer

Hello!  I was diagnosed with Insulin Resistance a little over a year ago.  Although I have no been diagnosed with Diabetes, my Endo has decided to put me on Byetta as my metformin has stopped working.  I was wondering if anyone else is being treated like this??  If so, what can I expect?

 

Thanks,

Tiffany

Air bubbles are ok.  They don't hurt anything.

As far as your numbers go, you probably need more oral meds than just the metformin.  Many of us do.  Then after some weight loss and upping to the 10 mcg dose, you can gradually cut them out.  Talk to your endo right away and ask if you can be started on something else.

I take Amaryl before bed and that brings my morning sugars down nicely and they stay low all day.  It also doesn't cause the water retention that some of the other oral meds do. 

Hi

I have just picked up my Byetta and I can't wait to start......the problem is my INTERNIST had never heard of it - and I live in the  Norttheast in a Metropolitan area!  I had to tell him about it etc etc.  Now I feel at a loss because I have questions and he won't know the answers.  Can any of you help?  Here are my questions.   First of all let me say that when prescribing Byetta, he decided he should change my Glucophage from 850 twice a day to 500 mg twice a day.

How many hours should there be between doses of Byetta?  Is it always before breakfast and dinner?

Do you take the Glucophage at the same meals that you take the Byetta?

What type of patients should use the shorter needle and who does better with the longer needle?

Is it delivered better in the abdomen?Thanks for any help you can give me.

Prosper

Thanks Warren.
I am confused though - I thought that I needed to take the glucophage with food - if I take the glucophage 1/2 hour before I take the Byetta that would go against the way I was told to take the glucophage.
Yes, he did start me on the 5mcg with 2 refills. I hope that I get good results on the 5mcg so that I don't jump to the 10mcg too quickly...I have high hopes that this medication will work well long term!

So tomorrow will be the big day for me to start! Thank you so much for your help Warren. This site is great and very reassuring. Prosper

Actually desertdiabetic is right in that glucophage is usually taken with meals.  My concern was particularly that the glucophage didn't get caught up in the stomach emptying delay mechanism.  Here's what I do.....I take my oral meds, one of which has glucophage and my byetta at the same time.  THEN I prepare my breakfast or my dinner.  By the time I've done this 15-30 mins has gone by and I am ready to eat.  Seems to work without any complications.  By my taking all the meds at the same time they seem to get through my stomach before the byetta really affects them.  So far so good as my Byetta really pulls my BS down after a meal.  However, I've taken the meds with a meal and even after a meal (having forgotten) and everything seems to still work out fine.

If the glucophage bothers you on an empty stomach it certainly won't hurt you to take it with dinner.

 Warren

Hello again,

Well, I finally took my first Byetta 5 mcg tonight......and I don't feel anything.  Is it correct that I couldn't see anything in the pen?  It looked empty to me, although when I did the first time set up test, a small droplet was on the end of the needle.  Should it have been just a small drop, or was it not working fine?

The needle itself was so painless that I am wondering if any of the serum went in - it all seems so invisible.  I gave myself the shot in the abdomen.  I took the shot about 15 minutes before eating dinner - took my glucophage about 15 minutes before that.  In reading the byetta blogs, I have seen some where people say they had a defective pen...I just paid $156.00 dollars for this one I want to be sure it was full and working!!    So if anyone can advise if there is another way to be sure the serum is coming out in the proper amount, I would appreciate it.  Also, does it matter that I used the very short needle and used it on a fleshy part of my abdomen...does it get through!!!???  Thanks for your help.

Prosper

Thanks Warren

I will do as you say tomorrow morning.  I do have terrible prescription insurance and this expense is hard to take.  The prescription insurance Aetna only paid about $35.00 leaving me a balance of $156.00 at Walgreens.

Prosper

Prosper said...

Hello again,

Well, I finally took my first Byetta 5 mcg tonight......and I don't feel anything.  Is it correct that I couldn't see anything in the pen?  It looked empty to me, although when I did the first time set up test, a small droplet was on the end of the needle.  Should it have been just a small drop, or was it not working fine?

The needle itself was so painless that I am wondering if any of the serum went in - it all seems so invisible.  I gave myself the shot in the abdomen.  I took the shot about 15 minutes before eating dinner - took my glucophage about 15 minutes before that.  In reading the byetta blogs, I have seen some where people say they had a defective pen...I just paid $156.00 dollars for this one I want to be sure it was full and working!!    So if anyone can advise if there is another way to be sure the serum is coming out in the proper amount, I would appreciate it.  Also, does it matter that I used the very short needle and used it on a fleshy part of my abdomen...does it get through!!!???  Thanks for your help.

Prosper

That happened to me the first couple days I used it.  I actually had to do the "new pen setup" a second time and then all of a sudden there was byetta shooting out the top onto my hands.  The needles are very small and dont hurt at all, something I was concerned with.  If you are anything like, me, it may take a couple weeks to see your numbers drop.  I am still having high numbers, they will likely up my medication when I go back on the 26th.  I was also concerned with wondering if there was any medication in the pen but then I saw air bubbles (which someone on here advised that they are not a problem) and knew there was substance in there.  Once you get about two weeks into the pen or so, you will see that there is something from the bottom that starts to rise.

Sorry to hear your insurance didnt cover much of the pen; I was fortunate and only had to pay a $50 co-pay.  The pen will likely help you with your hunger if that is a problem for you; it was for me.  I find often that I dont get as hungry anymore and since I started two weeks ago, I have already lost 3.5 pounds.

Best of luck,

Sarah

Prosper,

I just wanted to remind you (I mentioned it earlier in this thread); since you are paying so much for your Byetta, please please make sure you use it all up!! DO NOT toss the pen at the end of 30 days as the instructions say. If you have more Byetta left, it doesn't magically self destruct at the 1 month mark. Use it all up and get your moneys worth.
Warren
------------------------
Just want to add something important here to Warren's post. Although this practice is not medically endorsed (using the med over a month after opening) it is possible to keep using the med as long as your blood glucose readings indicate the medicine is working. Discuss this with your doctor so they understand that you are doing this to save money. Ask them if there are any other guidelines you should follow to be sure that the drug is still effective. I have received permission to do this with my Lantus insulin from my doctor and she told me that I should be sure to keep it refrigerated as long as I'm using it (even though the med classes I took said room temp is ok.) Always keep your doctor informed if you are using a medicine in a way other than prescribed. That way, if some lab results are off kilter your doc can figure the med variable into the equation.

Post Edited By Moderator (Jeannie143) : 1/15/2006 2:31:03 AM (GMT-7)

Hi gilly girl,

THATS GREAT!!! You've potentially missed the biggest drawback to this drug!  I'm going to pass on my own observations.  These are by no means facts in that these are just things that happen to me in using Byetta.

I find that if I overload on carbs for a meal that I've taken the Byetta before, I will get queezy and a touch nauseous.  I'm like you in that I really don't have any side effects from the drug.  Pizza, hashed brown potatoes, stuff I really shouldn't eat anyway, will at this point, ALWAYS make me queezy after the meal.  If I don't do these through the roof type carb meals, I'm just fine.  So for what thats worth, watch the pizza!!!

Warren