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Eating Dinner Out/Byetta Question

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Posted 4/23/2007 3:34 PM (GMT 0)
Does anyone know what to do if you are having dinner out at 6PM - but leaving the house at 4PM. Can you take byetta before you leave at 4 or should you take it with you and take it at 5pm? Also, as long as it is not hot outside, can you carry the byetta pen in your purse?
Thanks!! eyes
(I fixed your subject so the Byetta peeps would find it. ~Jeannie)

Post Edited By Moderator (Jeannie143) : 4/24/2007 12:43:46 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 4/24/2007 12:59 AM (GMT 0)
Hi nq46....not sure of the timing of Byetta but, as a Type1, I have no problem bringing my insulin pen out with me and injecting when I need to. I would think carrying Byetta pen in your purse would be fine, especially for a short duration.
Posted 5/30/2007 4:40 PM (GMT 0)
I carry mine in my purse if we are going to be eating out. The pen can now be left at room temp after you use it the first time. So as long as you don't leave it in a really hot place I think it would be fine.
Posted 5/30/2007 11:07 PM (GMT 0)
You might want to read your paperwork that comes with the pen. it tells you a lot of this stuff as well as the main website. I had to read it all a bunch of times when I first got it to try and absorb it. some people who have been on byetta long term have said different things. Personally I would try and stick to what the suggestions are by your dr. and the paperwork until you get comfortable with it.

The site states that after first use you can have the pen in temps no higher than 77 degrees.

I have carried mine in my purse. I have read somewhere that you can buy a special bag or something to carry it in for long term use.

But remember Byetta is NOT insulin so I wouldn't compare it to what people can do with insulin. Two totally different meds doing totally different things.

I keep my pen in the fridge between use because I live in S. California and it can get up over 80 in my house daily rather quickly. I pay 50 bucks a month for this and it isn't going to be worth it to me to ruin the pen in high heat and not have the effects of the medicine (ruin the medicine itself).

Hope that helps a bit. I think the site is byetta.com they have stuff there on going out for dinner.

How long did your DR. suggest you wait before eating after injection? Mine gave the hour and that is usually what I do.

Hugs,

Julia
Posted 6/2/2007 3:10 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Nq46,

Well, what you do depends on if that schedule is a regular thing or a once in a while occurance.  If you leave at 4pm for dinner at 6pm once in a while, having your shot when you get back won't kill you.  The shot is there to ameliorate the spike and do some other things in the process, but better late than never.  On the other hand, if this is going to be a regular thingy, you may want to consider different ways to take your byetta with you.  The byetta travel pack that Lily gives you as a freebie is really nice by only good for a few hours.  I have a small case I put frozen ice packs in and then put the pen in its original box that it came with inside the carrier with the ice and it stays just fine for more than a day. 

scool  Warren

Posted 6/2/2007 8:27 PM (GMT 0)
I took Byetta and it made me seriously ill and had to stop taking it.  A friend takes it and it makes him burp often
Posted 6/2/2007 10:30 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Warren, do I need to contact Lily to request the freebie carry box?

Also when you say you put the pen in the original box it came in and then in your special carry case... are you referring to the original box as the cardboard box it comes in from the pharmacy? I have only had one pen so still getting all this stuff down.

I travel to Europe from Los Angeles with 2 flight changes (over 20 hours travel but hey the tickets were free) in September and am nervous about keeping the pen cool over such a long period and with 3 airports.

thanks so much for all your great byetta posts. You have helped me alot as I have gone back and read through all the posts and learned good tips!

Thanks,

Julia

PS. Like Warren said and I had read from him prior, I too have found myself "caught out" and ended up taking my shot right when I got home after dinner and have been fine.
Posted 6/3/2007 12:02 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Julia,

I've been using Byetta for over a year and Lily used to offer a small carrying case that had gel packs in it. You put this in the fridge and it would keep your byetta cool for up to 4 hours. I don't think they offer that kind of case anymore but they do offer a free case for registering. Byetta_Case should take you to the site for registering.

Now..I went to the local K-mart and bought a small insulated travel case; the kind you use to keep a six pack cold. I then got some cold packs that you put in the freezer and when they are frozen I put a big one on the bottom and smaller ones on the sides and top. In between this ice sandwich I put the orginal byetta box with its plastic tray. This provides an excellent insulation barrier for the pen so that when you put it in an "ice sandwich" for traveling, you can't accidently freeze it. This method will keep my byetta at refrigerator temperatures for well over a day as long as I keep the case closed!!

A note on keeping Byetta at room temperature. Lily says you can have Byetta at UP TO 77 degrees for NO MORE than 144 hours cumulative!!! So thats about 6 days cumulative out of a month before it goes bad. For as much as this stuff costs and as fragile as it really is, I wouldn't risk leaving it out of cold storage; period!! I've always kept mine refrigerated and will always continue to do so.

Warren
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