Guest guest Posted June 3, 2005 Report Share Posted June 3, 2005 With the FDA's track record of pulling drugs for serious & even fatal flaws after a few years, I'm not sure I want to be one of the first to use " any " of the new ones. That would put me into the classification of a " laboratory rat " ! Seriously, I told my Dr that when he's tried to put me on a new drug & he's sympathetic & agrees that in today's world, it's risky. What is so magical about this new drug that there's a rush to use it instead of one of the tried & true that have already proved themselves for years? But, then, we all have choices to make. Maybe this is the drug for you! , T2, etc............ >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I finally had to have my pharmacy special order the Byetta. This is so new it's not even in-store yet. It's a little scary to be one of the first to try it. Has anyone heard of this, good or bad? Anything? The only side effects that I have read are hypo's and nausea. My doc told me I might have to stop my Amaryl. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=23621 Kat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 3, 2005 Report Share Posted June 3, 2005 > http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=23621 > > Kat ------------ I read this article about Byetta. Sounds like another sulf in injectable form, and recommended to be administered in conjunction with an oral sulf. Byetta is supposed to stimulate the pancreas to provide insulin only when blood glucose is high. This stuff is going to require a serious and consistent program of testing - every day, especially when taken together with oral meds. And what level of bg does Byetta consider to be " high " ? I'd think you'd have to be testing hourly for a while. High might be 110, or it might not kick in until you've gone over 180 - any information on those results? This stuff comes prepackaged in 5 or 10 unit pens and cannot be customized. The only way to adjust dosage is to increase or decrease the oral sulf. They are obviously worried about, and warning about, hypos. Keep glucose tabs handy at all times, along with your meter. Before I'd even think about this stuff I'd be researching the manufacturer's websites for an action profile graph and some chart results on the test patients bg patterns. Kat, you're going to HAVE TO TEST, even and especially on pizza/beer/bread days - your danger of hypo will be increased following a large ingestion of carbs - the crashes could be spectacular. IMO CarolR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 3, 2005 Report Share Posted June 3, 2005 >I read this article about Byetta. Sounds like another sulf in injectable form, and recommended to be administered in conjunction with an oral sulf. Byetta is supposed to stimulate the pancreas to provide insulin only when blood glucose is high. This stuff is going to require a serious and consistent program of testing - every day, especially when taken together with oral meds. And what level of bg does Byetta consider to be " high " ? I'd think you'd have to be testing hourly for a while. High might be 110, or it might not kick in until you've gone over 180 - any information on those results? This stuff comes prepackaged in 5 or 10 unit pens and cannot be customized. The only way to adjust dosage is to increase or decrease the oral sulf. They are obviously worried about, and warning about, hypos. Keep glucose tabs handy at all times, along with your meter. Before I'd even think about this stuff I'd be researching the manufacturer's websites for an action profile graph and some chart results on the test patients bg patterns. Thank you for your thoughts on this. I will not start it until I am home everyday and can test often. Kat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 22, 2005 Report Share Posted June 22, 2005 My endo won't talk about it until she talks to the sales rep. But I want to try it. > Has anyone tried this yet and if so hows it working, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 22, 2005 Report Share Posted June 22, 2005 Has anyone tried this yet and if so hows it working, Hi , I am currently using Byetta. So far it seems to be working well for me. I am not as hungry as I was when I was using Novolog. I am not experiencing any side effects. I have not been able to stop any other drugs. My doctor said to watch for lows, but that is not a problem here. Are you using it yet or are you thinking of trying it? I would like to hear from anyone else who is using it. Kat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 25, 2005 Report Share Posted June 25, 2005 From what I've read about it, it sounds like a sulf to me. I haven't read anything yet that would tell me why it's better to inject the sulf when you could just take the pill. But then, I need things simple. CarolR snazziest2000 wrote: > Everything I've read about byetta says that it's for type 2s not > controlled on pills, but not for those on insulin. Is that because it > stimulates the pancreas to produce insulin? Is it like a sulf in that > sense? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 25, 2005 Report Share Posted June 25, 2005 snazziest2000 wrote: > Everything I've read about byetta says that it's for type 2s not > controlled on pills, but not for those on insulin. Is that because it > stimulates the pancreas to produce insulin? Is it like a sulf in that > sense? Apparently so. It stimulates the pancreas, however, in some way that seems like magic to me, it only does that when your bgs are high. In that way, it doesn't cause hypos. www.byetta.com Edd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 25, 2005 Report Share Posted June 25, 2005 Like I said before - how high is high? And how does it know? " Never trust anything that thinks for itself if you can't see where it keeps it brain " - Weasley CarolR Edd wrote: > Apparently so. It stimulates the pancreas, however, in some way > that seems like magic to me, it only does that when your bgs are high. > In that way, it doesn't cause hypos. > > > www.byetta.com > > > Edd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 25, 2005 Report Share Posted June 25, 2005 Carol wrote: > Like I said before - how high is high? And how does it know? " Never > trust anything that thinks for itself if you can't see where it keeps it > brain " - Weasley That redheaded rascal, Weasley, is a wise man. ;-) I don't know how high or how it knows. It's just what I've read about the drug. I found the following on the Byetta web site. Sounds like a miracle drug. I guess we should all have been bolder about kissing frogs and other reptiles. " BYETTA works with pills like Glucophage® (metformin) and/or sulfonylureas like Amaryl® (glimepiride), Glucotrol® (glipizide), Micronase® (glyburide), and others to help with blood sugar problems in several ways: * Insulin production: BYETTA signals your pancreas to make the right amount of insulin after meals to help lower blood sugar closer to normal levels -- then stops causing the pancreas to produce more insulin after blood sugar levels get closer to normal. * Sugar production: BYETTA helps stop your liver from producing too much sugar when you don't need it -- helping you avoid high blood sugar levels. * Sugar digestion: BYETTA helps slow down the rate at which sugar enters your bloodstream -- also helping you avoid high blood sugar spikes. BYETTA may give you better control of your blood sugar by helping your body manage its own blood sugar levels. BYETTA works when you need it -- not when you don't. " Edd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 25, 2005 Report Share Posted June 25, 2005 Carol wrote: > Like I said before - how high is high? And how does it know? " Never > trust anything that thinks for itself if you can't see where it keeps it > brain " - Weasley > > Here is some information I found at the Byetta web site: Patient Information BYETTA™ (bye-A-tuh) exenatide injection Read this Patient Information and the Pen User Manual that come with BYETTA before you start using it and each time you get a refill. There may be new information. This Patient Information does not take the place of talking with your healthcare provider about your medical condition or your treatment. If you have questions about BYETTA after reading this information, ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist. What is BYETTA? BYETTA is an injectable medicine used to improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes. BYETTA is used with metformin or another type of antidiabetic medicine called sulfonylureas. It may also be used with a combination of metformin and a sulfonylurea. There are many antidiabetic medicines that contain a sulfonylurea. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist if you are not sure if your antidiabetic medicine contains a sulfonylurea. BYETTA is not a substitute for insulin in patients whose diabetes requires insulin treatment. BYETTA has not been studied in children. Who should not use BYETTA? Do not use BYETTA if: You are allergic to exenatide or any of the other ingredients in BYETTA. See the end of this Patient Information for a complete list of ingredients. • • • • What should I tell my healthcare provider before using BYETTA? Tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions including if you: Have severe problems with your stomach (gastroparesis) or food digestion. BYETTA slows stomach emptying so food passes more slowly through your stomach. Have severe kidney disease or you are on dialysis. Are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. It is not known if BYETTA may harm your unborn child. Are breastfeeding. It is not known if BYETTA passes into your milk and can harm your child. • • • • • Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. BYETTA slows stomach emptying and can affect medicines that need to pass through the stomach quickly. Ask your healthcare provider if the time at which you take any of your oral medicines (for example, birth control pills, antibiotics) should be changed. Know the medicines you take. Keep a list of them with you to show your healthcare provider and pharmacist each time you get a new medicine. How should I use BYETTA? See the accompanying Pen User Manual for instructions for using the BYETTA Pen and injecting BYETTA. BYETTA comes in a prefilled pen. Two prefilled pens (5 mcg or 10 mcg) are available, depending on your prescribed dose (5 mcg or 10 mcg, twice a day). Each pen has 60 doses to provide 30 days of twice–a–day injections. You must do a “New Pen Set-Up†(see User Manual) one time only, when starting a new prefilled BYETTA Pen. If you do this “New Pen Set-Up†before each injection, you will run out of medicine before 30 days. Use BYETTA exactly as prescribed by your healthcare provider. Your dose may be increased after using BYETTA for 30 days. Do not change your dose unless your healthcare provider has told you to change your dose. Your healthcare provider must teach you how to inject BYETTA before you use it for the first time. If you have questions or do not understand the instructions, talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist. Pen needles are not included. Ask your healthcare provider which needle length and gauge is best for you. Inject your dose of BYETTA under the skin (subcutaneous injection) of your upper leg (thigh), stomach area (abdomen), or upper arm. BYETTA is injected, twice a day, at any time within the 60 minutes (1 hour) before your morning and evening meals. Do not take BYETTA after your meal. If you miss a dose of BYETTA, skip that dose and take your next dose at the next prescribed time. Do not take an extra dose or increase the amount of your next dose to make up for the one you missed. • If you use too much BYETTA, call your healthcare provider or poison control center right away. You may need medical treatment right away. Too much BYETTA can cause nausea, vomiting, dizziness, or symptoms of low blood sugar. What are the possible side effects of BYETTA? When BYETTA is used with a medicine that contains a sulfonylurea, low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) can occur. The dose of your sulfonylurea medicine may need to be reduced while you use BYETTA. The signs and symptoms of low blood sugar may include headache, drowsiness, weakness, dizziness, confusion, irritability, hunger, fast heartbeat, sweating, and feeling jittery. Your healthcare provider should tell you how to treat low blood sugar. The most common side effects with BYETTA include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, headache, feeling jittery, and acid stomach. Nausea is most common when first starting BYETTA, but decreases over time in most patients. BYETTA may reduce your appetite, the amount of food you eat, and your weight. No changes in your dose are needed for these side effects. Talk to your healthcare provider about any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away. These are not all the side effects with BYETTA. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for more information. How should I store BYETTA? Store your new, unused BYETTA Pen in the original carton in a refrigerator at 36̊F to 46̊F (2̊C to 8ºC) protected from light. Do not freeze. Throw away any BYETTA Pen that has been frozen. • • • • • • Once in use, your BYETTA Pen also should be kept refrigerated or kept cold at 36̊F to 46̊F (2̊C to 8ºC). Use a BYETTA Pen for only 30 days. Throw away a used BYETTA Pen after 30 days, even if some medicine remains in the pen. BYETTA should not be used after the expiration date printed on the label. Do not store the BYETTA Pen with the needle attached. If the needle is left on, medicine may leak from the BYETTA Pen or air bubbles may form in the cartridge. Keep your BYETTA Pen, pen needles, and all medicines out of the reach of children. General information about BYETTA Medicines are sometimes prescribed for conditions that are not listed in the Patient Information. Do not use BYETTA for a condition for which it was not prescribed. Do not give BYETTA to other people, even if they have the same symptoms you have. It may harm them. Your food and exercise plan, along with your periodic blood sugar testing and scheduled A1C (also known as HbA1C) checks, will continue to be important in managing your diabetes while you are taking BYETTA. This Patient Information includes the most important information you should know about using BYETTA. If you would like more information, talk with your healthcare provider. You can ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for information about BYETTA that is written for health professionals. More information on BYETTA can be found at http://www.BYETTA.com. BYETTA Customer Service is available 24 hours a day at 1-. What are the ingredients in BYETTA? Active Ingredient: exenatide Inactive Ingredients: metacresol, mannitol, glacial acetic acid, and sodium acetate trihydrate in water for injection. Manufactured for Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc., San Diego, CA 92121 Marketed by Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Eli Lilly and Company Literature Issued April 2005 .. 2005 Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 823001-BB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 25, 2005 Report Share Posted June 25, 2005 It was either the FDA data sheet, or the proscribing data sheet from the vendor, but one of them said that Byetta caused you to produce insulin only when your sugar was high, not when it was low. This is different than a sulf, which I understand forces insulin production regardless of your sugar level. > > Everything I've read about byetta says that it's for type 2s not > > controlled on pills, but not for those on insulin. Is that because it > > stimulates the pancreas to produce insulin? Is it like a sulf in that > > sense? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 25, 2005 Report Share Posted June 25, 2005 > > It stimulates the pancreas, however, in some way > that seems like magic to me, it only does that when your bgs are high. > In that way, it doesn't cause hypos. The same claim is made of Prandin by its manufacturer. More precisely, that claim WAS made in the U.S. and continues to be made elsewhere. But, the claim fell short of reality for both the U.S. FDA and me. Here's hoping that the claim bears up for Byetta and its users. Cheers, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 25, 2005 Report Share Posted June 25, 2005 From the FDA web site: http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/InfoSheets/patient/exenatidePIS.htm Byetta can cause low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) when used with a medicine that contains a sulfonylurea. The dose of your sulfonylurea medicine may need to be reduced while you use Byetta. The signs and symptoms of low blood sugar may include headache, drowsiness, weakness, dizziness, confusion, irritability, hunger, fast heartbeat, sweating, and feeling jittery. Your healthcare professional should tell you how to treat low blood sugar. The most common side effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, headache, feeling jittery, and acid stomach. Nausea is most common when first starting Byetta, but decreases over time in most patients. From http://www.byetta.com/index.jsp BYETTA is the first in a new class of medicines called incretin mimetics. BYETTA (bye-A-tuh) exhibits many of the same glucoregulatory actions of GLP-1*, a naturally occurring incretin hormone. Going further into that site, BYETTAâ„¢ (exenatide) injection is the first in a new class of drugs for the treatment of type 2 diabetes called incretin mimetics. Exenatide is a synthetic version of exendin-4, a naturally-occurring hormone. The amino acid sequence of exenatide partially overlaps that of the human incretin hormone GLP-1, but has a longer half-life than native GLP-1. Exenatide has been shown to bind and activate the known human GLP-1 receptor in vitro. Having many of the same glucoregulatory effects as GLP-1, BYETTA mimics natural physiology for self-regulating glycemic control. From other reading, GLP-1 causes your insulin production to go up when your sugars are high, but does nothing when your sugars are low. Does that answer your question? > > > Apparently so. It stimulates the pancreas, however, in some way > > that seems like magic to me, it only does that when your bgs are high. > > In that way, it doesn't cause hypos. > > > > > > www.byetta.com > > > > > > Edd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 7, 2006 Report Share Posted September 7, 2006 I was on Byetta. It helps control the blood sugar, but I didn't lose weight. After a while, I could not keep my food down. I am now on Symlin. I am trying to get in control for the surgery. Having the surgery was my decision, not my endocrinologist - Though I have talked to her about this before and at that time she felt I could do it on my own - that was three years ago....and 10 pounds more ago. The last time I saw her I told her that I was going ahead with the surgery - she didn't take it to much importance. So I asked the question " what happens to my pancreas after WLS " . She answered that the reason people come off medications is that there is minimal food for the pancreas to work with. Therefore lowered blood sugars. My next question was " so as I get older, I could need medication again " ...her answer was yes. You still need to check your sugar and still would have see your doctors and get your Hemoglobin A1C test. The surgery is not a cure for diabetes, but it is a tool to lower the blood sugar. After the surgery, I will still have to watch what I eat and exercise. Hang in there! Jackie wrote: Okay, so I went to my Endocrinologist appt yesterday. He did all of the standard stuff, blahblahblah. He was actually very smart and the entire appt. was quite educational. So, he suggested that I try Byetta (www.byetta.com) for awhile and see if that doesn't help before having the surgery. Now, mind you, this is the Endo that works with the surgeon. I don't know why he'd be discouraging the surgery? He also gave me an insulin sensitizing diet and told me to walk 15 min after lunch and dinner. I guess my questions are these..... Should I try it? It's suppose to work as well as having the surgery. Also, has anyone here used it? I keep reading all of these negative things about the GB, so I'm getting nervous. (hypoglycemia, gaining the weight back, etc..) Thanks! xxoo 296lbs, 38 years old Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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