My Byetta Progress Report

I started Byetta about two weeks ago... and after a week had lost 4 pounds. Then I went on vacation and, just back, see I have gained 2 pounds back! I knew I was eating more while travelling... so am not too surprised... but it prompts me to ask you: what sort of dieting have you been doing since you started Byetta? Clearly it isn't just the drug that makes you lose weight (more like the lowered appetite combined with dieting)... I would be thrilled to lose 30 pounds on this drug over the next few months and if you have any advice on how to maximize that aspect of Byetta, do tell.

I started on byetta about six months ago. Lost a few pounds but nothing too dramatic. Then I switched to the 10 mg dose. Major change! During the past 4 months I've lost 34 lbs. and am virtually never hungry (I've got another 35 to go and I'm sure I'll get there) Truly a miracle.

Hi Mindi..I just found this blog and think it is great. I started byetta 6 months ago and have the same results as most all..including you. What I found in my 3rd month, being a compulsive overeater, that my stomach could handle small high calorie snacks. I too gained 3 lbs the 3rd month. My doctor was not please nor I. I am now back on the 1500 call and maximum 1800 cal diet on "off" days. And weight loss is rapidly resuming. It is easy for some of us to forget the high calorie thing. My diet is high in protein and fiber, moderate in carbs. It is becoming a joy to eat a small piece of fruit (my diabetes wouldn't let me have that before byetta) I'm very reactive to the high glycemic index. But the fruit is so much better for me than pastry, a no no anyway. My recent labs and weight showed 35 lbs down now and my glucophage was just cut in half and the doctor says once my weight is under 200 my body will probably have enough insulin for it's size. There's hope for sure! I've been obese all my life so this is exciting and hopeful. Hope this helps someone else like me..too. :)

With Byetta slowing down the digesting of food , did you exoerince any side effects such as constipation or obstruction in the bowels?

This is my second day. I feel terrible. Last night I kept vomiting. Today I am sick stomach. I know that the outcome will be good, but it seems like it is a difficult way to get there. My last A1C was 5.5 I thouhgt that was good. I am wondering if my ddiabetes type 2 is all that bad. I go to the doctor today so of course I will ask. The thing that sounds great about byetta is the weight lost. I can see the lost of weight especially if you are vomiting all the time.

One reason why you may feel "never hungry" is because Byetta may induce gastroparesis, which makes you feel full all the time. I endeded up on a liquid diet on Byetta. Felt so full all the time I couldn't eat at all. Every person taking Byetta should get a GASTRIC EMPTYING STUDY done before going on this medicine to rule out any gastroparesis at all. If you start gagging or feel nauseaus, then you need to get the GES study asap. See: http://www.digestivedistress.com/byetta_symlin.html

DAVID HAVE BEEN ON BYETTA 3 WEEKSNOW ...SO FAR ALL MT POST PRADIAL NUBERS ARE VERY GOOD 112 130 BUT MY AM IS STILL 140 TO 150 I THOUGHT YOU HAD MENTIONED YOU ALSO HAVE THE 'DAWN EFFECT' AND THE BYETTA HELPED BRING THAT # DOWN...EVEN BEFORE BYETTA I TRIED SWITCHING THE TIME I TOOK MY METAFORMIN OR EATING A LIGHT PROTIEN BEFOR BED BUT IT'S ALWAYS BEN 130 TO 150 AT 5;30AM ANY IDEASTRUDY DAVID'S RESPONSE: My experience, Trudy, is that my fasting numbers are more a reflection of my numbers the night before, and as Byetta has brought down my numbers in general, my fasting numbers are also much better.

I have been on Byetta for 3 weeks. I have not had trouble with nausea or any noticeable side affects. I have a liquid breakfast and a senseable lunch and dinner-NO WEIGHT LOSS! I do not snack or eat inbetween meals. The only real difference is that I am more depressed tham when I started.

Hi, I started the 5 pen last month, had no side effects and lost 5 pounds. I still take 750mg of metformin and 10mg of gluburide daily). My bg readings were still elevated so my doctor put me on the 10 pen last week. I have been nauseated almost constantly, feel totally exhausted and have had a severe headache. My bg readings are better and I am not hungry. I do find it difficult to function, however. I slept the entire day today. I have asked my doctor for an anti-nausea medication and he says it is most likely a side effect that will go away. I want to stay on Byetta because for the first time in a long, long time, I feel encouraged! Please comment on how long I can expect this horrible side effects to last. Thanks--this website has been very helpful. David's Response: The side effects of Byetta almost always diminish soon, Beth. Please read "Controlling Nausea on Byetta" at http://blogs.healthcentral.com/diabetes/david-mendosa/controlling-nausea-on-byetta-2006-08-08/print

I started on Byetta on 9/8. Four days ago I quit taking it. I cannot tolerate the GI upset. I get nauseated with every single thing I eat, no matter how bland. I have other GI symptoms lasting an entire day, every 3-4 days, incapacitating in nature. Today is Monday; on Thursday I stopped taking everything. I am feeling so much better, I actually at an entire (small) meal at lunch and haven't been in the john since! This week I see my doctor & will tell him what I did, and why. I love the weight loss (10 lbs. over 6 weeks) but I was so miserable I can't describe how it felt, day in, day out. To top that, my numbers this morning are better off all meds, than they were last week on the meds!Let's see what my numbers are and what my doc says. Likely he'll put me back on everything and I'll have it to do all over again, but I'm hopeful maybe that he will not. Thanks for letting me vent.

I currently take metformin but am alergic to sulfonylurea drugs. My blood sugars are still rising and so I expect my A1C will be up from the last reading of 7.4, the Doctor says he will put me on Byetta when I go in later this month if my A1C is still 7.4. I have read your articles and understand now how Byetta works on the blood suger levels, but I still do not have a clear picture of what Byetta is doing to cause some people to loose weight. Can you explain a little bit about this aspect of Byetta. Does it suppress the appetite or does your body's metabolism kick up a little bit or is it something else? David's Response: Yes, Cindy, Byetta suppresses your appetite. That makes it much easier to eat less. You will lose weight on Byetta, if you eat less. But not everyone loses weight. That's because Byetta doesn't make you eat less. You can still eat a lot, although that is what causes the nausea that many people have on Byetta. But if you pay attention to your hunger signals, you will lose weight.

i started byetta last week. I took one shot and was sick for the rest of the week. I dont know if that was a side effect but i guess i will give it another try. I here about alot of people losing weight. I weight 140 and i dont want to lose any more weight. I also have h-phylore and high blood pressure. Does anyone know if i shouldnt take byetta?? i need to know. David's Response: You need very much to discuss your questions about Byetta with your endocrinologist, Debera. Only your doctor and you know enough about your health to make that decision.

Hi David, I am on my fourth week of Byetta 5 mg. Except for intial fatigue, I have been free of most side effects until this weekend when I broke out in itchy welts at my injection site. I changed sites and applied aloe vera to the welts, which are becoming much less red and irritating. Have you heard of this reaction before? By the way, thank you for your research and articles. They have been a tremendous resource for me. -Kathi David's Response: I think that there are a couple of other comments on some of my blog entries about itchy welts at the Byetta injection site, Kathi. I know that it does happen to some people. Please call the Byetta customer service line at 1-800-868-1190 for their professional advice.

BYETTA WORKS BY SLOWING YOUR STOMACH DOWN. It literally causes gastroparesis if you have a tendency to get it, which is a very painful and horrible disease. Bringing bowel motility into it doesn't apply. Read the stuff at www.digestivedistress.com and educate yourself on bowel motility. You can have a fast lower motility with a very slow upper motility. This is called a complicated motility. You people who are putting up with nausea and vomiting to be on this drug are sadly deluded. I am starting a website about the BYETTA DANGER: WHAT YOUR DOCTOR WON'T TELL YOU.

Hi, I was pretty excited about the Byetta report on weight loss and supression of appetite. I've been thinking for a while that appetite control is what I need to look at. However, the Byretta website basically says it's only for Type II's who are not on insulin. So I'm thinking there is no way I can get my doctor to prescribe it. Sara

I've been on the Byetta injection over 6 months now and was elated to find something that could help with weight loss and to improve my A1-C (which was 11.0 and uncontrolled). Within the first 3 months my A1-C dropped to 8.1! I have a stubborn metabolic resistance so my weight loss is slow but I am still hopeful. My strange symptom is this: my entire life (nearly 50 years) has been spent very hot-natured, whining about how "hot" it was when the rest of the world was comfortable but in the past two months...I have begun to be uncomfortably COLD. It's as if my body thermostat has dropped 10 degrees. It is totally uncharacteristic for me, and in fact, has my friends and family baffled. I'm wondering since Byetta mimicks Insulin and Insulin is a hormone...is this why I have the brand new "Iceberg syndrome". Anyone else out there with this phenomenon?

i AM ON THE BYETTA AND HAVE NOT REALLY UNDERSTOOD HOW IT WORKS. I AM FATIGUED BUT DIDN'T KNOW IF THAT WAS CAUSING IT. I TAKE 2000 METFORMIN A DAY (along with other meds). I am having trouble with the "system" plugged. Any suggestions? David's Response: The fatigue could be a result of your eating a lot less because of your reduced appetite on Byetta. I experienced that for a couple of weeks myself. But soon my body adjusted to the new diet, and my energy level is now much greater than ever. This too shall pass.

Just wishing everybody the best. From what I can see, some of us are doing good and others are having a rough time with being a little or a lot sick. At 61 - being a 310lb person is a pain and if byetta doesn't do the job, I will have to consider the drastic "gastric bypass". This is something I really don't want to do, but that is life. take care of yourselves

I've been working hard at redecorating my sons house and a lot of times I forget to eat and take my Byetta. I am on the 10 pen and get sick a lot. Does it hurt to miss a day of medicine?? David's reply: While I don't think that it hurts us much to miss a shot or two of Byetta, that does of course mean that we forego the blood glucose control and satiety that it offers. I have missed a shot once or twice myself. I hate to do that, but I don't think that it's a big deal.

I have been on Byetta for about 1 1/2 months. Yesterday morning I did 2 injections (10 pen) and was throwing up for about 2 hours. Felt pukie all day. Took my regular dose last night and again this morning. I have felt sick for most of today and have had diarrhea. Is this something that will wear off? David's Response: Why did you take two injections in the morning, Ellen? Once when I forgot that I had already taken Byetta I took another shot and my stomach was really upset. But the effects do wear off quickly, since Byetta has a half-life of about 6 hours. Of course, some people who stop losing weight on Byetta are indeed taking extra Byetta, as I wrote at http://blogs.healthcentral.com/diabetes/david-mendosa/when-byetta-fails-2006-11-01/print

I started byetta 5 pen five months ago. I immediately improved my fasting AM bg and less appetite with no side effects. I was anticipating a big weight loss and was full of hope. My body tissue got softer and five plus pounds dissapeared only to reappear in two weeks. I started to exercise without the amount of pain I used to experience, but the weight stayed on. My doctor increased my dosage to the 10pen after 3 months of stable weight. Now, two months later, my weight is basically unchanged tho I eat less and am more active. I am ready to give up. All my levels are under controll (I also take metformin and glyburide) but my B/P is elevated when I see my doctor tho relatively normal at other times. Does anyone share my experience? David's Response: There is one thing that I can see that you are doing that is fighting against your weight loss, Sheila. One of the drugs that your doctor prescribed, glyburide, is a sulfonylurea. This class of drug causes weight gain. I wonder if you could go back to your doctor an suggest that you increase your level of metformin and drop the glyburide?

I'm finishing my first month of the Byetta 10 and have notice an itching red welt when I inject in my stomach area. I have not noticed this when I inject in my arm. Has anyone else experienced this? What did you do to relieve the itching? David's Response: Yes, a few people are sensititve to either the Byetta or the stuff that they have to add to the injection. Please contact Byetta support (at www.byetta.com) and/or your doctor.

I just started Byetta 5mcg on 11/16/06. I've had a few incidents of nausea, but not too bad. I haven't seen alot of change yet in my BG other than it is mostly going down from my before testing to my 2 hour after testing metering. I was just diagnosed in late October. My GP sent me to an endo in mid-Nov. The endo took me off Actoplus Met(15/500), put me on Metformin 1000mg at night, and put me on byetta. I've got a question about byetta injection sites. Is everyone using just the abdominal area, or are you switching, or using just the arms or legs? I've seemed to settle for the back of the upper arms. Seems to be the most comfortable site for me. Thanks, Jeff David's Response: There are several possible sites to inject Byetta, but I started with my stomach and stayed there. That works for me because it is the biggest surface!

Anyone having a problem with nausea, from the Byetta, HANG IN THERE! I had the Dawn Phenomenom, even taking the Byetta. I no longer get sick and take a shot of Levemir before I go to bed. If I do feel slightly sick, I chew a minty gum and this takes care of it. I am so thankful for the Byetta and Levemir. I, also, take 4 Glucavance pills a day. My readings are rarely over 200, which I woke up every morning 200 and above. I have good readings all day and night. I went to an Endocrinologist in Florida (The Joslin Center)and have had good readings since. I still have to be very careful and eat properly. I have had very good weight loss and enjoy the compliments. Hang in there you Byetta users!!!

I have been using byetta since July. At first I thought it was the worst drug out there for diabetes. The nausea and flu-like symptoms were unbearable. After about the first 3 months the symptoms started to subside. It does wonders for my blood sugar levels to the point where they get dangerously low. Sometimes I am afraid to go to sleep in fear that they will drop too low during the night. For those of you that are experiencing the initial side effects, yes, do hang in there. It does get better after a while.

Happy Holidays to all. I started Byetta 5 on Thanksgiving Day. When I was diagnosed the first of October, my A1C was 14.1, no wonder I felt as I did. I was dieting and drinking lots of water to curb appetite, so I missed the signs of which I should have recognized as my husband has been diabetic for 40 years. With Byetta and metformin 1000 mg. 2X a day, my numbers are all in the accepted range, rarely do I go over 110 post prandial. Being careful what I eat, and journaling so that I am accountable for what I eat and can see how food affects my levels. I am tolerating Byetta very well, with none of the symtoms that many have. I have been told by Joslin diabetic educators to eat as soon after the injection to minimize side affects, not to wait the hour, also not to overeat, that the overeating will cause the nausea and other side affects. So far for me this has worked, I should be starting the 10 mcg. around the 22 of December, we will see if the 10mcg. gives me the side affects you all write about.

Oh by the way this brings new meaning to the word togetherness, my husband and I sit down to test together, comparing levels and I now understand his Type I problems far better now that I am Type II. What a way to do it, I wish his levels were far more stable, but we are working on them.

I'm really excited! I took my first dose of Byetta yesterday evening and my fasting bs level this morning was 110. Yippee.... I just upped my dosage of Metformin to 1000 mg twice daily and Glipizide 10 Mg twice daily. It thrills me to be able to drop the Insulin because I had begun to gain weight. I lost over 60 lbs within the last two years before being diagnosed with diabetes. And, BTW, I was very pleased with what I looked like in my size 28 A/X jeans :-) Day one with Byetta had e feeling a little odd in the stomach. With all I had read on the symptoms associated with the drug, I made sure to go mellow on dinner; orange lentils with veggies and walnuts for snacks. It is sure easy to feel the slow-down in the "gut-emptying" process. What I ate last night is still with me this morning, but as soon as the coffee heats up, I suspect that things will move along. My doctor didn't think that I would respond so well to the Byetta given the fact that I was on 50 units of Lantus per day and still having difficulty busting down below 200 on the bs meter in the am. Hah.... Amazing what one can find out with the help of Google! It will be interesting to see how things go in the long haul, but for right now, as a brand-spankin' new user, I am extremely excited.

I have been on Byetta for almost 6 months. I have experienced most of the initial complaints. As for nausea, it still happens every now and then, but I'm ok with. All I can say is that the BG #'s are great and just stick with it. I still sometimes get nausea and the welts by the injection site. I've experienced weight loss of about 13 lbs and hoping for 30 more. I don't get hungry, when I eat I share my food and crave healthy food, I find this wierd. Anyone experience this? For those of you just starting, try to eat within 5 - 15 minutes after shot and after eating if nauseated chew on gum. Good luck, for me it's been the best I have felt in a long time. David's reply: Like you, Dora, I have found that I really prefer healthy food a lot more now that I am taking Byetta than before. It's logical too, because I am eating so much less than I was before that I need the food that I eat to be good for me.

I was on Byetta for 9 mo. and never got over the nausea, fatigue, headaches, and brain fog. I did lose 17 lbs. but I think it was from being so sick. I was never able to take the 10 pen. It made me throw up and I was so sick with it. I really wanted to stay on it to lose the weight but was too ill and my sugars stayed high. My doctor has now put me on insulin, actos and metformin and I am doing better but I have agained 3 lbs.

Hello, I will be traveling to Brazil next month, and am concerned about keeping the pen cold. The Byetta travel pack says it only keeps it cold about 3 hours. It's a 10-1/2 hour flight to our connection, then 5 hours waiting at the airport and another 2 hours on another plane just to get to our final destination. Destination is 4 hours ahead of where I live, so I am not as concerned about the time difference and timing my lantus shots and other meds ... just keeping the pen cold! Any ideas would be greatly appreciated! David's reply: Byetta does offer a free travel kit that you probably will get a coupon for with your first pen, Sherri. However, for your longer trips I would suggest the kind of travel kits that insulin users rely on the most. This is the Frio. See http://www.mendosa.com/carrying_insulin.htm

Started Byetta a few weeks ago. Haven't been bothered by side effects. My numbers were instantly beyond good. They are incredible! My appetite is what I would call more normal. I have no tendency to overeat. I enjoy the food I am eating but am definitely eating better food and less of it. The pin is very easy to use.

I went through 4 Byetta 5 pens, no bad side effects, no appetite suppression, no weight loss. My glucose readings are improved. My Alc went from 6.5 to 5.8. I have been on the 10 pen for a couple of weeks--no bad side effects, no appetite suppression, no weight loss. My morning fasting readings went from an average of 102 before Byetta to 96 after Byetta. I do find that if I take metformin at bedtime, my morning fasting level is better.

I am a 41 year old Type 2 diagnosed 13 years ago. I have had varied success with oral meds. They work for a couple of years and then have to be re-addressed. Before Byetta my A1C Test was 8.9. After exactly 1 month on the 5 pen and 2 weeks on the 10 pen I have lost 25 lbs. Today my A1C test was down to 5.9! Ya hoo! I love the appetite suppression. First few weeks I did have some nausea and diarrhea. Stay with it!

A couple of my non-Byetta Tools: Calorie King - http://www.calorieking.com/ I purchased the Calorie King software and track all my meals & snacks in it. I find it very valuable. They update their food database often. Frio Wallet - http://www.coolerconcept.com/ I use this when I am traveling to keep my Byetta Cool. Traveled recently to Japan and Paris with no issues.

I'm almost thru with my 2nd month (1 month on 10mg). I'm having problems with the stomach upset but I think that's b/c I'm still eating too much - not hungry - just eating out of habit and b/c of the holidays I think. 2 "odd" things I've noticed: a "rotten egg" burp and like someone who wrote earlier - a feeling of being cold now most of the time instead of the "hot flashes" I always use to have. Anybody else experiencing this? David's reply: Those are pretty common side effects, Patti. And they go away.

I was so happy to find the Byetta blogs. I am not alone. I started taking Byetta 6 months ago and have currently lost 45 lbs., something unheard of for me. Byetta cleared up my head the first month so I was lucid-work is much better. I miss eating as I really get a kick out of it, but I like losing weight more. 5 mg pen did not cause nasea but 10 mg pen makes me puke when I eat too much or the wrong food. I have been trying to write down the foods that don't cause nausea. My tastes have really changed. For God's sake, I like snow peas now and can hardly stand to even think of meat. Byetta seems to cause a lot of phlegm. It also seems to be doing something to my thyroid-it seems to be regulating it more toward normal. It seems like the site of injections affects how the byetta works. It also seems like some pens are a different quality than others and affect the system differently. I take glucovance with byetta but when I take them at the same time I am incredibly sleepy. I feel a lot better if I don't take the glucovance but my blood sugars esp. the next morning are too high. Like between 160 and 190. The thing I like best about byetta is that I have a normal sex drive again rather than being dead from the waist down. I've been sick this wek from overeating as I am on winter break from work and I read on a bog that one rabbit will feed a gila monster for a year so I pretended to be a gila monster with a fat full tail today and drank vitamin shakes and sips of liquid. No nausea, ha, ha. Plus it is interesting to play gila monster peering around a cholla cactus during a blizzard. lol I sure hope my doctor does not take me off of byetta for some reason. Blessings to all for the new year. Scary Jeri

I began taking Byetta about 3 months ago. Started with the 5 and then graduated to the 10 after a month as is usual. I am currently taking 1000 metformin twice/day, 10 glipizide, 15 actos, and 20 units of lantis. And I am SICK all the time. HOWEVER. I also have the Dawn Phenomenon that some of you have mentioned - and instead of it being 350 when I wake up, I'm much more apt to be around 180 now. As for BG other times of the day- sometimes down to 110 which is practically unheard of for me. I still have my high BG sometimes- the other night is 537 (and I wondered why I didn't feel well...)I have lost 36 pounds and aside from vomiting and diarrhea fairly constantly, I am technically feeling better as I am lighter and able to do more. I'm thrilled with what Byetta is doing for me, the illness is just a part of it that I need to deal with as far as I am concerned. So - hang in there people!

Wow! That Frio wallet: Frio Wallet - http://www.coolerconcept.com/ is really cool! Literally. Thanks for the tip John. I have travel plans in the near future and was worried about keeping my Byetta cool.

started with byetta 5 and then went ot a 10 always felt sick depressed and constipated. I felt like I had a basketball in my stomach Coouldn't eat but did not lose much weight and felt so bad it is not worth taking this medicine yvonne

i have been told that you cannot use byetta if you are on insulin. i currently am on 44u.of lantus at nite. i also take glucotrol xl 10mg twice a day. i am not able to use glucophage(metformin) due to severe diarrhia when on metformin.. i read in one comment that one of the patients is on lantus and is using byetta. what's up with that???? can you use both byetta and lantus? thanks

Question on Jeri Gary's comments "It seems like the site of injections affects how the byetta works." What do you mean? Which cits work better for what?

I've been on Byetta 5 for 11 months now (no talk of moving to 10).  I take 40 units of Levemir at bedtime.  My only other meds from the endocrinologist is Levoxyl for thyroid management.  I am on 2 blood pressure meds and Zocor for cholesterol from my cardiologist.  Everyone keeps talking about metformin with Byetta.  Do my meds sound like they're lacking something.  I've lost 40 pounds and have had no side effects.  I really don't eat what I shou;d and my readings show I'm not in control.

I meant to say above that my blood sugars are out of control (through my own lack of managing my diet).  I'm concerned though about all of the talk about metformin.

Hi. I have been taking Byetta for 5 days now (the 10 units) and I have vomited every single time after taking it except once. I also waje up with blood sugars in the 200's in the mornings but when I take the Byetta my sugars drop to the 50's or 60's. I want to stick it out but don't know how much longer I can take. I have a 2 little girls (ages 2 and 3) I have to take care of every day and now I have been on the couch every day too nauseated to do anything with them. I want to try this to lose weight as I am 5'4 and 160 pounds. The insulin really made me gain weight when I started taking it 2 years ago. I had gestational diabetes with my second daughter that never went away after the pregnancy. I really hope I get better on the Byetta. Maybe I need to switch to the lower dose first.

About one year ago I started this new miracle drug, I started on the 5 pen, for the first month, lost weight, about 10 pounds that first month.

Then we graduated to the 10 pen, I continued to lose the weight, but was very quesy in the am when I took it, and pm, and sleeply, but I stayed with it, lost a total of 25 pounds. It was not a diet change, I was full all the time, and did not feel like eating, even thinking of food made me sick to my stomach.

I went off for a while, and then went back on the 5 off and on, and the 10 i opened two days ago, i am very very sick from it, throwing up, quesy for about 4 hours after I take it, I swear something is wrong with this pen. Lost three pounds though in 2 days, but I just cannot continue n this pen.

 

I started taking 5mg byetta in september done fine but didn't help with my high blood sugars. my doctor didn't change to 10 till march. find til about 1 hour after i take the shot then the extreme nausea and headaches start for about 2 hrs, then the drowziness starts. by the time i am feeling better it is time to take the next shot. but my blood sugars are going down. hope the side effects stop soon. don't no if i can keep this up. can't hardly get any work done.