January 13, 2010
FDA Warning On Byetta – Is It Safe?
I had mentioned in a prior post that at the advice of my doctor I had begun taking Byetta to help control my Type2 Diabetes. I have just seen an FDA warning about Byetta causing Pancreatitis in 30 reported cases. So far, no deaths…but do I want to be the first?
Byetta works great for controlling my type 2 diabetes. Made as a synthetic version of the Gila Monster’s saliva, it assists in the way that your stomach empties, causing a slower release of glucose into your system and it also stimulates the part of the brain which sends the signal of feeling full to your stomach.
It has been shown that Byetta can cause modest weight loss in those who take it. Byetta is like an appetite suppressant and a diabetes medication all in one. To good to be true right? Right.
The FDA released a warning earlier this week advising that Byetta has been linked to 30 confirmed cases of acute inflamed pancreatitus. The drug companies, Amylin and Eli Lilly, who co-developed this product will need to add this warning to it’s Byetta warning labels.
Before we all get crazy about the FDA’s warning about Byetta let’s look at the facts:
- Over 700,000 people use Byetta twice daily and of that amount only 30 cases of pancreatitis have been presented so far
- Of the 30 cases…none involved death. That’s always a good thing.
- Only 5 of the 30 cases of pancreatitis involved more serious complications like kidney failure.
- 22 of the reported pancreatitis cases involved the patient returning to full health once the Byetta was stopped.
I also wonder if the diabetic people in India taking Byetta have been notified about this warning.
The FDA also went on to report that 27 of the 30 cases also had at least one other risk factor for pancreatitis…yeah, I think it’s called Diabetes? Anyway, it seems that while serious, pancreatitis is treatable. If you are aware of the possible risk for pancreatitis while taking Byetta you will be able to spot it at early onset.
Warning Signs Of Pancreatitis
- Pain in the upper middle part of the abdomen
- Pain in upper left or upper right of abdomen
- Pain throughout the abdomen
- Pain traveling straight to the mid-back region
A bit vague? Yes. So I guess the best advice to follow would be that if you are on Byetta and you start to experience any severe abdominal pain, in any area of the abdomen, that you contact your doctor immediately.
As for me, there was a period of a couple of days that I thought I was going to stop using Byetta all together. Then came the rise in my blood glucose level and I decided that for now, I will continue to use Byetta. The small risk of Byetta induced Pancreatitis seems acceptable faced with the alternative of having high glucose levels causing permanent damage to my organs.
Related Posts
- BYETTA Lets Talk in New York
- BYETTA Let’s Talk in Atlanta
- How Byetta Helped My Out of Control Diabetes
- What Does the Diabetes Drug Byetta and the Gila Monster Have in Common with Causes Weight Loss?
- BYETTA Let’s Talk in Boston
George Evans
03/17/2010 at 1:10 pm
I posted a reply about Byetta on this site about 2 years ago.
My PCP insisted, nor really insisted, my PCP told me that I had no choice in this matter.
I was informed then that my only choices were Byetta or Insulin due to various medical conditions that I have.
I finally got my PCP to send me to an Endoncrinologist in hopes that he would take me off of Byetta.
He refused to take me off of this awful medication.
It took time and research on my behalf that allowed me to force his hand and get taken off of Byetta.
I discovered that one other of the medications that I am taking is counter active to Byetta. This other medication that I am taking speeds up the digestive system and Byetta slows down the digestive system, it is like the two medications are fighting each other.
I presented my findings to the Endo and he finally relented and took me off of Byetta.
When I went back to my PCP, she was very upset that I had been taken off of Byetta. I told her that there was no way that I was going to take Byetta period and that other medication was more important for me to take.
Now a year or so later, I have had an additional diagnosis of CKD stage III (Chronic Kidney Disease).
I have been told that the reason I have CKD is that my Type II has been out of control for many years, I don’t deny that at all.
I was also on Glyburide/Metformin and now I have been taken off of Metformin as I have been told that since I have CKD I can’t metformin.
I have been placed on Novolog(Insulin) and I am fighting having to be on any form of insulin.
To add insult to injury, so to speak, yesterday the Endo tried putting me back on Byetta. The Endo lost that fight and I reminded him of the drug interaction involving the one of the other medications that I take.
Besides the diabetes that I have had for some 16 or so years I am also fighting the recently diagnosed Kidney Disease and Liver Disease, I have non-alcoholic cirrossis of the liver. I am also fighting the possiblity that I am pre cancerous for liver cancer.
George Evans
Karen Talbert
05/14/2010 at 2:21 pm
George, what medication is counter active to the Byetta? Would be nice for us to know if we are on that medication and considering Byetta.
Thanks
Matt K
03/28/2010 at 12:43 pm
Fish Oil helps prevent/cure inflammation anywhere in the body.
Aimee @ HomeSpun-Threads
04/23/2010 at 10:04 am
@George Evans, why in the world would you be fighting insulin??? If you aren’t going to control your diabetes, don’t complain about the fact that you are killing yourself.
George Evans
05/15/2010 at 3:02 am
My answer to the question of why I don’t want to be on Insulin is quite simply one of I hate needles and I hate injecting myself.
I am tired of all the black and blue marks on my body from the needles. One reason that I get the black and blue marks easily is that I have a low platelet count due to residuals of an illess that I had 33 years ago.
I have no objection with taking oral medications.
Another thing is that I am fighting other diseases, which are considered to be possibly life threatening.
I have to live with the fact that I have non-viral hepatitis and in the future I will also have to be on the Liver Transplant list.
Needless to say I have to be checked twice a year for possible liver cancer.
Also there is a pacemaker that was implanted in me 5 years ago.
What I have mentioned above is but the”tip of the iceberg” of what is wrong with me.
As one specialist that I see basically told me, just when I thought that I knew about everything that is wrong with you another problem arises.
Sharon Conaway
05/14/2010 at 4:46 pm
GEORGE EVANS: I would ask the same question as Aimee @Homespun Threads, and would ask the same question as Karen Talbert about precisely what medications don’t do well with Byetta. I take a lot medications for different conditions. For the diabetes, I’m currently on Janumet, a combination of Januvia and Metformin. I posted on this blog a couple of years ago when I started taking Byetta and lost a lot of weight. However, the drug eventually lost its kick/wore off/didn’t work anymore and I stopped taking it. The weight came back on, naturally. There is not yet any magic bullet. I was considering going back on Byetta again to lose the weight again. I suffered no ill effects while on Byetta except for the first two months of getting used to it. Once that was passed, it was great for me until it stopped working even at a higher dose. Yes, I know all about the pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer associated with Byetta. Am wondering if it’s worth trying again even though I know the effects won’t last. George? Anyone?
Thanks, Matt K, for the tip about fish oil. Those pills sure do stink (I bought a bottle the other day.) but you say it really works. Do you take it?
My Type 2 diabetes is not a bad case and has never been out of control. My A1C’s are usually between 5.9 and 6.5 depending on my weight. I was diagnosed with it back in 1992 and see an endocrinologist for it.
George Evans
05/15/2010 at 2:39 am
The medication that I discovered is counter active to Byetta is the medication Reglan.
I take Reglan for a disease called Gastro-paresis.
From the research that I have done, I discovered that Byetta slows ones digestive system making you feel full on a longer basis.
The medication Reglan is used to speed up ones’ digestive system.
In my case the two medications are counter productive.
My Endocrinologist had a list off all medications that I take but he never even thought to look for any problems.
It was my wanting to come off of Byetta that led to my research and the discovery of the fact that these two medications are counter productive to each other.
When I pointed this out to the Endocrinologist, he told me he hadn’t thought about it but that I should come off of Byetta.
Needless to say, my Primary Care Physician was not to happy about this as she was the one who insisted that I be placed on Byetta.
Sandy J
05/29/2010 at 11:35 pm
I took Byetta for 4 years. Did not know about the throid tumors
that it causes. I had 2 removed with one full side of my throid and half of the other side, Wish I known, I was just diagnoised
with pancreatic cancer in March. Was lucky enough to be one of the 25% that can have a wiffle surgery. Am now taking chemo and pray to God that it helps with any stray cells. Then they can only promise you 2 years min. My encroknoligest had me call lilly
and get registereed with them. Oh by the way lilly also makes the checo drug. Watch for the warning signs. tHESE WATRNING PLi hOW JMANY jDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
Nancy Lake
06/25/2010 at 1:20 am
I have been taking Byetta now for almost 7 months. I had heard that it is not good to take it. I have been reading your commits. I have been having about back pain. I had an operation on my back, but have been having more pain than I use to since I have been on Byetta. Also my legs hurt. Why in the world would a Dr. put you this medication if it so bad? I am very upset about this.