Comments on: What Does the Diabetes Drug Byetta and the Gila Monster Have in Common with Causes Weight Loss?

By: How Byetta Helped My Out of Control Diabetes

How Byetta Helped My Out of Control Diabetes — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 07:15:53 +0000

[...] being seen by my doctor it was decided upon that I would begin taking the Byetta drug to help control my blood sugar level. So, that’s good news right? I can just start a new drug [...]

By: mary-jean

mary-jean — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 17:41:51 +0000

I just read this article comparing type 2 diabetes drugs Avadia and Actos. Which one is harmful? Here’s the article if anyone wants to read more. http://www.orderonlinedrugs.com/drug-news/2009/08/19/researchers-claim-avadia-type-2-diabetes-treatment-is-less-safe-than-actos/

By: Teresa Bates

Teresa Bates — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:24:56 +0000

My problem with Byetta is even with insurance my copay is close to 50.00 a month and this day and age I just cant afford it, sure they have help for no insurance and i have been on the copay.org website the alst 6 months and have been told I am sorry but we’ve been allocated for the month, I hve no other choice but to ask my doc to take me off. my next checkup is 7/07/09…and forget trying to get samples from a rep from Lily or amblin, Its a waste of time.also the costs of test strips are riduculous……that is my dilemma.Thanks for listening.I wish my drug came from AstraSenca. I work for a local hospital and those reps are there for their patients….

By: Joyce Bailey

Joyce Bailey — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 12:26:55 +0000

Hi, I Went to see me diabetic nurse today who recommended I start using byetta as my sugar levels are not being controlled by metformin and glyklazide that I am taking. I read with horror that this drug can cause pancreatitis and has even caused death. I am very worried about starting it now, can anyone offer me any advice please.

By: Sharon Conaway

Sharon Conaway — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 02:22:22 +0000

What Elmer Fittery wrote above prompted me to post this comment. I, too, am off the Byetta after having been on it for about one and a 1/2 years. If you read some of my more recent earlier comments, I was saying how the effect of the Byetta was wearing off vis a vis controlling my appetite. I lost about 30 lbs. on the Byetta and have gained back about 20 of them. I was taking 10 mg. x 2. The doctor finally decided to take me off it and put me on a combination drug called Genumet, which is Januvia and Metformin in one pill. I’ve been taking Metformin all along since I was first diagnosed with diabetes back in 1992. Then my doctor had me on Avandamet until Avandia was discredited.

I was so happy when I lost all that weight and was so apprehensive when it started to pile back on. No magic bullet yet, folks, but we can keep hoping. I wonder, though, if more and more people on Byetta will be finding the same thing happening to them – that the drug loses it’s kick.

By: Elmer Fittery

Elmer Fittery — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:03:05 +0000

I was on Byetta for about 1.5 years. Lost a total of 80 lbs.

Now I am off because it stopped controlling my blood sugars.

Also, I stopped loosing weight and am stuck around 245 (down from 325).

Recently I noticed something at Wikipedia.com that stated that obesity was not correlated with diabetes. This got my attention!

Anyhow, the article can be found by going to http://www.wikipedia.com and searching for “persistent organic pollutants”.

Now use “edit->search” and put in diabetes.

It states: Among study participants, obesity was associated with diabetes only in people who tested high for these pollutants.

The article “Is ?” is found in the NewScientist.

You can find it by doing a google search on:

NewScientist and “Could the diabetes epidemic be down to pollution”

Hum….. I wonder if byetta somehow protects one from POPs – “Persistent Organic Pollutants”.

Good luck everybody!

By: Ann Bolton

Ann Bolton — Wed, 27 May 2009 17:59:36 +0000

I have been on Byetta for a year now and have lost a total of 48 pounds. I can not tell you how happy this as made me and my doctor. I take 5mg twice a day. I did weight 284 and 2 pounds to make it 50. I don’t want to ever be back up that high in my weight. I feel better, clothes are three sizes smaller. I sure hope that Byetta doesn’t stop. I will not mind being this weight, although it would be great if I could get closer to 200 or below that and stay at that weight since I am 60 years old. My main thing I don’t like about Byetta is the cost and the fact that my insurance doesn’t cover the cost. The makers have not even offer coupons to help with the cost, which would be very nice. Ann

By: Brynda Howell

Brynda Howell — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 16:38:20 +0000

I have been on 1000mg BID Metformin and 10mcg Byetta BID for
about 2 yrs…I have lost approx 70lbs…went from 44BMI to 32BMI.
I started with 5mcg and had severe nausea/vomiting for about 2 weeks, it leveled out and have had a steady weightloss ever since. I eat pretty much what I want to…I don’t want fried hardly at all…I’m not much of an exerciser but I am in EMS so I do lift, etc alot. This drug saved my life as far as I’m concerned.

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 20:54:35 +0000

as of the 10/16 posting I have been taking nothing. Today received first shipment of Diatroxal. Will try it for 30 days to see if it will help me. After the rise in glucose and lack of weight loss on Byetta, I just felt it was not right for me. I have just heard about this product Diatroxal. For 100% of double blind test subjects it has worked and shows promise to not only control glucose levels but also lower cholesteral and tryglicerides.
Hoping this will work for me. Would love to gain control of sugar and stay off statins if possible.

Wish me luck.

By: Daniela Lace

Daniela Lace — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 18:33:55 +0000

Hello to all Diabetics!

On the Byetta effect, efficiency and cost, but first, a brief (but important) history about myself!

ABOUT ME & DIABETES: I am currently 37 years old and a Type I (insulin-dependent) diabetic since I was two, so 35 years of diabetes well lived! Thus far Ive seen and experimented with various types of treatments, from once a day bovine N-type insulin to multiple-doses thru the pump; depending on what was available in the country I was living in at the time.

My diabetes has never been easy to manage, with glucose readings often varying radically, even when doing things by the book. Despite the apparent chaos, I have fortunately avoided all complications up to now.

Weight control was never a real issue except for the lack of habit of exercising, always on and off, until six years ago when I developed Thyroid problems (hypothyroidism).

PERSPECTIVE PAUSE > I am about 5′4 (1 meter 64ish) and my projected ideal weight suggested by doctors is 138.6 (63 kilos). After hypothyroidism and within the course of these six years I gradually gained more weight, going to almost 176 pounds (80 kilos) and then, very gradually, down to 158 pounds (72 kilos) where I have stayed with budging for two years give and take.

I am currently living in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Byetta has only been here since March of this year (2008). My doctor (He himself a diabetic for over 70 years) introduced me to Byetta in September.

ABOUT BYETTA: My first trial with Byetta was during a period of 20 days, 5 mcg twice a day. Initially it was supposed to be three times a day, but I didnt adapt too well in the first week. I had severe stomach pains which were not customary and often three or more hours after taking the shot, which as far as I can tell was nothing like anything anyone has ever described. I stuck with it, however, and to my wondrous delight, I saw a 0.5 decrease in my A1c reading in this 20 day period and I also dropped 6.6 pounds (3 kilos) in this period!

The bad feeling in my stomach has also gone away!

Despite the outrageous cost of this medication (R$371,00 Reais = close U$177.00) per pen (I am currently using one pen a month, but my doctor said he might increase it to three times a day, depending on the results), I will continue with the use of Byetta for as long as I can afford it.

Aside from Byetta I take the medication for the hypothyroidism, human/aspart and glargine insulins, and losartin potassium hydrochloride for blood pressure.

Hope this serves as reference to someone out there looking for things in perspective!

Pleasure to be here reading all the posts!