OT: Diabetes and Byetta

[kteague]

I admit I had the urge to title this "I QUIT!" but figured I wouldn't prank you. Actually, I am considering quitting, but not CPAP. My insurance has decided to no longer pay for my Byetta injections (10mg 2xday) and want me to try other (cheaper) meds. Tried Metformin a couple years ago but it made me ill. I've got only a couple days of Byetta left. Anyhow, I'm wondering if it would be irresponsible to just go off the meds, monitor my blood sugar levels closely, and radically change my eating habits. Before using meds, without diet changes my sugars stayed under 200 unless I ate rice. The only time it was really high (in the 300's) was when I was on Prednisone. I've been doing a lot of reading on diabetic eating and reviewing old threads here about low glycemic index foods. Seems the worst that could happen is I can't control it by diet and exercise and have to call the doc and try another med. I've been wondering if I could do this, and now feels like a good time to find out. A few months ago my blood pressure meds were lowered and I'm still staying in the lower end of the normal range, sometimes even too low, and that has me motivated to more aggressively pursue reducing my dependency on meds.

So, I'm wondering... Has anybody abruptly gone off Byetta? Were there were any consequences? I know that the ability to control blood sugar with diet and exercise is very individualized, so I know I can't predict my outcome by the experience of others, but I am wondering if anyone had a bad experience going off Byetta abruptly.

[Julie]

Hi, I can't talk about Byetta, but I wonder if you're being 100% realistic with yourself. I'm sure you absolutely mean well with your new intentions, etc., but ... is this really the first time you said you would try and lose weight? How did the other trials go? I know I'm going to get blasted by everyone here, but you remind me of me and smoking (and dieting) and it's not that I don't think you can't do it (I'm sure you can, given the right circumstances), but I would hate for you to take chances with your health after all! We need you here .

[base2balls]

Oh my!.. Lizard Spit!!!! Here is a site that can help you with some of your questions http://www.diabetes.org They have a message board and can also help you with the stuff there and some one might be able ot answer your questions. I'm a member there, but haven't been on it for asuch a long time. I don't use Byetta, but do use Metformin and so far it has worked well for me. I've been on that for a little over 2 years, but no way will I use the lizard spit. Take care and have a great day, Huggies, Fay

[park_ridge_dave]

First and foremost please work with your primary care physician! You will be playing with fire.

Is the Byetta the only med you are taking for your glucose control? I thought that it was used with another drug like "Metformin"?

That having been said, I was at a real low point myself about 3 months ago. Rising glucose numbers (wake-up 220+), weight at an all time high (255lbs), sleep patterns a mess!

So I did two things:

1.) I got a sleep study and went on CPAP (jury is still out on this but I am doing better )

2.) I bought a copy of "Dr. Neal Barnard's Program for Reversing Diabetes" (primarily a Vegan Diet). I have been on it for about 2 1/2 months.

Now in that time I have lost 22 lbs, brought my A1c down from 9+ to 7.5, BP is 115/70, and I have a really good Lipid panel.

I am still on my Diabetes meds, but I hope that in a few more months I will be able to reduce them.

The diet is easy and I don't miss meat or animal products at all.

Also, I don't propose that this is for everybody but it seems to working for me. I feel tremendous and am enjoying life again!

I Wish you the best of luck but proceed slowly! I'd hate to see something happen to you.

You will be in my thoughts!

Cheers,

Dave

[gasparama]

My husband had to get off Byetta following shoulder surgery. In the mornings, his BG would bottom out as low as 48. In the evenings, his BG level was normal, but he vomited every night. It was crazy. He's now using Victoza and is doing quit well.

Anyway, his BG went up greatly. We both aspire to eat a pretty low carb diet, because we are hugely insulin resistant even with the meds.

Perhaps, your insurance company will agree to the Byetta if nothing else works. You may have to go to injected insulin. And I would and will use insulin if need be to offset the dangers of high BG. However, BG must be rigorously monitored with insulin. And millions of people are doing just that.

BTW, there are a lot of diabetics at http://www.livinlowcarbdiscussion.com/index.php. Jimmy Moore and the myriad posters have really given me a lot of help.

[Wulfman]

Kathy,

Have you Googled it and read some of the links?
There appears to be a generic called exenatide......if that would be cheaper, you could look into using that.
(Maybe like Metformin and Glucophage)

http://www.drugs.com/byetta.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exenatide

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/diabet ... nt/DA00089

I'm also a member of the ADA and dLife sites. Don't post much, but I read quite a bit.


Den

[elena88]

oh my, well, I do know some drugs you JUST cant stop cold turkey without serious ramifications, so be careful, best to do with
physician supervision..

Here is a forum of folks who know as much about diabetes as the people here know about OSA..

http://www.diabetesforums.com/

There is a "introduce yourself " forum you could go there..

I just bought the same book Dave bought, by Dr. Barnard. It makes sense to me, and Im going to stick with it.

[howkim]

There appears to be a generic called exenatide......

Hi, Den,

I just looked at "Drugs@FDA" (you can google for it) a website where you can find out a lot about FDA-approved medications. Byetta has no approved generics, unfortunately. Exenatide is the generic name for it, though. (Do I need to explain about generic versus brand names?)

Kathy, have you contacted Amylin, the company that makes Beyetta, about help in getting it? http://www.amylin.com The phone number at their "Customer Support Center" is (800) 868-1190. I hope that they consider you the customer, unlike the CPAP manufacturers, where we don't seem to matter.

[JeffH]

Hi Kathy, I suggest you get this book and take it to heart. I read it in January and have lost over 50lbs since then by ONLY trying to control my blood sugar. The weight loss was a side effect, not the goal.

http://www.diabetes-book.com/

One thing I've learned in all this is that blood sugars over 140 are doing organ damage. It is 80% what you eat and 20% what you do. This sounds tough and it is. Staying in denial of what diabetes can do to you hurt me for the first 6 years I had it.

Please order this book.


JeffH

[Jersey Girl]

Kathy,

You might try asking your doctor to write the ins co a letter of medical necessity.

I tried Byetta but it gave me hives and I had to stop it. I am on Glyboride (a very old tried and true generic pill) and :umulin N insulin at bedtime. This combination has helped me tremendously. Without these meds my blood sugar runs 178 to 215. I do not think that diet alone may be enough for you. Please consult with yor doctor. Even if you feel ok without your meds, down the road you could have severe health issues like kidney failure, etc.

If the doctor writes you a letter of medical necessity the ins co might approve the Byetta.

Please let me know how you make out.

Jersey Girl

[Wulfman]

There appears to be a generic called exenatide......

Hi, Den,

I just looked at "Drugs@FDA" (you can google for it) a website where you can find out a lot about FDA-approved medications. Byetta has no approved generics, unfortunately. Exenatide is the generic name for it, though. (Do I need to explain about generic versus brand names?)

Kathy, have you contacted Amylin, the company that makes Beyetta, about help in getting it? http://www.amylin.com The phone number at their "Customer Support Center" is (800) 868-1190. I hope that they consider you the customer, unlike the CPAP manufacturers, where we don't seem to matter.

Thanks for that information. I didn't spend a whole lot of time searching.......and I was just throwing out a thought that if there was a less expensive generic, it would be worth looking into. (No, you don't have to explain the generic vs name brands)


Den

[kteague]

Thanks everyone for all the good information, links, suggestions, and words of wisdom. I am going to call my doctor first thing Monday morning, after having done my homework. Because I'm trying to stretch my Byetta thru the weekend as It's almost gone, I did not take any before dinner dinner last night. About 4 hours later I checked my sugar and it was 178. Still near there this morning, though it was after coffee with milk. Reality check. I am going to take a more measured approach to fulfulling my desire to reduce my dependency on so many meds - continue the water aerobics, take the better eating habits to another level, continue to work on my weight, and let the numbers tell me when I can cut back. Who knows, maybe I'll be one of the lucky ones who can get off diabetic meds, but if not, I'll continue to do what I need to do.

Hmmm, this all kinda sounds like using CPAP.

[howkim]

(No, you don't have to explain the generic vs name brands)

8^))

[Wulfman]

(No, you don't have to explain the generic vs name brands)

8^))

howkim,

I was going to send you a PM, but I see you don't have that option enabled........

If you enable it, I will.


Den

[howkim]

I was going to send you a PM, but I see you don't have that option enabled........

If you enable it, I will.


Den

I thought I had it enabled. I've added a new rule. Maybe it works now.