Byetta 17: Discussion Forum for the week of April 2
This is the 9th in a series of weekly Byetta Discussion Forums, and 43rd Discussion Forum at Diabetes.Blog.com. It is now closed to additional comments. There is a listing of other Byetta Discussion Forums at a separate webpage: List of Byetta Forums.
Bill the diabetesdoc
wwq@diabetesmonitor.com
Diabetes.Blog.Com is a blogcompanion to our main website, the Diabetes Monitor, which you can find at www.DiabetesMonitor.com
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Bill the diabetesdoc
wwq@diabetesmonitor.com
Diabetes.Blog.Com is a blogcompanion to our main website, the Diabetes Monitor, which you can find at www.DiabetesMonitor.com
Posted by in 05:00:00
Hi Everyone,
At my last post I was thinking of leaving my Avandia and Glyburide off and see what happens as I had been having lows (60-70). This am I took my byetta shot as normal went to work and ate a bacon, egg, & cheese biscuit and fruit and yogurt parfait tested 2 hours later and was 171 so I decided to take my 1000 metformin, 4mg avandia and 5mg glyburide. 3 hrs later I’m a little confused and feeling weird. My BGL was 46. I have eaten 2 x since then and BGL still just 120 and I am swelling a little bit and sore all over. Is this normal after that kind of low? Please any info would be greatly apprciated as Byetta is a wonderful drug and I want to continue to take it.
As a Type II diabetic for 4 years, I have not been compliant with BGL monitoring in past and have not had any diabetic teaching other than what I can find and read myself. I also have never seen an Endo. So if anybody knows a good education website I’d be greatful for info. Just to let you know they teach very general info in nursing school and nothing about the pt perspective. I have had a very rude awakening here lately as my doctor threatened me diabetic complications at last visit.
Thanks Again,
Jackie
Marcelo, the Frio products will not keep Byetta cool enough. They maintain a constant temperature of about 68 degrees. That is too warm for Byetta, and will ruin the pen. Read more about it here: http://www.diabetesmonitor.com/m60.htm
J.P., If you are having pain and swelling around your liver, I would urge you to call your doctor or go to an urgent care facility, given that it’s the weekend.
JACKIE RE:YOUR 46 LOW
It was an okay plan to do some experimenting with our meds (as long as you are knowledgeable enough about them to be comfortable doing that). However there were a few mistakes made in how you did it. The first mistake was probably in the combination of foods you ate. I don’t know the total carbs right off but my guess is that one or the other of those probably wouldn’t have been too bad but the two together was a pretty fair carb load. Thats what shot you up to 171. Taking the Metformin probably wasn’t too bad, in fact I take Byetta and Metformin and that combo works quite well together. The second mistake probably came in taking the avandia and glyburide also. That off normal timing of the meds along with the Byetta then caused your rebound down to 46. Although take that as only a guess since I have not used avandia or glyburide but from what I’ve seen others post about them I think thats a pretty fair guess.
Now two other points to consider. I have no doubt you feel weird right now. I’ve found during my diabetes journey that even worse than just being high or just being low is to suddenly change from one to the other. The sudden and large delta of glucose levels would seem to wipe me out almost worse than anything. It will take you a bit to recover but sounds like your safe for now.
The second point to consider (and the other mistake you made) was in changing too many variables all at once. Sounds like you dropped two or possible three meds all at once, then when things didn’t seem right you added all three back in and suddenly your doing this rubber band ricochet of glucose numbers and we can only guess which change is the actual culprit. If you are going to experiment like this CHANGE ONLY ONE THING AT A TIME. Then be sure to give it ample time to ensure that you KNOW what affect the change has on you. For example if I dropped a med then I would give it maybe 5 to 7 days to make sure your numbers and how you feel settles down to the regular level it wants to be at. And thats at a minimum. Some meds take 10 to 12 days to build up in your system (or clear out of your system) to let you assess the true level you are at without their effects. Then you can try another change. Of course if you start a change and you are getting too much reaction even from just one thing then you may not be able to stick it out the full 5 to 7 days, but in that case you already have an answer as to the effect. Also if you are changing meds then don’t change food at the same time. Again change only one thing at a time.
1) Change only one thing at a time.
2) Monitor closely so you KNOW exactly what that change does to you.
3) Give it time to clear from or build in your system (possible as long as 10 to 12 days).
Best of luck if you try experimenting again. As I said you should be comfortable in knowing what each drug is doing for you before trying this and follow the tips listed above.
Good morning friends. Hi Dona, Danielle, Cindylou and all our regular contributers(Pat, Warren, John, Beth et al)
There are many areas where my expertise is lacking. However, I can speak with great personal authority regarding constipation. When, I began to use Byetta, I already had a problem. Some of it natural and some of it caused by my other meds. It is surprising how many meds
list constipation as a possible side effect. Lipitor, a wonderful statin medication, is a definite cause, for example. The condition was so bad that I actually was ready to go back to insulin. However thanks to Donna and/or
Danielle and probably others my problem is quite managable
The solution which works for me is a product called Benefiber. I take it once a day, mixed with a little sugar-free apple sauce. Although I am not as regular as a Swiss watch, I can deal with the matter now. Jeanne in Maryland, I hope this helps.
Ron et al- Great to see you posting again. I will be going back to Cleveland Clinic for another (2nd in a series of 3) epidural shot. I must say that the spit has really controlled my bs much to my surprise. This morning it was 100. Next month when I see the endo, I am hoping he will put me on the 10 though because I too have had fluctuating appetite suppression. There are times when you could not get another morsel into my mouth and other times when I could eat everything in sight. Why do you suppose that is? I have not seen any coorelation between appetite and the begining or end of the pen. Any comments from anyone? Have a great day to all!
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