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The Question
03/09/10 06:54 PM

"I am trying Byetta for the 2nd time in 3 years. Very successful the 1st time, but not so good, now. I'm on 20 mcgs./day. Any suggestions? "
Asked By: mish01  
Category: Type 2

Background Info Hide
Type 2 for 15 years. Taking Metformin, Actos 45 mg., Januvia 50 mg.. Also JRA since age 5. No steroids or insulin. Remicade and Methotrexate for JRA. I lost 20-25 lbs the 1st time on Byetta. Now, I am not nauseous (as in the 1st time), have a great appetite and don't have the Byetta taste in my mouth all the time as I did. Is 20 mcg/day the max? What if I took it orally? Would it work?

Expert Answers (1)

03/18/10 10:43 AM

Dear M-

Let me answer your questions first. Byetta does not come orally and is by injection only. Yes you are at the maximum dosage of 20 mcg/day. It should be given 10mcg with two of your largest meals about 20 minutes before the meal.

What is different this time around. Are you on different medications than you were 5 years ago? Are you looking for the weight loss effect? Look at the medications you took 3 years ago as well as what is different now. Also what behaviors are different now. Is your activity level different? Are you trying to loose weight lower than you should. Or perhaps you just aren't making as much insulin as you were 3 years ago which is quite typical as the disease progresses.

Talk with your MD. There is a new medication with the similar actions from a different company NOVO called Victoza. Discuss the pros and cons with your MD if he feels this type of medication will fit well in your profile.

Continue to stay well and stay self managed.

Answered By: Janet HowardDucsay
Accreditations: RN BSN CDE
Sources Show

Community Answers (2)

03/19/10 11:21 AM

Hello mish01, have you ever considered getting at the cause of your diabetes? T2 is nearly 100% man-made. This means it can be unmade. Is the oral med route really the one you want to take? I mean, you list all the classic symptoms of diabetes and you only want to treat symptoms? Why not get to the cause and solve many of your problems instead of just trying to cover them up? I mean, do you think that even if your byetta was effective, that the cause of the high glucose in the first place would be gone? Think about it. Diabetes is a foundational disorder. It affects nearly every major system and organ in our body. The hyperinsulinimia nearly all T2's experience is obviously running rampant in your body, i.e. elevated insulin-increased delta desaturase enzymes-increased conversion of omega 6 fatty acids to arachidonic acid-increased prostiglandin 2's-increased production of cytokines-increased inflammatory response throughout the body. That's the "pathway" that elevated insulin manifests in the body, and its got your name all over it. Maybe you should consider cutting your daily grams of carbohydrates to 20 to 30. If you did that your blood glucose would come into normal with no meds. I guarantee it. Your insulin production would plummet and short circuit the whole vicious downward cycle you are now on. Eat healthy and your body will thank you, but DO NOT MAKE THESE DIETARY CHANGES W/0 TALKING TO SOMEONE KNOWLEDGEABLE IN LOW CARBOHYDRATE DIETARY CHANGES! If you make these healthy changes w/o lowering or eliminating your oral meds, you could force your glucose dangerously low. But, done right, it is the only way to real health.
Answered By: kenhampshire
FLAG
SourcesShow


03/19/10 05:11 AM

Answered By: sugarhappy
FLAG
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