Byetta and Sitagliptin?

[AlisonM]

Has anyone been prescribed this combination? My surgery is looking at alternatives to Gliclazide, but there's no data on this that we can find. My numbers are climbing too high again and I'm getting concerned. I'm having another HbA on Weds am (retinopathy appt in pm too). They want to see how bad it is before deciding what to do next.

Why can't anything be simple?

 

[mcdonagh47]

Why can't anything be simple?

It is simple on the face of it, isn't it - you are a Type 1 Diabetic and you need insulin. Who is complicating it and why ?

 

[AlisonM]

It is simple on the face of it, isn't it - you are a Type 1 Diabetic and you need insulin. Who is complicating it and why ?

No I'm not a full on T1 - yet! Up here there's a process they go through with 1.5s that hasn't yet been exhausted, though I think I'm close to that point now. They don't routinely put us insulin at once. Indeed, I was told the prognosis when they changed my Dx was that I'd be on insulin within 3 to 6 years and I'm about 9 months away from the 3 year mark at the moment. I've 'deteriorated' much faster than expected, probably because of all the other complications.

There does seem to be a notable difference in how T1.5s are treated across the UK. Some experts advocate going on insulin straight away, others disagree. The consensus here however is that immediate prescription of insulin may not be the best option for good control. From all I've read about T1.5 the treatment I've had so far isn't entirely unreasonable though there's considerable debate about what is actually the best way to go. As I understand it, my body produces more insulin than a standard T1 (many of whom, I'm informed, do make some insulin), at least some of the time. This apparently means a stable (is there such a thing?) insulin regime could be impossible to achieve leaving me with almost as many 'issues' as I have to face now.

I don't know what they're going to do next, but the Sitagliptin has been mentioned, it's just there's no data available on it's use with Byetta, which is why I'm asking if anyone here knows anything. If the answer turns out to be 'you can't do that' then the next step may well be insulin. Quite frankly I couldn't care less what the solution is as long as whatever it is actually works.

 

[cherrypie]

Hi Alison,
It would seem that both these drugs work in a similar way by slowing down the stomach emptying. They boost GLP-1 causing the lower stomach valve to close.
I do have a friend who takes Januvia and Metformin and she has to take the Metformin several hours before the Januvia to lessen the unpleasant side effects from stomach cramps and bloating that she was getting when she took them at the same time.
There is an article here that suggests Byetta is not suitable for LADA patients.
http://www.isletsofhope.com/diabetes/treatment/drugs_byetta_1.html

Looks like you are going to have to do lots of research as I cannot find anything that talks about combining the two.