Byetta Or Gliptin; That Is The Question!

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georgina hurd

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Type 2
Hi everyone

I am new to the site. I have been type II diabetic since 2003 I was 31 when diagnosed. My family is riddled with the disease, grandfather (deceased), father, uncle, two sisters and me. We are not an obease family either, or average weight and height.

I have been on metformin and gliclizide tablets, then I got pregnant for the second time, went to injections, after pregnancy went back to tablets and since then have battled to keep HB1C levels good and gut rot like you would not believe, have been told that my body can't take the gliclizide any more and I need to think about changing to byetta or gliptin.

Is there anyone out there taking either of these meds and give me some advice how they are finding them and any side effects that they are having to put up with?

I do not want to go to injecting insulin and I have a real prolem with injecting after 8 months of it whilst pregnant, yes I am a diabetic who is frightened of needles, pathetic i know , a diabetic with phobia of needles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Any help and advice would be very much appreciated.

Georgie
 
hi georgie welcome to the forum xxx there are folks on all sorts of meds here ...me im just a metformin gal ...so im sure they'll come along and give you some advice x
 
Hi Georgie, welcome to the forum :) We have a few members here who have had very good success with Byetta, so hopefully it will work for you as well.

Here is a former thread where it was discussed a while ago. Since then, Steff2010 has gone onto Byetta and it has really imrpoved her levels and helped her lose some weight!

http://www.diabetessupport.co.uk/boards/showthread.php?t=6580
 
If it's just the needles that scare you, maybe this will help.

My daughter was too scared of the needles to do her own injection, so the nurse recommended NovoFine Autocover. They hide the needle in a retractable tube. They work a little like a fake retractable knife. You put the tube against your leg or tummy and then push in. The tube retracts and the needle goes into your body. When you pull the needle out, the tube covers the needle again. You'll never see the needle at all. It works for C.

Hope that helps a little.
 
I have for a while been on sitaglipin in addition to Metformin. I think I have had little side effects with Sitagliptin although it is difficult to tell when you take so many different pills as I do.

The only drawback really is that it has not been spectacularly sucessful at reducing my levels. It has brought them down but now with my HBa1c seemingly stuck in the mid/high 7s.

I have never had the option of Byetta up to now as I have been told in my area it is only available as an alternative to Insulin. But stuck were I am, I am probably heading that way anyway.
 
I take metformin and switched to byetta from insulin after losing nearly 6 st . byetta makes me feel bloated for a time. back on 5 ug because 10 mg did not suit me.
 
Georgie, I don't know whether you are aware that byetta is injected, so would not solve your problem with needles.

I am needle phobic myself but have learned to tolerate them since going onto insulin in October last year.
I use the 5mm needles, so they are not too bad and you will soon be able to get 4mm needles as well.
 
Hi Georgie

If you have read the thread linked in Notherners earlier post, you will see my slant on the basics of Byetta. I have jut had a HBA1C test but don't pick up the ruesot for a couple of weeks so I can't update you except to say I am hopeful of improvement!

Why I have posted is to say that Byetta is not as easy to use as tablets for obvious reasons and it doesn't suit everyone, especially if you don't like needles. This has to be an informed decision beteen you and your health team. It worked for me but other meds were not an option because of weight issues- it may not be as much as a problem for you - so it is not the Holy Grail - there are other options!

The other reason I want to to add to this thread is that since my March post I have found that switching to a lower carb diet has worked miracles as far as my blood sugars are concerned (search for Wallycorkers guide to this in another thread). The Bytetta controls, to an extent, my appetite and has a lowering effect on my levels, so if my first line of defence. I am still on 6x500 Metformin, so they helps too. I am more watchful of my intake as, after years of head of the sand, I am taking more control with modest testing and reacting to the results. Cutting out carbs for brekkie, halving them for lunch and just being sensible for dinner gave me that extra kick in sustaining lower levels. The weight is slow to come off- I am only human with nearly 60 years of bad habits - I may not fall completely off the wagon but am often found clinging to it as it drags me through life!

I have not put on any weight for the first time in years since I started on Byetta last October- I have lost a couple of stones since then and have many to go but have finally realised that there is no quick fix for me- I have to test, try out ideas and do it bit by bit, but there is light at the end of the tunnel - I feel a lot better mentally and physically these days. I have found things to distract me and get a lot of support from my family and the guys on here. Sometimes we have to hit rock bottom before climbing back up - you have taken the first step back up by looking into the options - the very best of luck to you:)
 
Hi Georgie. I am new here and also new to Byetta - 10 days and although it may be a little too early to rave about it, I am feeling so much better and my BG's levels have come right down. I used to find testing my blood so depressing and now I can't do it often enough as it is so amazing lol. Almost always in the 5's and 6's and never above 7. I can't wait for my next hba1c, the last one was an awful 10.5. I feel so much happier and livelier and have lost just over 3 kg in 10 days! I don't crave carbs any more, haven't had any nausea, no hypos, just feel full for ages after a small meal. Now the needle thing did freak me out a bit but I'm fine with it now as I'm seeing such great results. I hope you get sorted with something which suits you.
 
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