This is interesting. I'm not taking byetta myself, but i see quite a lot of it prescribed by our diabetic team. I thought only a small proportion of our patients had to stop using it beacuse of the side effects, but i don't know numbers (hey, i'm just an NHS minion). Good news for all you guys suffering is that there's a new pen that's just arrived called Victoza, which "claims" to have fewer side effects than Byetta, and involves only one injection a day. It's very new though, and probably still pretty expensive, i saw the first prescription with it on this morning, but i think that plan in our trust is to swap Byetta for this new pen.
Note to anybody, if you are having wierd or unusual side effects, which arn't in your patient info leaflet, do tell your doctor or pharmacist, coz they have a scheme where they can notify the authorities who can keep track on these things, you might not be an isolated case.
Hi Rachel
That is a very good point which you make about reporting side effects to your health team. I am very fortunate to have a wonderful nurse at my practice who takes a keen interest in everything I tell her. She told me yesterday that she was going to read the forums to see what users are saying - as she said, she can read all the medical literature which is thrown at her but she will get the real facts about living with these drugs from patients. So far I am her only Byetta patient (but I talk enough for at least a dozen!) so I am happy to share my experiences with her.
I have just read a thread on the diabetes.co.uk forum on Victoza and there are some mixed reactions but mostly positive. However as it is so new, I would be happy to stay on Byetta while it is working for me and wait until more info is made available. One thing did horrify me - not about the drug itself, but about the prescribing of it: One poor user had been given her Vitctoza by her consultant but neither the consultant or her GP advised her about taking her BS levels- she hadn't a clue how to get a machine or how and when to use it or, would you believe, what her sugar levels were or should be
I have to say that my own consultant is a lovely chap but not very free with advice and I have to go prepared with my own research and list of questions - practically have to sit on him to get him to answer me and not look at his watch. Fortunately, I have my wonderful GP practice nurse and also access to a Diabetes Specialist nurse from a local hospital who visited my GP's surgery once before I went on Byetta and again after my first couple of weeks. So if anyone out there is thinking of going onto Byetta or Victoza, please take time to read the forums and make notes about anything you are not sure of- don't be put off by negative comments but be aware of what to watch for and ask for advice if anything troubles you.
