The man from Byetta he says.....

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lucy123

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Yes!

At last after a year of fighting I have the go ahead to start Byetta.
The consultant put together a very good case and with the GP help I have the go ahead.

Unfortunately for the first few months it will be on a private prescription😱, but if I show some success, I will be considered for NHS (not holding my breath though).

I am hoping this is the end to how horrible I have been feeling for the last year with incredible weight gains due to floods and poor insulin resistance.

The good news is despite two floods in the last 3 weeks, I have lost 20.6 lbs!
So, I know I can do the diet and hope the Byetta helps keep it going too as well as making my diabetes behave better.

Is anyone on here on Byetta? I have a million questions.

I am a bit scared now I have the go ahead🙄 as I understand it can make you feel very ill to start with - and dont particularly look forward to injecting either!

But we have fought long and hard for it - and I am definitlely going to give it a good go.

Fingers crossed this works.🙂

It does feel weird that I am happy to be getting a drug that will make me feel ill initially and needs to be injected - anyone else felt like this?
 
Hi Lucy,

There are q a few on here on Byetta I believe, me being one of them. So any questions you have do ask away.

I went onto it 2 1/2 yrs ago, as had maxed out all other pills and insulin was the other option, but I persuaded the clinic that putting a 19st bloke on a growth hormone wasnt a good idea, so whilst they were sceptical (cost mainly) they agreed to let me trial it.

I tied it in with joining a running group and now am down to 15 stone and with HBA1C numbers down from 9.6 to 7.1 or so. So I think it works!

The first couple of weeks felt wierd injecting and feeling like c**p but stick with it, it does get better and soon becomes second nature.

Hope this helps, and good luck

Malc
 
Fantastic news - I am always so pleased to read when it pays off to have really pushed for something. Just a shame you will have to pay - how can they do that??

You are a beacon to us all and I wish you the very best with the results, and the duifficulties you will undoubtedly go through and beat. Best Wishes!
 
Ah - thank you so much for the replies - a bit nervous - just waiting for the consultant to contact me now.
 
So ... will you pay what the NHS pays, which is currently ?68.24 for a month's supply (either dosage) or can the drug company charge you what the hell they like?

And will you have to pay for the actual prescriptions? 😱 - see below.

I have had BV three times in my life; 2 private scrips for branded Flagyl tablets and one NHS scrip for generic Metradizanole (?sp) . First cost me 32 shillings (see how long ago it was?) from the Brook Advisory Centre, the next in 1995 following my hysterectomy cost me about ?8 for the drug and a further ?16 plus VAT for the scrip (!) - but I got that one back from BUPA - and the latter was free. I see the current BNF price for Flagyl is ?6 something for the dose and amount I had to take on all 3 occasions.

So that's why I wondered.

Whatever, I think it's great that both consultant and GP are supporting you on this one, and am pleased you are able to afford it (I mean that, not being sarky) - it's just really good to hear that you even have that choice. I know it sometimes happens with cancer etc drugs and they are a lot more expensive - but I haven't heard of any other times when this has happened.
 
trophywench said:
So ... will you pay what the NHS pays, which is currently ?68.24 for a month's supply (either dosage) or can the drug company charge you what the hell they like?

And will you have to pay for the actual prescriptions? 😱 - see below.

I have had BV three times in my life; 2 private scrips for branded Flagyl tablets and one NHS scrip for generic Metradizanole (?sp) . First cost me 32 shillings (see how long ago it was?) from the Brook Advisory Centre, the next in 1995 following my hysterectomy cost me about ?8 for the drug and a further ?16 plus VAT for the scrip (!) - but I got that one back from BUPA - and the latter was free. I see the current BNF price for Flagyl is ?6 something for the dose and amount I had to take on all 3 occasions.

So that's why I wondered.

Whatever, I think it's great that both consultant and GP are supporting you on this one, and am pleased you are able to afford it (I mean that, not being sarky) - it's just really good to hear that you even have that choice. I know it sometimes happens with cancer etc drugs and they are a lot more expensive - but I haven't heard of any other times when this has happened.
Click to expand...

I think the issue of private scripts for Byetta is getting more common in the UK according to my consultant who would love to put me on NHS prescriptions but would fail his audit if he does - same with the GP.
I think there is hope for the future when Byetta's use is more known - in the US it would be okay and I think if I go on holiday abroad I can pick it up cheaper - but will look into that when I know it works.

I am trying not to think about the cost at the moment, as being healthier is my aim, but there is hope that if I can prove it works, I will go the NHS route in the future.

I have been desperate to find something that will help. For 2 years now I have been dieting, dieting, dieting and increasing my fitness to its limit including running😱. I do far more than anyone I personally know in the exercise field and eat more healthily too - yet when you get on the scales and find you have put almost a stone on over night its disheartening and I was getting to where I just wanted to give up and not care about my diabetes.

There is also the belief that by sorting my insulin out, the hypos should/could stop (consultant has seen this in one of the 2 he has treated so far with my condition). This would be good as for me bs spiking and dropping rapidly between 10 and 2.x something is not good for me!

I guess I am at the stage, I have nothing left to try but Byetta. They wont put me on glicazides because of the chance of increasing the hypos further.

I know I tend to come on the forum quite upbeat and happy but it has all got to me lately, and rather than giving up, I will try Byetta in the hope that I get onto an NHS prescription as soon as I can. My view is that if I can prove it works - they may be more tempted to listen.

I have to say though that both the consultant and GP have been amazing and I dont blame them for not being able to issue an NHS prescription.

Fingers crossed it works!🙂
 
Hi Lucy I'm really pleased that they've prescribed the Byetta for you and will be keeping my fingers crossed that it works.🙂
 
That is brilliant news, I know its what you have been pushing for!

Well done on persevering and getting the outcome you wanted!
 
Hi Lucy

Hoping it goes well for you...

I know my friend has had great success with it, and turned around her diabetes...

In 18 months, she'd gone from a badly controlled T2 diabetic, with disgraceful eating habits and a lot of weight problems..

Now, she's sorted her awful eating habits out, lost the weight, has excellent control, changed her job, she now works at the gym she started her new exercise regime at as a trainer and motivator..
 
I'm just a bit surprised they are whingeing because let's face it many T2's on insulin, who need to inject massive amounts must cost em far more than that.

I agree it's all expensive in comparison to 'just' Metformin. But it's still far far cheaper than amputations etc.

Lucy, I think ?2 a day is cheap to get your life back!

Good luck with it.
 
Ellie Jones said:
Hi Lucy

Hoping it goes well for you...

I know my friend has had great success with it, and turned around her diabetes...

In 18 months, she'd gone from a badly controlled T2 diabetic, with disgraceful eating habits and a lot of weight problems..

Now, she's sorted her awful eating habits out, lost the weight, has excellent control, changed her job, she now works at the gym she started her new exercise regime at as a trainer and motivator..
Click to expand...

Thanks Ellie - thats inspiring and exactly what I am hoping for - apart from working in the gym that is!🙂
 
All the best on the byetta, i was on both that and victoza so if you need any help/tips just PM
 
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