01/28/2006
ETEXAN BENEFITS FROM 'SIDE EFFECT' OF DIABETES DRUG
By RHIANNON MEYERS, Staff Writer
TIGHTENS BELT: John Morgan of Henderson shows the belt he has had to alter since he began taking Byetta, a drug for Type 2 diabetes that has weight loss as a side effect.(Staff Photo By Tom Worner)
John Morgan is proud of his worn-out leather belt.
The brown strap is riddled with drilled holes - a visible reminder of how much weight Morgan has lost in only a few months, a phenomenon caused by a new diabetes drug derived from Gila monster saliva.
The 52-year-old Henderson man, who has had Type 2 diabetes for years, wore the belt when he was at his heaviest - 270 pounds. Morgan said he was overweight and taking several insulin shots daily.
His physician, Dr. Sylvia Kariampuzha of Trinity Mother Frances Health System, thought he might be a good candidate for Byetta, an injectable drug approved by the Federal Drug Administration in April.
Byetta signals the pancreas to make the right amount of insulin after meals to help lower blood sugar and bring it closer to normal levels - then stops causing the pancreas to produce more insulin after blood sugar levels get closer to normal, according to information from Amylin Pharmaceuticals and Eli Lilly and Co., the drug's manufacturers. The drug also helps stop the liver from producing too much sugar when its not needed - helping diabetics avoid high blood sugar levels.
An interesting, but good, side effect, which Morgan quickly noticed, was that it spurs weight loss.
After Morgan began injecting the drug twice a day - before breakfast and after dinner - he noticed he had a suppressed appetite. He said when he did overindulge, he felt full for days.
"I eat very little," he said. "It's amazing how little you need to eat and how much you do eat."
In three months, Morgan lost 45 pounds and his waistline shrank by nearly eight inches. He said he felt healthier - more energetic. Dr. Kariampuzha began decreasing his insulin shots, which normally cause weight gain.
He went from taking 180 units of insulin a day to nothing, he said.
"The spit is working," Morgan said. "It's doing its job."
Now, he said, he can get back to the things he loves, like flying. His diabetes diagnosis caused him to fail his physical and lose his pilot's license. Now he's got that back.
"I wanted to prove this wasn't going to beat me," he said.
Several diabetes doctors in Tyler have been prescribing the drug since it came onto the market in June because of its effects on weight, which is normally a contributing factor to Type 2 diabetes.
The drug has not yet been approved for children or those with Type 1 diabetes. And Dr. Kariampuzha said has not been approved solely as a weight-loss drug.
One of the negative side effects is nausea and the drug is not approved for dialysis patients, she said.
Rhiannon Meyers covers Wood county, higher education, and medical. She can be reached at 903.596. 6283. e-mail: mailto:news@tylerpaper.com>
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Benefits From Side Effect Of Diabetes Drug (Byetta) 
