Byetta Club 2

[NickOfTime]

Hi. I was the originator of the Byetta Club thread and I saw a message from Kat asking someone to start a new one. Who better then me? LOL.

Here is the link to the original thread:

http://www.soulcysters.net/byetta-cl...2/index44.html

I wanted to update my own history with Byetta. I am taking it since April of 2006. My doctor will be taking me off Byetta next April. She feels that it loses effectiveness after three years. I am down to 178 pounds from a starting weight of 236 or so. My insulin levels are still elevated somewhat but not as bad as before. I am taking Chromium 500 mg twice a day and Metformin 1000 mg twice a day. My goal is to try to get to 150's by April. I want my weight as close to normal as possible by the time she takes me off the Byetta.

[CincyPCOS]

ok...CONGRATS on the weight loss...that is AWESOME!!! what is the chromium for? I have been on the Byetta a month...no weight loss yet...do you take any other supplements...or behavior changes to insure the weight loss???

I should say...ordinarily...concerned about health...wearing a white wedding dress in 8 months...only concerned about weight loss til AFTER...so...dieting help of any kind is welcome!

[FLJill]

Wow your stats are great. I have been on Byetta since June 08 and had really great results (IMO) so far, but they seem to be tappering off a bit. I am not as 'full' as I was in the begining and some of my cravings are back to some degree. But I am still trying to make it work for me a bit longer. I was afraid of the scale so I am not 100% sure how much I have lost, but I would guess 20-25# & I could easily lose 50# more and be at a comfortable weight for me. I have not been back to my dr since starting, but I have labs and an appointment the end of October so I will get some 'official' results!!

I am not diabetic, just IR to some degree. I am also on Metformin, but only 500 mg per day. I know I will need to up that soon and maybe it will help me stay on track??? I also take Spiro & use vaniqua for unwanted hair and I will say I am having good results with that too. Again I am on a low dose (25 mg) per day and I am guess my Dr. will increase that at my appt later in Oct. But I am noticing a significant decrease in my chin hair!! Without laser!!!!!
anyway that is my update .... I am not sure how much longer I can afford Byetta, but I plan to stay on it for as long as I can (& it's working for me)!

[NickOfTime]

CincyPCOS, the chromium helps even more with the insulin resistance and another thing I forgot to add is that I am following the insulin resistance diet. It has taken a long time to lose weight but the key is getting right back to the plan after a slip up. DON'T QUIT! Roll with those screw ups and keep fighting.

[crayons42]

Hello NickOfTtime,

Can you send links to information on an insulin-resistance diet or tell a bit about yours? I am still working up nerve to fill the script. Not a huge fam of needles! I wish they would have caught my hpothyroidism when I was in my teens, but it was not until my mid 30's and an ENT found it, not my GP. Thanks for making this thread, I have found it helpful in my quest to know more. One thing friend of mine said to me last week is that I suffer from Analysis paralysis which means I have enough information and yet have not acted on it! When I do the first shot, you all will be the first to know!

crayons42 (almost 44 now)

[CincyPCOS]

Ok...fill it...I SWEAR I do not feel the needles...I feel the med beinginjected but not the needle...esp if you inject at the upper right or upper left of your belly button...I have been on it a month...approx 50 something shots...and I have only felt one...and that was operator error...i did not slant the direction of injection...

Since last week...I have lost 1.75 pounds...I am ESTATIC...my scale NEVER moves in that direction...but it took 3 weeks of nota whole lot...

Question about the IR diet...I am on one...which as you know is not a lot of food...how do you do your IR diet?

[NickOfTime]

Insulin resistance diet for me is simple. No more then 30 carbs every 2 hours and I must eat at least 14 grams of protein per 20 carb grams. I sometimes go slightly above 30 grams but not by much and not often. It is working for me. You can eat but it just makes you pace yourself.

[CincyPCOS]

really...wow!

the IR diet that my MD gave me was a total of the following per day:

6 servings of carbs (15g is a serving)
7ounces of protein
2 fruit servings
as many non-carb veggies as i want
2-3 fats (1 serving = 1 tsp)

I get to choose how to "spend" my food...but when I am out...it is veggies or hunger...you seem to get a lot more food options than I have...do you have a website or more info on how I could find your IR diet so I can ask my MD about it???

[lnunes]

I have been taking the injections for two months now and am on 10. I have lost about 5 lbs but I don't feel as fully anymore. I am not taking met with it. Could that be why?

[NickOfTime]

Cincypcos, I am using the book The Insulin Resistance diet. [ame]http://www.amazon.com/Insulin-Resistance-Diet-Bodys-Fat-Making-Machine/dp/0809224275[/ame]

[BedtimeBear]

I have been on Byetta since August 2007, started on the 5mcg twice daily and after 2 months increased to 10mcg twice daily along with Metformin 100mg twice daily. I have lost a total of 45 lbs since then. My problem is I lost my job and health insurance in July. I did have a 2 month supply of Byetta 10mcg stocked up, which lasted until the end of September. My endo gave me samples of 5mcg and told me to take 2 shots in the morning and evening but I can't afford to use 4 needles a day. So I have only been taking 1 shot of 5mcg twice daily. Since switch from the 10mcg to 5 mcg, my hunger has increased and to be honest it doesn't feel like I'm still on the Byetta. Byetta 10mcg always made me really nausea if I eat too much but with 5mcg I eat alot and never feel sick. Has anyone else experience this?

[FLJill]

Hi - i know very well how expensive byetta can be ... my insurance does not cover RX till I have met my deductable which is insance ($10,000) because it is private insurance since my job does not provide insurance.

First off with the needles - when my dr gives me the 5 mcg sample pens - I still only use 2 needles per day by leaving the pen in and resetting it and pushing the button again. I get my 10 with only one needle and the don't recommend reusing needles, so figure if i just leave it in me then reset the pen all is well!

Next contact byetta - its on their website - where they have a program to help with the cost of Byetta. I just applied and have no idea if I will get any help, but when 3 months costs me $600 I had to do something!

good luck!

[BedtimeBear]

Thank you for the advice about the needles and resetting the pen. My only worry about that is have you ever gotten blood in your pen by doing this? My doctor told me not to use the pen if I got blood in it.

[shanban]

Ok....
So my gyno finally prescribed Byetta to me after my suggesting it to her. She is a new gyno for me and she was willing to listen to everything I had to say about my past medical history and she told me she was going to research Byetta and then let me know if she recommended it. Low and behold, 2 days later she called and wrote me out a Rx for it! I was so excited. I just got the Rx filled today and will start taking the injections tomorrow. I'm excited about what my results will be, but I don't want to get too excited because A) I don't want to be let down and B) I'm scared that once I stop taking Byetta (Because I know I can't stay on it forever) I will gain all my weight back if/when I lose any.

I am not diabetic persay but I have been tested a dozen times in the past and the last time I had labwork done, I was "borderline" diabetic, so that is why my gyno finally gave me the go ahead to take the Metformin and Byetta. She sent me home with a glucometer to check my sugars daily so that they don't get too low while taking these meds.

The only drawback thus far is the PRICE! I got my Rx filled at WalMart and it was $224.00 plus $18.00 for the needles. I do not have Health Insurance at this time and to be honest, I'm not sure insurance covers any of Byetta? Does anyone know?

My PCOS regimine is Metformin 500mg 2x daily, Byetta 5mcg 2x daily, Yaz BCP

I actually started another post in another forum not knowing this one was already on here and I am so glad I found this one. It's nice to read about everyones experiences about using Byetta and the hope (and reality) of the results that might occur.

[jenniferw223]

I would also like to know about the cost. I have asked my Dr about Byetta and she is researching it for me. I see her in 2 weeks. I do have insurance but am considering switching to the high deductible plan. So is it about 200 a month without insurance? I do know we pay what the negotiated price is so maybe it will be a little cheaper if I switch to that plan. It would be Cigna HSA plan.