Byetta Club 2

[LaBigGirl]

I'm not sure what my dr. is telling my insurance, but they are covering byetta so far. I know my endo. writes on blood test orders that my diagnosis is PCOS, but my insurance co. (Blue Cross Blue Shield of MA HMO) sends me all the diabetes patient booklets and forms. I also get my annual eye exam covered because of me fitting their "diabetic" category, so no complaints here.

[LaBigGirl]

Hooo boy, I had multiple spells of diarrhea today and this hasn't happened to me on Byetta up til now. I am 7 weeks into Byetta. Yesterday I had eaten lightly because I had vomited during the night before that. All food was taken at regular times. I also went to the gym last night and had a good workout. Can the Byetta overwhelm you if you don't eat enough throughout the day? Or is it more likely that I just ate something wrong to trigger this?

[AnnaSipes]

I am on byetta and have been for four months. I got assistance through the PPArx. All I pay for are my needles. So far I have lost 30lbs.

[LaBigGirl]

Anna it sounds like Byetta agrees with you, and -30 lbs is great! I'm sticking with it too; I usually don't have many negative effects except yesterday and some mornings when I feel queasy. I am trying to eat balanced and have a workout at least 3x's a week with both weights and aerobic. So far I've lost 13 lbs and like the new feeling of not feeling hungry between meals.

[AnnaSipes]

LaBigGurl- The first 2 months I had a few days of diarraha(mainly when I didnt take it at the same time). The queasyness went away about mid way through month 2. Since starting Byetta I have more energy. I am just hoping by losing more wait that AF will come. I am going to see a new Dr on tuesday. My previous(small town)Doc has little knowledge of PCOS. So I am going to the the town next to mine in hopes of better answer. My current Dr said I dont AF just because I am fat. But at 16 living in houston I was dignosed PCOS.

[champagnecholly]

LaBigGurl- The first 2 months I had a few days of diarraha(mainly when I didnt take it at the same time). The queasyness went away about mid way through month 2. Since starting Byetta I have more energy. I am just hoping by losing more wait that AF will come. I am going to see a new Dr on tuesday. My previous(small town)Doc has little knowledge of PCOS. So I am going to the the town next to mine in hopes of better answer. My current Dr said I dont AF just because I am fat. But at 16 living in houston I was dignosed PCOS.

When I was trying to get a diagnosis a doctor actually said to me, "You could just be fat. And all your other symptoms? It could just be your body is strange." Wow, thank you!

I'm glad to hear about your byetta experience, I have an appointment this week to discuss starting it with my doctor so I'll probably get going this week. I'm nervous but at this point, I'm willing to try it!

[LaBigGirl]

Haha! It sounds like you both had my old doctor! When I was in my early 20s this head-of-the-gyn-wing-at-a-major-hospital doctor took one blood panel then declared "lose 50 pounds and you'll get your period again." He was always trying to stick me on BCP, too, something I eventually caved to and was on for 7 years. The stuff never agreed with me.

Anyway, the funny thing is I started cycling on my own again after that and still do...and I weigh more than I did when I saw Dr. X. Not proud of the weight, but I'm working on it. I love my endo, she is terrific and always has read the latest research on both PCOS/metabolic syndrome and hypothyroid so she can guide me better. I also am pleased that she is letting me try Byetta, because Metformin was my enemy after many years of trying to reach a high dose.

[AnnaSipes]

I am taking the met and byetta for type 2 diabetes. Which is what my former doctor dignosed me as. My sister who is an ob/gyn nurse thinks it may be IR instead because when they did blood tests they said I wasnt making any insulin, and wanted to change my dx to type 1. I know I am not a type 1. I was over 150lbs overweight. That usually does not happen with type 1. Do you know of anything that helps with facial hair. I have been shaving it since it started. I could grow a beard in a week. I am just happy I found this website. I have felt all alone since sixth grade. Sometimes I feel like I am imprisoned by my own body. I am happy that there is hope for children of my own. I am crossing my fingers and hoping that know I know more I can get healthier and may start have AF and O. I went the whole BCP route but it just made me sick and I would bleed for weeks on end.

[wndytime]

Hi AnnaSipes...I had a hair in all the wrong places and missing from all the right places. It was costly but they financed it for zero interest for 18 months and I made a sacrifice and did it. I did laser hair removal and the freedom is awesome!!!!!!!!!!! I can't stress that enough. I had done it about 10 years ago and it had started to grow back. However, this time the place I went to guaranteed me i writing that my hair won't grow back. I also know that this is a different laser than the one they used on me 10 years ago....so far so good.

I can't tell you enough how amazing it is to look at my hair free face, arms, belly, etc...if I had to do it all over again I would, in a heart beat.

I know that there are also creams that slow down the growth but as soon as you stop using them they will regrow...good luck with whatever you choose! My vote is for the laser hair removal. =)

[LaBigGirl]

Anna if you're not planning to become pregnant, you could ask your dr. to put you on Spironolactone for 3-6 months (to start). The medication, while it is used to lower BP in people who need that, diminishes the skin and hair response to excess androgens in the bloodstream. I've been on it for several years and had most of my acne clear up and I have fewer hairs to pluck off my jawline (except for those 5 stubborn ones that keep coming back for more). If you get onto Spironolactone you will need to drink extra water, as it's a diuretic, and avoid pregnancy because it can alter development of male babies.

[2boysmom]

Well today was a hard day. This is my first post and I am glad that I have been able to find this website. I got a perscription today for Byetta. I have tried Metformin- about a year + ago and I could not tollerate it. Then I have tried Januvia- but my reflux is so bad, it was not working for me. So this is the last thing the Endo says he can think of doing for me. I am so sick of not being able to loose any weight- I am just PRAYING that this is going to be something that works for me. I am following IR diet now for a month and I have been working out for about 4 months now - nothing is happening! My endo suggested that I start thinking about weight loss surgery but he does not know if I weigh enough for it. I am going to check out the other posts about it and see what has worked for others. But if anyone has any advise for a first time Byetta user- I am going to do it for the first time tomorrow morning. Wish me luck!

[LaBigGirl]

Good luck, 2boysmom! I can't tell you what to expect, since we are all different, but my advice is to work with the byetta. When it tells you to stop eating, stop eating. Go slowly and you may surprise yourself.

[jessietex]

2boysmom- ITA w/ LaBigGirl- def stop eating when it tells you too. I LOVE food, and have the habit of eating after my body tells me I'm full just because I love the taste so much. He he he...it's hard, but if you stop when your body says to & you continue to excercise then the weight will come off. What kind of workouts do you do? Changing your workout routine frequently will help...GL!

[LaBigGirl]

Now onto a different subject...I'm having skin issues since being on Byetta (and going off Met for the last month or so). The Byetta dries me out, and the lack of Met appears to have unbalanced my testosterone. What results is dry skin surface with a deeper skin layer that is oily. I've got peeling skin and acne all at the same time. Does this sound familiar to any other Byetta users?

I'm trying Met again with the Byetta--something my dr wants me to do--and hoping I can tolerate it enough to continue. When I jumped to 10mcg. Byetta a month ago I had to drop Met because I was getting such upset digestion. It's been two days now back on both together, wish me luck.

[2boysmom]

Well- that was WAY easier then I thought. So to anyone who is wierded out by needles- let me just say that shooting yourself with the Byetta is not a big deal at all. I started yesterday- I have 4 down. I do feel a "feeling" that I don't need to eat much already. I have a couple of moments of nausea, but nothing major. Now lets hope that this, with exersize will help me FINALLY loose some weight.