Full Version: Does The Byetta Impact Fade?

From: Mark_in_MO [#1]
8 Jan 19:59
To: ALL

Has anyone experienced a slow but steady decrease in the effect of Byetta? I have been using Byetta 10mcg for more than 4 years - and over the last few months my BG numbers have slowly been rising.
When I print out my BG readings for the last year I can see a very slow but clear trend of increasing BG numbers. My A1c has slowly crept up over the past year as well. Diet and exercise have both remained relatively stable.

From: Sue (SUEFIRST50) [#2]
9 Jan 9:06
To: Mark_in_MO [#1] 11 Jan 12:37

I am not doing as well with Byetta but I am still on the 5 mcg so that is a big reason plus I am eating more and not exercising much. I know I am not helping myself as I should be. However, that said, I remember others mentioning that Byetta seemed to lose its effect and they went off it for a while and then went back on and it started to work well for them once again.

I've always felt that Byetta might stop working and that was one reason I stayed on the 5 mcg so long since it was working. The option of moving up to the 10 pen was and still is there for me. I'm not sure how many other options are there if Byetta stops working.

From: toneylee in VA (TONEYLEE) [#3]
9 Jan 10:42
To: Mark_in_MO [#1] 11 Jan 12:37

I think some people believe it does, Mark. Have you read David Mendosa's "When Byetta Fails"? Yes, it's mostly about appetite suppression and weight gain, but it makes you think. I remember the "tricks" people suggested in the past, such as taking a break like Sue suggests, changing injection sites, and upping the dose. But I wonder...we all know diabetes is a progressive disease, so is it just about needing more meds to offset the longterm progression? If so, I'm sad because I was really impressed by the studies that indicated Byetta might save beta cells. I surely do wish it was just about changes in diet over time or reduced exercise. I also wish there were longterm studies of Byetta's effects, but I suppose it is still too new for that.

From: Geri in Co:Byetta(3-06) (GERI) [#4]
9 Jan 11:14
To: Mark_in_MO [#1] 11 Jan 12:37

There have been times over the past year where I wonder if the spit wasn't working anymore. Then it seems to kick in again. I think it's me not following things like I should but maybe it's not just me but the spit too. I might go off for awhile and see what happens.

From: Pete (PETE22) [#5]
20 Jan 23:00
To: ALL

I've been on Byetta for 4 years with no decrease in effectiveness. I continue to maintain a well managed diet and exercise regularly. I have a friend who was on Byetta but it did him no good. He refused to change his life style and his diet was and is abysmal. As a result he stopped byetta and has ballooned into severe obesity. I suspect all factors have to be addressed.

From: toneylee in VA (TONEYLEE) [#6]
21 Jan 9:26
To: Pete (PETE22) [#5] 21 Jan 10:57

Pete, I agree with you 100 percent. Byetta is not a miracle cure but a tool, and you have to work with it. That said, I do wonder if effectiveness decreases in some people over time--perhaps because the appetite suppression works less well as your body adjusts or perhaps because diabetes itself is a chronic disease that worsens over time?

From: Sue (SUEFIRST50) [#7]
21 Jan 10:39
To: toneylee in VA (TONEYLEE) [#6] 21 Jan 13:40

Speaking from personal experience I feel that the reason Byetta seems to work less well the longer we go on it is because we are not as strict with our diets as we were in the beginning. I think when we first started we wanted so much for Byetta to work that it gave us not only the physical boost we needed to eat less but the psychological as well. For those who are very disciplined it remains just as good because of that discipline but many of us lapse back into our old ways and therefore the outcome is just not the same. Like I said, this is true for me and not for everyone, but I think it is one answer among many.

From: toneylee in VA (TONEYLEE) [#8]
27 Jan 10:33
To: Mark_in_MO [#1] 27 Jan 15:30

Mark: Last night, I thought about you as I was watching a news story about a medical needle recall. No, it had nothing to do with you, but it triggered a memory about old blog discussions concerning Byetta and needle size. Do you remember? Discussions about Byetta not being as effective when large or "fluffy" people used the shorter needles? I know that you have told us about evidence that Byetta only requires the tiny needles. And yet...several people back then reported big differences in Byetta effectiveness when they switched to longer needles. Even with evidence to the contrary, I wonder if changing to a longer needle size would be worth a try?

From: Mark_in_MO [#9]
27 Jan 15:40
To: toneylee in VA (TONEYLEE) [#8] 28 Jan 9:59

Tonylee,

Thanks for the interesting thought - I actually have about 20 of the longer needles left. I think I will try a little experiment on my own and test both the 8mm short and the 5mm mini needles under as controlled conditions as possible.

However, anything testing will have to wait a bit as I am right in the middle of a miserable cold and have been seeing higher than normal BGs - presumably due to being sick. :S

Thanks,

From: toneylee in VA (TONEYLEE) [#10]
28 Jan 10:31
To: Mark_in_MO [#9] 28 Jan 13:45

{{{Mark}}} Hope the cold goes away soon! :(

From: Pauly B (PBERNDT) [#11]
1 Feb 7:57
To: Mark_in_MO [#1] 1 Feb 13:38

Dr. Bernstein in his web casts talks about many patients where Byetta wears off after while. He then switches them over to Symlin which is Byettas cousin. And back and forth as needed. You could check that out with your Doctor.

From: Geri in Co:Byetta(3-06) (GERI) [#12]
1 Feb 10:58
To: Pauly B (PBERNDT) [#11] 4 Feb 9:00

I thought you had to be using insulin to be able to use Symlin. Does that mean you have to go on insulin to be able to go on this Symlin therapy?

From: Diabetes_Doc [#13]
1 Feb 11:47
To: ALL

quote: Geri in Co:Byetta(3-06) (GERI)

I thought you had to be using insulin to be able to use Symlin. Does that mean you have to go on insulin to be able to go on this Symlin therapy?

If there will be followup about this Symlin question, can someone start a new discussion thread in the "Discuss Symlin" forum, and also let us know here that it's been started there?

Thanks!
Bill the deletemonster

(devil)

From: Pauly B (PBERNDT) [#14]
4 Feb 9:07
To: Geri in Co:Byetta(3-06) (GERI) [#12] 4 Feb 10:16

Hi Geri, Its interesting that Symlin is not used more.

Dr Bernstein uses both in his patients at his clinic for weight loss. I have heard him talk about this on his webcasts. If Byetta doesnt work he switches over to Symlin and back and forth. He views both of them as having little impact on A1C's but tremendous effect on weight loss and curbing cravings and lowering insulin resistence.

You are right though. Symlin is supposed to be for insulin supplementation but will all doctors go off its intended use, dont know. I am going to talk to my doctor though about it.

Now I see Novo Dorisk just got approved for their injectable that is once a day instead of Byetta's twice a day.

Always more choices being rolled out

From: Geri in Co:Byetta(3-06) (GERI) [#15]
4 Feb 10:19
To: Pauly B (PBERNDT) [#14] 4 Feb 11:39

Yes that's the new drug Victoza. I'm going to ask my endo about it and see if my insurance will pay for it. Not sure yet and since I'm going to Mich to help my mom(she had a mild stroke) I will call when I get back. I'll also ask about the Symlin thing.

From: Steve in FL (SKEET4ME) [#16]
8 Feb 13:06
To: ALL

Hi ya'll,

Been awhile again, but I still watch a lot. Interesting topic for me right at this moment. Just got back from the doctor. You know I was having some issues in the summer and so we started me on Lantis at night to suppliment the Byetta. I was in good control until my mother suddenly passed away unexpectedly in November and my numbers went haywire again. Not a real surprise, but they never really got any better and so this morning the doc and I decided to give Byetta a break for a bit and then try again after a couple of months to see if we can get the good numbers back again.

The good thing is I have maintained the weight loss for two years now, so all the news wasn't bad. Before, the Lantis was just to fight the dawn effect and my A1c at last check was 6.4. We drew blood this morning and I bet it is 7.5-8. My normal before last summer was steady 6.1 A1c.

He started me on Janumet this morning. Anyone know anything about Janumet. Told me to keep my pens though and we would get back to Byetta in a couple of months.

So, for me, I have seen a steady decrease in effectiveness, but my diet and everything else has really stayed constant. My doctor was a little disappointed, since he has always said I was his most successful patient on Byetta ever.

From: toneylee in VA (TONEYLEE) [#17]
8 Feb 19:05
To: Steve in FL (SKEET4ME) [#16] 9 Feb 0:33

Hi Steve. I just wanted to say it's good to hear from you, but I am so sorry about your mother.

I know it's frustrating how stress of any kind can play havoc with your numbers. I hope the break does the trick and that the Janumet and insulin get things back under control.

From: Steve in FL (SKEET4ME) [#18]
9 Feb 0:41
To: toneylee in VA (TONEYLEE) [#17] 9 Feb 10:09

Thanks Toneylee,

I am keeping my fingers crossed. I wish I had more time to stay plugged in. I started my own company back in the summer and things have been going really well. A lot less stress for me and none of the crazy corporate stuff anymore which I don't miss. But, I am busy.

I got a pair of Brittany pups this past year for hunting and spent the spring and summer training them for the fall hunting season. My son and I spent just about every weekend hunting and it was a great fall, but then November came.

Doctor wanted to know if I was still getting my exercise and I had to laugh, I have two high energy pups and they provide all the motivation I need for long walks.

I do check in and read the postings, but that is about all I have time for anymore. At least for now.

I am hoping we will see the extended version of Byetta before too much longer. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the release will provide another few years of good management before the dreaded Humalog adventure begins. If I don't get things back under control that day is coming quicker than I like.

From: toneylee in VA (TONEYLEE) [#19]
9 Feb 10:15
To: Steve in FL (SKEET4ME) [#18] 9 Feb 22:47

Steve, if Janumet doesn't do the trick, you might ask your doctor to consider a new once-daily injectable drug in the same class as Byetta: Victoza. None of us know anything about it yet, but for a bit more info, see Dr. Bill's "Victoza approved..." thread in this folder.

From: Mark_in_MO [#21]
12 May 14:40
To: ALL

Well, this thread has been out here for a while (I actually started it in January 2010) and thought I would provide an update. For several months I had been seeing reduced effects of Byetta including slightly increased BG numbers, a higher A1c and some increase in weight.

Since I had been seeing this declining Byetta effect, I talked to my Endo Dr. about trying Victoza, but he recommended I continue with the Byetta since he felt my numbers had not changed that much. Surprisingly my BG's and A1c had both improved a little bit by the time I actually met with him in March. Since I had started a new lot of Byetta in February I decided to continue the course and see what would happen.

Well to say the least I have been pleasantly surprised. The new lot of Byetta seems to be working much better. I have been experiencing significantly increased appetite suppression, my BG numbers have been holding in the 90-110 range,and I have begun losing weight again. Now I also have to admit that I have been exercising a bit more, but not really enough of an incease to account for all the weight loss.

As I had stated before, I had managed to drop a total of 70 lbs. from my starting point, but had gained back about 10+ of that over the winter. Well, I have now lost all that I had gained plus almost another 10 lbs. - so I have now lost a total of close to 80 lbs from when I started Byetta. I can actually see the light at the end of the tunnel where I set my original goal to lose 100 lbs. I hope I can hit the 100 lb weight loss goal before the end of this year. It would be nice to get the rest of the weight off before I have knee surgery this winter as that will certainly change/limit some of my ability to exercise.

So, for the time being I will continue with the Byetta and see where it takes me. I am sure I will be looking to shift to Victoza or Byetta LAR at some point in the future, but I will not make any changes when what I am doing is working! Good luck to everyone in your efforts to manage your DM.

(nod)

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