Gila Monster Lizard of the Southwest: Byetta Offers Alternative Treatment for Diabetic Patients

Byetta is a relatively new drug marketed by Lily and Amylin for patients with type 2 diabetes. The drug shows remarkable results with patients who are already taking diabetic oral medications. Byetta contains exenatide which encourages the body to produce the proper amount of insulin. Exenatide was originally discovered in the saliva of the Gila monster. Because of its origins Byetta has been given the nickname Lizzie by some of its users.

A second benefit of Byetta is weight loss. Many patients say that this new drug controls their appetite quite well. The resulting weight loss is also beneficial in helping to control the patient's blood sugar levels. The manufacture does not recommend Byetta be prescribed for weight loss alone. Byetta should be prescribed to patients who are already taking oral medications for their diabetes which is not controlling the disease. Some patients are reporting large weight loss. In studies the typical Byetta patient had lost approximately 5 pounds after six months of use. This weight loss is especially comforting to patients who have experienced weight gain with insulin.

Common side effects of Byetta are nausea, chills, fever and rashes. Most patients find that the side effects decrease over time and seem to tolerate the drug well. Byetta must be injected by needle twice a day 60 minutes before mealtime. Injections are somewhat more inconvenient than oral medications and some patients find this difficult.

Byetta comes and a pre-filled pen. Patients begin treatment with a 5mcg dosage and generally move to a 10mcg dosage after acclimating to the drug. Another inconvenience is a requirement to store Byetta in the refrigerator and away from light. This makes traveling with the drug somewhat difficult.

I am a type 2 diabetic and have been using Byetta for three months. During the first month I experienced nausea and cold sweats about two hours after the injection. These side effects have greatly diminished in the third month. For me the nausea was tolerable. I was glad to see however that the side effects got better over time.

Using the prefilled Byetta pen is extremely easy. The end of the pen has a dial that is turned and pulled to load the proper dosage. Disposable needles are used and are simply screwed onto the front of the pen. The needles come in various lengths which will be prescribed by your doctor. The needles are microfine and cause me little or no discomfort during the injection. The technique I use for injecting the Byetta is to pench of small area of skin and inject the needle. It is recommended that you leave the needle inserted to the count of seven to ensure you get the proper dosage.

Weight loss for me has been about average. I have lost approximately 10 pounds over the three-month period but I'm a fairly large guy so I consider this to be about average. My appetite is somewhat controlled and over eating causes some minor discomfort. If I eat too much or the wrong foods I experienced some acid reflux. For me this is more of a problem than the nausea reported by others.

Byetta has caused my blood sugar levels to be controlled better than when I was only taking oral medication. I have a family history of diabetes so I'm really hoping this medication will control the disease for me. My doctor seems to think that if Byetta continues to help me lose weight I should have good results in controlling my diabetes and high blood pressure.

The jury is still out on how effective Byetta will be in the fight against obesity but it has already shown some remarkable results for many patients. This gives doctors one more tool at their disposal which is welcome.

I would recommend if you have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes that you have a discussion with your doctor about Byetta. Lizzie might just be your ticket to better control of your blood sugar numbers.