Byetta Question
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| Wed, 10-31-2007 - 9:44am |
Hi all - I stop in here very infrequently and probably haven't posted in over a year, but I need some help.
I started Byetta on Monday. My choice - been on Met for years, first for PCOS and then for diabetes (really just a spectrum of the same thing). Glucose control was good until last year when a true family crisis, extended illnesses of 3 parents (mom, dad, stepdad), and my needing to take a leave of absence from work to nurse my stepdad through hospice and eventual death all just tanked my own health management. My A1Cs are through the roof (over 10) and my fasting glucose is almost always over 200.
Anyway, life has calmed down some and I am taking steps to get back in control - I am on 2 grams of MetXR a day, and now started Byetta.
I've had 4 injections so far. After 3 of the 4, I have had moderate to bad headaches that last several hours.
Have you all experienced this? If Byetta works even close to how it is supposed to, I think I would probably learn to live with headaches twice a day, but I am hoping this is a transient side effect that will wear off soon.
Input?
Thanks - Wende




Hi Wende!
Hi -
I am on the 5 but apparently the standard of care is to do the 5 for a month and then step up to the 10 - I've read that several places. My Rx is for 10 - the first pen (5) was a sample from the NP.
So the headache has subsided at about 10am. I took my shot at 6:45 and had a headache about 30 minutes later. I wonder if I can handle 3 hours/twice a day of headaches...
Are you taking anything for the headaches?
Haven't emailed her yet - will do it this week, for sure.
I am taking the injections literally minutes before I eat. She said the closer I take it to the start of meal, the more likely I am to avoid the nausea symptoms that patients see in the first few weeks. She said that after a few weeks, I can feel more comfortable using the full 60 minute window before eating.
Amy
Hi Wende,
I am the one who could not tolerate the 10 mcgs. I have been on the 5 for little over a year and I am now a non diabetic.
My suggestion is that you monitor your blood sugar when you start to feel the headache coming on. Byetta does an incredible job of bring down our numbers, but the body kinda goes into a tailspin at first and it can cause hypoglycemia or even just a sudden drop right after you eat that is enough to bring on a headache. I used to get this all the time. I would inject...eat right away and 30 minutes later my head would be pounding. Eventually I learned that my blood sugar was going down to 70. Now 70 does not sound low, but for me and maybe for you it is low if you are not used to it. If I drink a juice box (about 6 ozs) it usually brings me back up and gets rid of the headache.
As the other person said headache is also a side effect, but it is usually associated with hypoglycemia.
As your body gets used to going down in the 70s and 80s you should feel better. It takes time.