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Byetta (Exenatide Injection) - Reviews, Ratings, Comments by Patients

 
 



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Below are Byetta (Exenatide Injection) reviews, ratings, comments submitted by patients and caregivers. Based on a total of 7 ratings/reviews, Byetta has an overall score of 7.86. The effectiveness score is 8.86 and the side effect score is 7.43. The scores are on ten point scale: 10 - best, 1 - worst. This information is not vetted and should not be cosidered as clinical evidence.
 

Byetta review by 42 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Highly Effective
Side effects:   Mild Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   diabetes
Dosage & duration:   10mcg (dosage frequency: 2x daily) for the period of 2 years
Other conditions:   narcolepsy
Other drugs taken:   provigil
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   helped to stay awake, without the side effects that I had when I used to take dexedrine, like jittery, agitation, dry mouth
Side effects:   There really weren't any side effects like those described above from dexedrine.
Comments:   100-150 mg a day, 100mg taken in the am, 50mg in pm (if needed) to help with daytime sleepiness, caused by narcolepsy. I usually do not take the afternoon dose unless I feel really tired and nervous about driving.

 

Byetta review by 45 year old male patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Considerably Effective
Side effects:   Mild Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   Diabetes Type II
Dosage & duration:   10 mcg (dosage frequency: 2 x day) for the period of 3 years
Other conditions:   Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Other drugs taken:   Metformin
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   Byetta will raise insulin production in the presence of increased blood glucose only, and do so gradually. It reduced my post prandial readings substantially, and also (when taken at least 30-60 minutes before meals) slowed gastric emptying, allowing me to feel full quicker and eat less.
Side effects:   Mild nausea for the first couple of weeks within 20 minutes of injection. Faintness and cramps if food is not consumed within 60 minutes of injection. Overeating will tend to produce sluggishness due to the corresponding large insulin release.
Comments:   Byetta is a subcutaneous injectable of 5 or 10 mcg exenatide, and artificial hormone derived from Gila monster saliva (!) It allows one to mimic some of the advantages of Gila monster digestion, like a steady rise in insulin production that matches increases in blood glucose, and delayed gastric emptying. One takes the drug 15-60 minutes before breakfast and again before dinner. Injectable is in the form of a pen with disposable screw on needles that lasts for four weeks.

 

Byetta review by 51 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Highly Effective
Side effects:   Mild Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   Diabetic
Dosage & duration:   10 mcg (dosage frequency: twice daily) for the period of 4 years
Other conditions:   blockage & allergies
Other drugs taken:   metformin, allegra, lipator, tricor
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   This slows the sugar going into my system so that my body can use most of my own insulin to process the sugar. It is to be taken along with the metformin. It has helped control my blood sugar very well.
Side effects:   It can sometimes cause nausea. At the start of treatment it was bad but now it only happens if I miss a dose then the next one will cause nausea. The first couple of months I saw a very slight drop in weight but I am not sure if the Byetta caused this.
Comments:   I take a shot before my first meal and last meal each day. It is a very easy shot to give to myself but it is easy to forget if I eat out or if I am traveling.

 

Byetta review by 56 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Marginally Effective
Side effects:   Severe Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   obesity and diabetes
Dosage & duration:   5mcg and 10mcg (dosage frequency: 2 times per day) for the period of 2 years
Other conditions:   none
Other drugs taken:   luvox, norvasc, metformin
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   I initially had severe cramping and nausea, but I continued under doctor's orders, I only lost about 20 pounds, tops. I now have a larger host of problems I believe were started with this medication. I have not used in 3 years.
Side effects:   Severe cramping, headaches, incredible nausea, muscle cramps, vomiting blood (not once but on 2 occasions due to doctor's orders). I now am facing something wrong with my digestive tract and no doctor has been able to figure out what is wrong. Since this is the area where the medication was injected, and only there, I believe that the byetta is the perfect suspect. Now, if I could only find a doctor that will listen to me. The count is 5 and still increasing. Recently, I lost 4 pounds in 3 days!!!! This is not normal!
Comments:   I was to inject the said amount into the abdominal (below the waist, above the pelvic bone) before breakfast and lunch. The amount was changed when the medical professional I was having treat me decided to increase the dosage, and with terrible results (I was vomiting blood and could not eat or even drink water - I couldn't even stand the smell of food). I wish I had never heard of Byetta!!!!!!

 

Byetta review by 66 year old male patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Highly Effective
Side effects:   Mild Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   type II diabetes mellitus
Dosage & duration:   10 mcg twice daily (dosage frequency: twice daily) for the period of 3 years
Other conditions:   none
Other drugs taken:   Prandin
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   Lowered HbA1C from 6.0 to 5.2 which has enabled me to go off numerous other anti diabetic medications which all had side effects. The overall effect has been most agreeable including a loss of over 100 pounds of body fat.
Side effects:   Mild nausea if you didn't eat within one hour of use, otherwise there were no side effects noted.
Comments:   Before breakfast and dinner inject 10 mcg subcutaneous. I incidently also follow a strict low carbohydrate diet to achieve those HbA1C numbers and the weight loss. It is difficult to exactly know which of these gave the greatest effect, but I believe they were synergistic.

 

Byetta review by 43 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Highly Effective
Side effects:   Mild Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   type 2 diabetes
Dosage & duration:   5 mcg (dosage frequency: twice a day) for the period of just started two weeks ago
Other conditions:   none
Other drugs taken:   metformin,amaryl
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   this drug kept my sugar down constantly to where it should be finally.i am very satisfied with it so far.
Side effects:   mild nausea and occasional diarrhea but it should stop within the next week or two.
Comments:   i take byetta 2 x daily before lunch and dinner.after i eat i take my metformin and my amaryl.this works great for me.the doctor is trying to help me loose weight and get off the amaryl.

 

Byetta review by 64 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Highly Effective
Side effects:   Mild Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   diabetes
Dosage & duration:   10 mg taken twice a day for the period of 1 1/2 years to date
Other conditions:   High blood prssure
Other drugs taken:   Blood pressure meds
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   Lowered blood sugar on a daily basis, lowered A1C ratings and led to a much better overall feeling of control for the diabetes. Allowed for a more varied diet while keeping blood sugar controlled. Insulin resistance seems to be in better control. Lowered appetite which led to weight loss.
Side effects:   A little nausea when I first started taking the drub.
Comments:   A patient is instructed to start out using the 5 mg pen for one month, then if doing well, progressing to the 10 mg pen. Then the patient is monitored every 3-6 months to determine how well drug is controlling blood glucose which is done by taking the A1C test.
 


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