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What Is Byetta?

Diabetics often get frustrated with the choice of medications that are available to help keep their insulin and glucose levels under control. The pills available often cause weight gain, which is especially frustrating since diabetes is better controlled when the patient loses weight. Byetta is a relatively new drug for diabetes that has given a new option to diabetics--one that it's makers, Amylin and Eli Lilly, claim will not cause weight gain.

  1. Origins of Byetta

    • Amylin Pharmaceuticals and Eli Lilly created the drug, which is derived from the saliva of the Gila monster lizard. Byetta was approved by the FDA in 2005.

      The Gila monster is able to survive while eating only a few times per year and researchers discovered that it is because of its saliva. The saliva keeps the lizard feeling full and also keeps it's blood sugar levels in check when it has not eaten.

    What Byetta Does

    • Byetta's makers say the drug works in several ways. It is intended to help the pancreas make the right amounts of insulin, which in turn levels out blood sugar. It also keeps the liver from overproducing glucose. Byetta slows the digestion of food, keeping the user full for longer periods of time. Slower digestion also reduces the likelihood of glucose levels spiking.

    Uses of Byetta

    • According to the manufacturer's website, Byetta is predominately prescribed for type 2 diabetes and is usually used in combination with another medication, such as metformin, to control insulin levels and blood sugar. Byetta is sometimes prescribed for patients with insulin resistance because it has been found that the drug can aid in reprogramming the body to make and use insulin properly.

    Taking Byetta

    • Unlike many other medications used by diabetics to control glucose levels, Byetta is given as a shot. The shot must be given twice each day immediately before a meal. Byetta is dispensed in a pen and does not need to be transferred to a syringe. The needles used with the pen are small---usually a 31 gauge mini-needle. The needle is inserted into the abdomen or inner thigh.

    Side Effects of Byetta

    • Byetta users complain of numerous side effects include dizziness, nausea, headaches, and exhaustion. Most users say that the side effects fade within the first week or two of use. Another side effect of Byetta is weight loss. A 30-week clinical study conducted by Amylin showed an average loss of 5 lbs. Since the drug has been released to the public, many patients are reporting higher weight loss than Amylin first anticipated. Sites such as DiabetesExplained.com report that many users have succeeded in losing as much as 30 lbs. in the first year.

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