I just started using byetta last Friday but have missed most of my evening doses because of a hectic schedule. I've had lots of nausea and wonder how bad it will be when I start the two daily doses (hopefully tonight after work). Also, any tips on traveling with byetta? I'm still waiting for my free byetta travel pack to arrive so I won't miss any more doses. Thanks!
The travel pack that Lilly sends you only keeps it cool for an hour or two. Its pretty useless. Medicool has a pack especially for byetta. http://www.medicool.com/diabetes/diabetes_travel_protectallbc.html . Supposed to keep it cool for 8 hours. Another suggestion I read online is put a few ice cubes in a baggie and put that in a stanley thermos. Been told it works for much longer than 8 hours.
Some hints to help the nausea. OTC antacids and acid inhibitors. Pepto Bismol helped me the most. Accupressure wrist bands (found them at my local pharmacy) helped tremendously. Finally, prescription drugs if none of the above work. All these things need to be done one hour prior to the shot as a preventative to work best. I've been on it for a couple months, now, and am finally starting to feel better again. What really helped was a three day sebaticle from the drug. After a brief time off, when I went back on, everything was fine.
FRIO Wallets are really neat ways to carry your pen. A pen wallet costs about 25 bucks and you can find them on the internet or ebay stores. What makes them so neat is that you don't have to freeze them or put batteries in them, etc. You simply soak the wallet in water for about 5 mins and the crystals in the wallet expand to form a gel that permeates the inside of the wallet. you then put a cover over the inside part of the wallet and it is dry as a bone. However, the evaporation process that goes on with the gel/crystals causes a cooling effect and keeps your Byetta or Insulin at the right temperature for
UP TO 45 HOURS.
Now I was a bit skeptical, but the British Medical Devices Evaluation Unit (our equiv. to the FDA) and our own FDA have given their approval to sell this thingy as a means to keep Insulin and other related drugs cold.
Check out the temperature for sure. I read in a diabetes blog someone said the frio was ok for insulin but not cold enough for byetta. Medicool makes one especially for byetta that adheres to the temperaure it needs 36-48 degrees.
