Wednesday 26 May 2010

Type 2 Diabetes and the new drug Byetta exenatide

First In It's Class:

Byetta is the first of a new class of drugs available for Type 2 diabetes management. It's not used for Type 1. It's been on the market for about a year. It is meant to be a supplemental drug, used in conjunction with Metformin or sulfonylureas or a combination of both to help improve glycemic control in people who have had trouble maintaining good blood glucose levels.

Gila monster, a poionous lizard

that

lives south western America.

Byetta or Exenatide, as it is known, generically, is a synthetic version of Exendin-4, a hormone found in the saliva of the Gila monster, a poisonous lizard that lives in the American Southwest. Scientists noticed that Gila monsters go for long periods of time without eating. When they are fasting, their pancreas is literally "turned off". When they do eat, they excrete Exendin-4 which flips the switch on the pancreas, turning it back on to help digest the meal.

How It Works In Humans:

It works like a gut hormone that is found in humans, GLP-1, or Glucagon-like peptide-1. It helps trigger insulin to be produced in the pancreas. It also slows digestion, which in turn, helps slow the amount of glucose that's released into the blood. It also helps you feel full longer, causing a decrease in appetite. This can help with weight loss in Type 2 patients who are overweight.

How To Use It:

Byetta is injected subcutaneously twice a day. It should be injected within an hour of eating breakfast and dinner. It's important to inject Byetta before a meal. It is not as effective if injected after eating. It usually comes in a prefilled dosing pen. It is not meant to be used alone. It is prescribed with oral medications such as metformin, chlorpropamide, glipizide, or glyburide. It works differently in the body than oral meds and helps the body lower blood glucose more effectively.

What It Isn't:

Byetta is not a substitute for injectable insulin. It can't be used in Type 1 diabetes. Since it stimulates insulin production in the pancreas, it's not suitable for Type 1. There is little to no natural insulin production associated with Type 1 because the islet cells that make insulin have been destroyed. Byetta is also not used to treat excessively high blood glucose levels.

Possible Side Effects:

Like any medication, there are side effects that some people may experience. Nausea and vomiting, upset stomach, and diarrhea are side effects that can affect some people when first starting Byetta. These side effects usually subside with continued use. You may notice that you feel anxious or jumpy, your appetite may be less and you may lose some weight. If you experience side effects, or if you have any allergic reactions to Byetta, please call your healthcare provider.

Hypoglycemic Reaction:

Hypoglycemia may occur when Byetta is first added to your other medications. Check your blood sugar often during this time. Signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia include: feeling nervous, shaky, dizzy, lightheaded, sleepy or hungry. You may be confused, sweaty, or have difficulty speaking or walking. Call your healthcare provider if you experience hypoglycemia while on Byetta. Your medications may have to be adjusted.

So are you wondering if you have type 2 diabetes?

Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes can cause serious health complications. That's why is very important to know how to spot type 2 diabetes symptoms. Even pre-diabetes can increase the chance of heart disease just like type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Talk to your doctor about preventive measures you can take now to reduce the chance of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

The symptoms of type 2 diabetes due to high blood sugar may include:

Increased thirst
Increased hunger (especially after eating)
Dry mouth
Frequent urination (need to go for a pee quite a lot more than normal)
Unexplained weight loss (even though you are eating and feel hungry)
Fatigue (weak, tired feeling)
Blurred vision
Headaches
Loss of consciousness (rare)

Contact your GP if you have any type 2 diabetes symptoms or if you have further questions about type 2 diabetes. It’s important to get diabetes testing and start a treatment plan early to prevent serious diabetes complications.

Type 2 diabetes is usually not diagnosed until health complications have occurred. Most often, there are no diabetes symptoms or a very gradual development of the above symptoms of type 2 diabetes. In fact, about a third of all people who have type 2 diabetes don't know they have it.

Other symptoms of type 2 diabetes may include:

Slow-healing sores or cuts
Itching of the skin (usually around the vaginal or groin area)
Frequent yeast infections
Recent weight gain
Velvety dark skin changes of the neck, armpit and groin, called acanthosis nigricans
Numbness and tingling of the hands and feet
Decreased vision
Impotency

Celebrities with diabetes include

Diabetes Fame - Entertainment
Jack Benny - Comedian

Halle Berry - Actress (Monster's Ball, X-Men, Die Another Day)

Wilford Brimley - Actor (Cocoon, The China Syndrome)

J. Anthony Brown - Actor (Drumline), comedian, radio personality, dLifeTV co-host
Delta Burke - Actress (Designing Women) Miss Florida; Miss USA

James Cagney - Actor (Public Enemy, Angels With Dirty Faces, Yankee Doodle Dandy)

Nell Carter - Actress (Gimme a Break)

Carol Channing - Broadway singer and actress

Alvin Childress - Actor (Amos & Andy)

Dick Clark - Entertainer, television producer

James Doohan - Actor (Scotty from Star Trek)

Dale Evans - Entertainer (The Yellow Rose of Texas, The Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Show)
Ella Fitzgerald - Singer
Don Francisco - Television Host (Sabado Gigante)

Stephen Furst - Actor (Animal House)

Victor Garber - Actor (Alias, Titanic, First Wives Club, Sleepless in Seattle)

Jackie Gleason- Actor (The Honeymooners, Smokey and the Bandit, The Hustler)

Dorian Gregory - Actor (Baywatch Nights, Charmed, The Other Half)

Dana Hill - Actress (Shoot the Moon, European Vacation)
Randy Jackson – Musician, producer, American Idol judge
Nicole Johnson - dLifeTV co-host; Miss America 1999; author and diabetes advocate.
Zippora Karz - Ballet teacher, former NYC Ballet Soloist
Larry King - Talk show host
Al Lewis - Actor (The Munsters)
Jerry Lewis - Comedian, Actor, Film Producer, Director, Writer, and Singer

Robert "Gorilla Monsoon" Marella -Professional wrestler and commentator

Jerry Mathers - Actor (Leave it to Beaver)

Mary Tyler Moore - Actress (Dick Van Dyke Show, Mary Tyler Moore Show, Ordinary People) and diabetes advocate

Mother Love - Entertainer, author, motivational speaker, dLifeTV co-host

Richard Mulligan - Actor (Soap, Empty Nest)

Carroll O'Conner - Actor (All in the Family, Heat of the Night)

Park Overall - Actress (Empty Nest)

Della Reese - Actress, singer (Touched by an Angel)

Esther Rolle - Actress (Good Times)
Sir Harry Secombe - Welsh singer, entertainer; former president of the British Diabetic Association.

Sherri Shepherd - Actress (The View, 30 Rock)

Jean Smart - Actress (Designing Women)

Elaine Stritch - Comedian, actress

Spencer Tracy - Actor

Jim Turner - Actor (Bewitched, Arli$$), dLifeTV co-host
Aida Turturro – Actress (The Sopranos)

Ben Vereen - Actor, performer, humanitarian

Mae West - Actress (My Little Chickadee, I'm No Angel)

Diabetes Fame - Musicians
Nat Adderley - Jazz Musician
Ray Anderson - Jazz Musician
Syd Barret - Singer (Pink Floyd)
Tony Bennett -Jazz singer
Crystal Bowersox - Folk-rock musician, American Idol contestant
Danny Joe Brown - Singer (Molly Hatchet)
James Brown - 'The Godfather of Soul'
Johnny Cash - 'The Man in Black'
Bobby Charles - Singer-Songwriter
Mark Collie - Country Singer
David Crosby - Singer (Crosby, Stills, and Nash)
Miles Davis - Jazz Musician
Johnny Darrell - Country music singer
Phife Dawg - Rapper (A Tribe Called Quest)
Bo Diddley - Singer
Mama Cass Elliott - Singer (Mamas and the Papas)
Ella Fitzgerald - Singer
Mick Fleetwood - Musician (Fleetwood Mac)
Aretha Franklin - 'The Queen of Soul'
Melvin Franklin – Singer (The Temptations)
Jerry Garcia - Singer, Musician (Grateful Dead)
Dizzy Gillespie - Jazz Musician
Shirley Horn - Grammy-winning Jazz singer and pianist
Marvin Isley - Singer (The Isley Brothers)
Mahalia Jackson - Gospel Singer
Randy Jackson – Musician, producer, American Idol judge
Rick James - Singer ("Super Freak" Funk Legend)
Nick Jonas – lead singer/guitarist for Jonas Brothers
Waylon Jennings - Country Singer
Herbert Kahury (“Tiny Tim”) - Singer
Ghostface Killah - Rapper (Wu-Tang Clan)
B.B. King - Blues Singer and Musician
Patti LaBelle - Soul singer
Peggy Lee - Jazz singer, Grammy winner
Tommy Lee - Drummer (Motley Crue)
Curtis Mayfield - Soul singer
Bret Michaels - Singer (Poison)
Tim Parker - Rapper (Blackalicious)
Elvis Presley - Singer and guitarist
Giacomo Puccini – Operatic Composer
Angie Stone - Singer
Jessica Stone - Singer and Actress
Elliott Yamin - Singer

Neil Young - singer, songwriter, guitarist, and director
Gary Valenciano - Philipinno singer
Luther Vandross - Singer
Leslie West - Guitarist, Singer, Songwriter
Norman Whitfield - Grammy winning R&B songwriter and record producer
Brad Wilk - Drummer (Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave)

Jerry Wright

with

type 2 diabetes

"I have been a diagnosed type 2 diabetic for over 4 years now, since registering with my new GP at my wife's surgery. I have taken "Metformin" tablets with another called "Glycoside" .

Alongside those above tablets, i have started a Byetta programme here in the UK, i have been using it now for twelve weeks, i have lost 15lbs in that time due to hunger suppression. The Benefits of using Byetta outreach the risks, by close medical supervision monitoring, by visiting the diabetic clinic monthly at first then periodically after that will check if this drug is suitable for you. any stomach pains from using Byetta to consult your diabetic medical team immediately, as in some cases Byetta may not be suitable for you. "