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Islets of Hope treatment options for persons with diabetes |
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Article by Lahle Wolfe. For article use and reprint infomration please contact: Sources
IOH links to more information about Byetta Byetta Mini Site Index Visit Islets of Hope's Blog and talk about Byetta! Doctors: New Diabetes Drug Induces Weight Loss - Type 2 diabetes has an interesting side effect -- weight loss. Some people are wondering if the new drug, Byetta, might help people who don't have diabetes lose weight, too. 05/23/2006 More information on Byetta is available by calling the Amylin Lilly Customer Support Center toll-free at 1-800-868-1190. Can't afford Byetta? Amylin and Lilly offer an assistance program based on financial need. You can call their toll-free hotline at 1-800-330-7647 for more information, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Eastern Time. Those with no other source of coverage may be referred to the Patient Assistance Program. You can also visit Islets of Hope's section on assistance & insurance programs for persons with diabetes.
Byetta homepage Long-Term Data on BYETTA(TM) show sustained improvements in glucose control and progressive weight reduction in people with type 2 diabetes; 06/10/2004 Other Treatments
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Byetta and weight loss Important disclosure note: The author of this article, Lahle Wolfe began BYETTA in October 2006, after writing this article. After normalizing her blood sguars and losing 9 lbs. during the first 5 days on BYETTA. she purchased stock in Amylin. Mini Site Index Byetta and weight loss Does Byetta cause weight loss? Or merely facilitate weight loss, making it easier for those dedicated to healthy choices to achieve their weight loss goals? Difficult question. So let's begin by stating that Byetta (pronounced bye-A-tuh) is not approved as a weight loss drug. In fact, as of this writing, Byetta is not even FDA approved as a stand alone therapy for diabetes. But one thing is clear: people who use Byetta are more likely to be successful at weight loss. IOH Tidbits, quoted from DB's Medical Rants - Understanding exenatide The users call the drug Lizzie, the Big Brother or sometimes Gilly. On blogs they rave over its uncanny ability to melt away pounds, although some are wary of its side effects, which can include nausea and strange welts The drug seems so effective for weight loss that some nondiabetics have begun using Byetta as a diet drug — causing concern among doctors who say such use has not been medically tested and could be dangerous. But for diabetics, weight loss from Byetta could be a particularly important benefit. Among the 21 million Americans with diabetes, about 90 percent have Type 2, which usually occurs in adulthood and has been linked to obesity and inactivity. You may find it easier to manage your weight while on Byetta, however, Byetta is not a weight-loss drug and you will still need to follow a healthy diet and include physical activity in your lifestyle in order to lose weight. Some of the ways that Byetta may facilitate persons with type 2 diabetes or insulin resistance control in weight loss include:
How much weight can I lose while taking Byetta? There are many variables involved and even while taking Byetta, a patient that overeats and is physically inactive will probably continue to have weight struggles. The more physically active a person is, the greater the health benefits, including weight loss. What Byetta can help you with is "tipping the scales" back into your favor. Persons with insulin resistance overproduce insulin in such quantity that it can interfere with the body's ability to respond to a reduction in calories (making it harder to lose weight) by keeping the body in "fat storage" mode. Additionally, excess insulin can be stored as fat. By helping to correct overproduction of insulin and stabilizing blood glucose, Byetta may be a useful tool in helping you better control your weight. Remember, Byetta is neither a cure, nor a magic medication. You still have diabetes and you still need to pay attention to what you eat and follow a healthy lifestyle in order to lose weight, or maintain a healthy weight, the same as would be true for a nondiabetic. In clinical trials, most patients on Byetta did lose weight (--- to --- -pounds) but not everyone does. But I have also been reading patient blogs and found that the majority of these bloggers" report even more weight loss than was experienced in the clinical trials patients. An 82-week study reported patient weight loss up to 24 lbs. (Diabetes Conference: Byetta Facts; ADA Conference June 10, 2006). Some bloggers state that they were simply unable to lose weight -- and they had really tried -- prior to Byetta. Once they began injecting Byetta they were able to lose weight -- their blood sugars were better controlled which can help normalize levels of hunger and they felt better. Users report that they feel fuller, and dieting and exercising started to work for them. Again, the key to remember is that Byetta may help even out the playing field, but simply taking it does not equate with instant, easy, no-attention-to-lifestyle weight loss. Losing weight on Byetta The importance of exercise One way to help ensure weight loss success on Byetta is to increase your physical activity. Exercise is especially beneficial for people with metabolic disorders like insulin resistance, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), and type 2 diabetes because it can lower blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol. And the good news is, that even for those who are obese, losing just 10-15 lbs. can improve insulin sensitivity. Regular strength training (resistance exercise) helps improve muscle sensitivity to insulin which makes weight loss easier to accomplish. Cardio (aerobic) activity also improves blood circulation, keeps joints flexible, and can help reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis, and of course, burns calories and leads to body fat loss. Eating healthy for weight loss and good glycemic control Just as going from an shot therapy to an insulin pump does not mean you can suddenly eat anything you want and not gain weight, using Byetta as a conjunctive therapy to oral medications does not mean you don't have diabetes and that you can ignore your diet. In general, people with diabetes, even more so than the general population, need to eat healthy, complex carbohydrates and avoid high-sugar, processed foods. Diabetics also need to watch dietary fat intake, protein, and overall calorie consumption. But requirements for persons with type 2 diabetes and/or insulin resistance may not be the same for those with type 1 diabetes. Eating the right foods not only will help you to control your blood glucose (sugar) better, but may also be important if you have diabetes complications like kidney problems. Knowing what and how to eat is vital to your success and good health. Islets of Hope strongly encourages you to seek the advice of a dietitian. According to the Stanford University of Medicine: Research indicates that low fat diets may aggravate the effect of insulin resistance on blood lipids. Therefore, for individuals who are insulin resistant, a diet low in saturated fat (less than 10 percent of total calories) and more moderate in total fat content (40% of total calories) may be beneficial. This recommendation is different from the low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet that many health organizations recommend to help prevent heart disease. Specifically, they recommend decreasing fat intake to less than 30 percent of calories. Some groups recommend even lower levels of dietary fat. And even the American Diabetes Association has changed their position on dietary fats suggesting low-carbohydrate diets over low-fat diets for better health and glycemic control. With even the experts still sorting things out, It can be hard to know just what is healthy for you. Since diabetes type 1 and type 2 can differ slightly in terms of nutritional requirements and diet, consider discussing your own medical and nutritional needs with a dietitian than understands diabetes. IOH Health Tips
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