Timing of BYETTA® Doses
| Author: Judy Kohn, RN, BSN, CDE |
| Last Updated: Monday, August 20, 2007 |
Q: "I currently inject 5mg of BYETTA® twice per day. The instructions state to inject before a meal and not to take it after eating. What effect would BYETTA have if taken after a meal? Would it just not work, or would I suffer ill effects?"
A: That is a good question for which I phoned the BYETTA hotline to confirm the correct answer.
As you know, the instructions state:
- You can inject twice a day, at any time within the 60 minutes before your morning and evening meals (or before the two main meals of the day), approximately 6 hours or more apart.
- Do not take BYETTA after your meal. If you miss a dose, skip that dose and take your next dose at the next prescribed time. Do not take an extra dose or increase the amount of your next dose to make up for the one you missed.
Why you should not take Byetta after your meal
There are two possible, and opposite, effects:
- Higher post-meal glucose levels: The blood glucose after your meal might be higher because you would have missed the desired effect from BYETTA – meaning that: When you inject BYETTA at the appropriate time, BYETTA normally tells your pancreas to make more insulin to handle your meal; it suppresses the liver from releasing too much glucose after the meal; it slows food digestion to lower your post-meal glucose.
- Possible mild hypoglycemia: The expert at the Customer Support Center reported that in clinical studies, when BYETTA was taken after the meal, there was a somewhat higher incidence of mild hypoglycemia (low blood glucose) in some people who were also taking a secretagogue (i.e. a pill that stimulates your pancreas to produce more insulin).
Note: You can view an interactive tutorial on the BYETTA website, and if you have further concerns, you can call the Amylin Lilly Customer Support Center at: 1-800-868-1190.
Be sure to discuss this with your healthcare team.
Related Questions
Sulfonylureas and Meglitinides
Q:
"I am only on Glucophage® but my blood glucose is not in target range and
my doctor said he plans to add a sulfonylurea. Would you explain more about
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Related Links
BYETTA
http://byetta.com
Important Notice: The responses provided by the team of Diabetes Educators are based on their personal experiences and expertise as practicing diabetes healthcare professionals, and are not to be considered diabetes management advice from Abbott Laboratories. Remember that information provided by the team of Diabetes Educators is for general background purposes and is not intended as a substitute for medical diagnosis or treatment by a trained professional. You should always consult your physician about any healthcare questions you may have, especially before trying a new medication, diet, fitness program, or approach to healthcare issues.
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