Cutting Meds with Byetta

Last week's E-News had responses from many people who had good success initially with Byetta then mentioned they had stopped losing weight although they enjoyed taking the medication. The initial weight loss of 10 to 15 pounds did not continue. In every case, it seemed to me that there was no attempt to decrease all the medications that could act as storage hormones.

In type 2 patients there should be serious attempts to decrease insulin until it is over. So too would be any of the other sulfonylureas or similar agents that would put glucose into fat.

In type 1 patients, if there is a desire to lose weight then there should be a similar decrease in insulin. Before too many months have passed, most patients are on only 10 percent of their original insulin.

Although Byetta is the treatment for the weight gain that occurs with the TDZ agents in these agents should be used in only the lower doses. Medications should be continuously decreased to achieve the weight loss you would like to have. Remember the end point is getting you off Byetta as well as all your other medications.