Exenatide and Diarrhea: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Nan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 27, 2018

Exenatide for Type 2 Diabetes "Added Bydureon to my usual metformin dose in June 2017. Had six months of persistent nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and increasing sensation of liver fullness/discomfort. (It looks like I'm one of the group described by the package insert, who develop significant adverse effects.) At the injection sites, developed firm nodules that each took 2-3 months to resolve and became itchier the longer I was on the medication. I lost about 10 lb and had great readouts on A1c, but couldn't bear to take Bydureon beyond December 2017. In my view, not a success therapeutically."

• Geo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 27, 2016

Exenatide for Type 2 Diabetes "I am on my third injection of Bydureon. The needle is huge, and the med burns going in and bleeds after. No problems with the injection site till this week, I noticed a small pea-sized bump at the first injection site on my stomach. The first two weeks, my morning sugars went up significantly to 190-200. Other side effects are diarrhea (which has resolved this week), bloating, a very uncomfortable full feeling, and some random stomach pain. This week numbers are starting to come down to 145-155, but still higher than when on my previous med, Victoza, which made me very nauseous. Not losing weight. In fact, I am up 2 lbs. Hope this turns around in the next couple of weeks."

• Rif...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 1, 2020

Exenatide "I’ve been taking Bydureon for three months. I’ve had minimal side effects (except the odd bout of diarrhea, which is not uncommon for me), and I’ve felt it work to help me eat less. I just seem to fill up on less food more quickly. I’ve lost 5 kg, which I’m really pleased with."

• lpe...
• July 31, 2017

Exenatide for Type 2 Diabetes "I took my first dose of Bydureon last night. Today, I am in intense body-wide pain, stomach cramping, diarrhea, headache, and hives everywhere. My face, tongue, and throat swelled. I just want to crawl in a hole and stay there. My doctor switched me to this because regular insulin burns on injection and worsens my neuropathy. I have tried all the pens and tablets on the market, but I react to them all. I can barely hold my head up as I write this."

• raj...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 10, 2017

Exenatide for Type 2 Diabetes "On insulin and Bydureon 2 mg. Been on it 8 months. Been okay, but last month severe vomiting, diarrhea. I don't eat for 2-4 days at all. Now, the smell of food gives me projectile vomiting. I stopped today."

• bip...
• December 14, 2009

Exenatide for Type 2 Diabetes "I have been on Byetta for 10 days and have had excessive diarrhea. I take the medicine. I'll wait an hour, I'll eat, and then I have unending diarrhea until the next meal. I have lost weight, I can tell. I don't know if this is worth it."

• Cas...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 17, 2017

Exenatide for Type 2 Diabetes "This med worked well for the first 6 weeks. I had lost about 20 lbs and liked that part. The next 4 or 5 shots didn't seem like it did anything. The lumps remained, though. After about a month off the drug, the lumps started to go away and the sulfur burps, stomach cramps, constipation, nausea, and intermittent diarrhea took over. I was sick for about 2 months as the lumps slowly dissolved. It took another 3 months before I felt normal again. I think the med didn't dissolve like it should have. Then it all released at once and made me sick. Also, the needle was HUGE and a pain to get ready. I switched to Trulicity lately and am having good results."

• JDa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 25, 2018

Exenatide for Type 2 Diabetes "I started taking this medicine 3 weeks ago. The first week, I had diarrhea and a small lump. The second week, I had diarrhea, and the lump was larger, and I had diarrhea. The third week, the lump was larger, and I had diarrhea. Two days after the injection, I had hives and itching. There was no difference between this drug and Victoza with my blood sugars. The convenience of taking this medication once a week is very good, but not everything is for everybody. My doctor took me off this medication."

• Roa...
• May 17, 2021

Exenatide for Type 2 Diabetes "Diabetes sugars came down a little, but started to have side effects of digestion issues and both constipation and diarrhea. I also got what I thought were numerous cysts on my stomach, which scared me. My doctor said they were probably marks or lumps from this medicine, which is where I usually inject myself. Not sure I am going to stay on this, I'm going to ask the doctor to take me off."

• Con...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 3, 2022

Exenatide for Type 2 Diabetes "I took Bydureon for two weeks before my pancreas shut down completely! I even told my doctor that I had a history of pancreatitis, and he prescribed it anyway. Within one month, I was so sick. I was vomiting, passing explosive gas, and having explosive diarrhea! I lost 25 lbs that month. This is my experience with the drug."

• Jha...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 19, 2019

Exenatide for Type 2 Diabetes "I have taken Bydureon (exenatide) for a year, and it helps glucose levels for my type 2 diabetes, and Bydureon has worked for weight loss too. However, the side effects of exenatide are that I have started to have nausea and diarrhea after taking it, and I will seek out an alternative covered by insurance."

• All...
• May 22, 2016

"I am a type 1 diabetic for 15 years. I went through ketoacidosis and was released from the hospital with blood sugars in the mid-400 range. My numbers before buried in would go to the mid-300s. I am 5 weeks into once per week Bydureon. The needle is very thick - you get used to that. There is some nausea, but mine usually goes away after a day and a half. I just developed the worst diarrhea and stomach pains for 2 days after eating in week 5 - I need to see if this is going to go away. The biggest benefit - my blood sugar levels have gotten down in the 100s and very rarely go above 150, let alone 200, and my high and low blood sugar rollercoaster is no more. Overall, I think I will tolerate the nausea and occasional diarrhea if my numbers are under control."

• SgR...
• August 31, 2017

Exenatide for Type 2 Diabetes "I was prescribed Bydureon about 4 months ago when my insurance stopped paying for Byetta. I had been on Byetta for 13 years, and it was working well for me. I finally stopped taking Bydureon 3 weeks ago. I was sick the entire time. I did not relate it to Bydureon at first. I was aware my blood sugar was 300-400 while taking Bydureon. I then realized it was because I was originally taking Byetta, and Bydureon reacts to the Byetta that is left in the system. My blood sugar never came down much while taking Bydureon. I had a headache constantly, stomach ache, diarrhea, upper respiratory infection, sinus drainage, joint pain, leg pain, feet hurt, and my stomach felt full or stuffed all the time. And my blood sugar remained high."