Exenatide and Nausea: What Users Say (Page 3)

• Liz...
• April 25, 2017

For Type 2 Diabetes "I've been on Bydureon for 15 months. Recently, I started experiencing nausea and vomiting after my weekly injections, so I am going to be switching to Trulicity. I really did well on Bydureon in the past. I lost 30 to 35 lbs total, and my A1Cs went down to 6-7. I've had tons of knots, but they usually go away in a couple of months. I'm hoping there will be less bleeding with Trulicity since it has a smaller needle and none of the mixing hassle. The only reason I don't give Bydureon a 10 rating is because of the mixing, knots, and bleeding."

• Gen...
• January 25, 2009

For Type 2 Diabetes "I was diagnosed in November 2008 and was started on 5 mg of Byetta. Being apprehensive, I searched out information on Byetta and found these reviews, which gave me the information and confidence that I needed. After a month, in December, my dose was increased to 10 mg. I have had no nausea or other side effects. My sugar levels have dropped and are entering the normal range. I lost 5 pounds in the first 2 weeks. I have not been on the scale since Dec 10, but my clothes are telling me that I will get good news when I go back to the doctor in February. Thanks to all for taking the time to share. It helped me very much."

• Ama...
• March 29, 2010

For Type 2 Diabetes "I started Byetta 5 mg in January and then upped to 10 mg in February. I'm on my second month at 10 mg. Unfortunately, this drug has not worked for me. I will not continue after this month's pen is done. It did NOTHING for my blood sugar numbers. I'm also on Metformin and Glipizide. It did help control my appetite but only enough to lose about 8 lbs total. I also didn't really experience bad side effects. Some occasional nausea, mostly if I didn't eat within 40-60 min of injection. I sometimes wondered if I had too much belly fat for the medicine to work properly, but I'm not comfortable injecting my thigh or arm. I truly wanted this to work as wonderfully for me as it did for others. Sadly, it has not."

• cra...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 14, 2013

For Type 2 Diabetes "I maxed out on metformin, and sugars were running in the upper 200s, so my doctor put me on Bydureon. I'm her first, so the sales representative/nurse came and gave us all a lesson. She said to continue the metformin while I'm waiting for the numbers to go down. Just took my sixth injection. Sugars are around 100, so I lowered my metformin by 500 mg. 13 lb. weight loss! Having a hard time with the nausea, though. Some indigestion with the metformin, so hoping the decrease in that will help."

• Lha...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 28, 2015

For Type 2 Diabetes "Started three weeks ago and great results. Pre-blood levels 24 up to 29 mmol, now after only three weeks, range from 7 to 15. Only side effect is slight nausea 12 hours after injecting, but nothing you cannot put up with."

• Nak...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 14, 2016

For Type 2 Diabetes "I've been taking Bydureon for about 4 months. I absolutely love this medicine. After taking Metformin for 2 years, I requested the switch. So many side effects for me with Metformin. The only side effect I notice with Bydureon is nausea. In the beginning, it was more pronounced, but now I just notice it from time to time, and it subsides rather quickly. My blood sugars are so much more in control. I have also lost 15 pounds and am looking forward to losing more! So glad I switched to this medicine!!"

• dwe...
• October 14, 2008

For Type 2 Diabetes "Byetta is my lifesaver. It not only lowered my blood sugar levels but has helped me lose weight with only mild side effects (nausea). I have lost 28 pounds in three months, and my appetite is way less than it used to be. It is expensive, but as they say, you get what you pay for."

• nor...
• February 19, 2013

For Type 2 Diabetes "On my 2nd dose. Having very little nausea and easy to mix/inject. I am having higher numbers. Morning numbers were normal, and now they are higher. Hitting over 300 on some readings. I feel very hungry and can't seem to eat enough. I work out in class 4x a week and do something active each day. Dr. just told me to add in 1/2 glipizide daily. Have hopes that this will eventually work but concerns because I already have thyroid nodules and hypothyroidism (almost 40 years on Synthroid)."

• Den...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 7, 2017

For Type 2 Diabetes "So far, I am very pleased with my results from taking Bydureon for some 4 months. I have lost 8 kgs, and my HbA1c has gone from 8.9 to 7. I have lumps, but they do gradually go after a period of time, I have had some bruising also. My main concern is the nausea, which I still experience spasmodically, and absolute lack of appetite. Certain foods I only have to look at, and it is a real turn-off. But I will put up with all the above, as I have finally lost some weight by eating minute amounts 6 times a day, and my blood sugars are the lowest they have been for approximately 3 years, and it is so rewarding to hear friends say, 'You have lost weight, you look great.'"

• pho...
• July 28, 2017

For Type 2 Diabetes "Just started Byetta this week. No nausea! I am tired but only in the evening. I usually sleep 7 hours a night, and during this first week, I am sleeping 9 hours a night. I am eating far less and feeling completely satisfied. I am hopeful..."

• Wor...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 20, 2018

For Type 2 Diabetes "My husband took his 7th injection of Bydureon in early June 2018. Within 24 hours, he became very ill. Extreme nausea and vomiting, dizziness, excessive heartburn, and burping. He also passed out without warning. It is now mid-September, and every 2-3 weeks, all those side effects are still there, just like flipping on a light switch. He will feel fine, and then all of a sudden, without warning, he can't function. The sickness is beyond extreme. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON HOW LONG THESE SIDE EFFECTS CAN LAST?"

• Ksu...
• May 8, 2015

For Type 2 Diabetes "I've had 3 injections of Bydureon now, and after reading all the reviews, I feared I would have some of the side effects that have been described, such as nausea and vomiting, which I would not be able to tolerate. I am thrilled to say I've had NO side effects at this point, and my blood sugars have steadily been dropping. Not drastically fast, which may be the reason I've had no nausea, but the drop is noticeable. I'm very happy about that. I surely had hoped for help with weight loss like so many reviewers have said they have, but that hasn't happened yet. I have not noticed a diminished appetite, really. I try to walk 2 miles a day, which is no problem with the drug. I'm happy with Bydureon-just wish for help with weight!"

• Byd...
• October 19, 2017

For Type 2 Diabetes "I've been on Bydureon for 3 and 1/2 years. To date, I have lost 103 lbs. At times, I do get light-headed, but other than that, no side effects. When I first started it, I was sick as a dog due to my body adjusting to the medicine/lower blood sugar levels. The nausea sucks sometimes when you're eating a delicious meal and can't take another bite without puking it all up. This medicine will definitely tell you when you've had enough to eat. I love it. I feel like I'm in the best shape of my life. 34 and 143 lbs. My doctor took me off the obese list 6 months ago. Stick with it and you'll see the results."

• Ang...
• March 4, 2016

For Type 2 Diabetes "I have only been taking this medicine for two weeks, and I love it. My sugars went down right away, from 224-295 to 146-185. I am sure that it will keep going down. My last A1C was 10.6, I cannot wait to see the next one. I have some nausea on the day after and a little on day two, but nothing that is horrible. I am still able to eat, and I have never thrown up. As for the nodules, I rub the area really well after the shot, and I do not have any. I use the top of my leg right above my knee and have not had any problems with that either. I love this medicine."

• Bab...
• October 29, 2013

For Type 2 Diabetes "I am on week five. I was on Byetta, which worked well but made me really ill to the point that I had to plan my life around toilets! I am so relieved to read in the above comments that some people experience great hunger because I thought I was some kind of freak! I discussed IBS with my doc, but they were more concerned with me losing weight. No change as yet, but not feeling the same nausea some people are reporting and no knots."

• Mul...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 24, 2016

For Type 2 Diabetes "Took Byetta for a number of years and started getting sugar 'crashes' around 1 to 2 hours after injecting, so had to sugar up to counteract, which was rather nonproductive. There was some fear that I would go low for a week when first starting, but that didn't happen. Very stable A1c at 6.25, like a rock for years. Do not eat full-size meals or you can experience pretty nasty nausea when your stomach won't empty and the meal 'ferments'. I don't call the shot the core drill for nothing. Bleeding should be expected, and the time release makes nodules which can work out through the skin surface with a small red bump which lasts up to two weeks. I keep a small LED flashlight to eyeball (shine through) the pen."

• Fan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 19, 2012

For Type 2 Diabetes "Just took my 2nd injection (the first without supervision) this morning. As others have said, the needle is larger than I'm used to, and the mixing is a little cumbersome, but I'm willing to stick with it. I had to stop both Byetta and Victoza due to horrendous side effects. I'm praying that Bydureon won't make me as nauseous."

• pen...
• February 26, 2014

"I have taken Bydureon for four weeks. My initial injection was done at the doctor's office with a nurse standing by. I had a few moments of nausea, but they were rare and far between. My nausea would only get worse the day before I took the next dose. When I took my third dose, however, I got the worst burning rash that grew to the size of a dollar bill. It still hasn't completely gone away. My doctor suggested changing the site of the injection. Within an hour of the fourth injection (on my thigh), a burning rash appeared. The doctor is switching me to Victoza. Other than the rash, I lost 10 pounds in the first two weeks because of loss of appetite."

• DMa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 27, 2018

For Type 2 Diabetes "I started taking Bydureon 15 weeks ago with an A1C of 9. Today it is 6.1. The beginning side effects were mild and tolerable, the injections are not painful at all. Those are the positive things. Unfortunately, this past week I have had extreme headaches, lethargy, abdominal pain, and nausea/vomiting. All of my lab tests are perfectly normal, my doctor wants me to continue the medication. My pharmacist wants me to stop. I cannot directly correlate how I feel with the medication, but I have no other logical explanation. If anyone has any information or suggestions, they would be greatly appreciated. Good luck to everyone!!"

• Kar...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 30, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "Drug seems to work well. My A1C is under 7. I've been on it for several years in conjunction with Invokana. I have not had the nausea, vomiting, or other side effects that many have reported. My complaint is the delivery pen/needle itself. It's horrible. There is no way the patient can be getting the full dose. After you mix the powder and solution, several drops escape out of the needle. The directions say to leave the needle inserted in the skin for 10 seconds after injecting. When you pull the needle out, the medication leaks. And there are always droplets still coming out of the needle despite how much pressure I put on the plunger while injecting. Just a horribly designed delivery mechanism. But, on the bright side, the manufacturer covers my insurance co-pay, so this medication costs me nothing out of pocket."

• Fre...
• May 3, 2016

For Type 2 Diabetes "I took my second injection this morning. I have thus far no issue with injection. I do not have a lump like most people seem to have. Injection goes well and easy for me. My first side effects after the first injection came on day 2. I had terrible nausea for about 1 hour, then it went away. I had diarrhea off and on all week and occasional nausea that didn't last long. I'm hoping I'll adjust to the med and those side effects go away. I did notice a slight decrease in my appetite. I also noticed if I ate too much, I would get sick. No weight loss to report yet, but in the first week of injection, I noticed a big improvement in my blood sugars. Fasting blood sugar was normally 215, it is now in the 180s. I'm hoping for more improvement over time."

• taz...
• April 17, 2016

For Type 2 Diabetes "I started this 4 weeks ago, I am ready to quit, my nausea is so bad, it is hard to deal with. I was told it would go away, not! My sugars are running a lot lower, and I stopped the actos. I feel like it is a huge rock in my stomach, and looking, smelling, or trying to eat makes me want to gag. I am hanging on one more week. My daughter is a nurse and does my injections, you need to do stomach and pinch up the skin, making sure you don't see any veins. I have lost 10#. When I lay down to sleep, I get heartburn really bad. I can't even sleep, I toss and turn, sometimes the whole 8 hours, I am miserable!!!"

• Chr...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 17, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "My doctor discontinued my Bydureon. I was taking it for six weeks with only slight nausea and small bumps at the injection site. But when I took my sixth injection, I wound up in the hospital with vomiting and diarrhea. I couldn't keep anything down, and I spent the weekend in the hospital as they flushed my system. Some people tolerate it, some don't. Obviously, I was in the later category."

• Fat...
• December 15, 2015

For Type 2 Diabetes "Started Byetta in mid-October 5 mg at first. Moved on to 10 mg from mid-November. I almost finished that pen now, but I have had no nausea or any other side effects, no weight loss, no difference in my food intake, no diff in my sugar levels. #sad face."

• red...
• May 31, 2013

For Type 2 Diabetes "I've been taking Bydureon for 2 months and have knots at each injection site. The last one is red and itchy. Won't see the doctor for another three weeks, so hopefully the A1C is much better. I've lost 10 pounds, have slight nausea, and occasional low blood sugar. Because of my lifelong aversion to needles, my husband gives me my shot, bless him. I just cannot make myself do the injection. I experience a good bit of stinging when the medication is going in. I'd been taking Januvia for a couple of years and have developed nodules (benign, so far) on my thyroid. I'm concerned that my doctor prescribed Bydureon, given my recent thyroid history."