The score now: lizards 19,233,748,458,975,845, mammals: -?

[gekkogecko]

URL:
http://www.abc15.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=7abd321d-7183-411d-9700-d7297ef64f95

Summary, if the story is taken down before you get a chance to read it: Gila Monster saliva, used in the drug Byetta, has been previously used to help diabetics control their medical condition.

Now the drug is being investigated as a potential aid to weight-loss.

[gekkogecko]

Which of course begs the question: which of you Pixies women would like lizard spit more directly applied?

[Lilith]

I know people on it and it works sooooooooooo well. I have asked for it. But as of yet my DR. has not consented.

[wyndhy]

Which of course begs the question: which of you Pixies women would like lizard spit more directly applied?
smooth, gg.

my girl was reading me a snake book the other day and it mentioned snake venom being investigated as a possible cure for some types of cancer. not lizards, i know, but not mammals either.:D

[Oldfart]

Should we form a toxic relationship with this reptile?

Perhaps here in Oz we should breed a blue gila.

[Lilith]

I get my first injection in the morning!!!!!!!!! I walked in and told my Doc that I want Gila Monster juice. She said I will absolutely lose weight and see my sugars stabilize!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yay. Go lizzards!

[wyndhy]

nice!!^^ grats:x:

[scotzoidman]

I get my first injection in the morning!!!!!!!!! I walked in and told my Doc that I want Gila Monster juice. She said I will absolutely lose weight and see my sugars stabilize!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yay. Go lizzards!
You will let me know how lizard spit works for you, right?

[dicksbro]

I've been on Byetta for a couple of years and I think it does help. I've dropped 20-30 pounds over that time but it's kind of leveled off right now. And, yes, it does help with blood sugars.

[Lilith]

I'm chicken to take it this morning so I will wait til the weekend to start. DB good to hear it works ok. Scotz I'll keep you posted.

[Oldfart]

And me, even though it's not available to us here in Oz.

[gekkogecko]

Of course I'd like to know how that whole lizard spit thing works for you, Lilith.

[scotzoidman]

I'm chicken to take it this morning so I will wait til the weekend to start. DB good to hear it works ok. Scotz I'll keep you posted.
Time for an update, if you please...I've got my drs. appointment set for Thursday a.m., & I want to be able to have what ever info I can get ready to spring on the little guy (yeh, my doc's about half my size...I think he may be a little scared of me ;) )

[Lilith]

It has been very rocky but overall I would say it is the best thing that ever hapened to me since I've gotten diabetes. I started off on the 5mcg pen 2x per day. For the first week I had severe stomach issues and lethargy. I lost 12 pounds in 4 days. By week 2 my blood sugars stayed between 78 and 125 I lost a few pounds. By week 4 my blood sugars had crept up to 120-170 and no weight loss maybe even gained a pound or two. I knew that meant I was needing to bump to the 10 mcg pen. I went to fill my script only to be told I needed prior insurance approval. :( That was Saturday before Veteran's Day. I went to see the Dr. today. No one in her office had done shit about it. I was livid. I have gained back 6 pounds and my blood sugars are in the 300s after I eat now. She bumped me to the 10mcg and as soon as my insurance approves I will start all over but at the main dosage.

I don't know what your A1C is but mine had previously rose a whole point in a 6 month period despite 3 months of kick boxing.

[scotzoidman]

It has been very rocky but overall I would say it is the best thing that ever hapened to me since I've gotten diabetes. I started off on the 5mcg pen 2x per day. For the first week I had severe stomach issues and lethargy. I lost 12 pounds in 4 days. By week 2 my blood sugars stayed between 78 and 125 I lost a few pounds. By week 4 my blood sugars had crept up to 120-170 and no weight loss maybe even gained a pound or two. I knew that meant I was needing to bump to the 10 mcg pen. I went to fill my script only to be told I needed prior insurance approval. :( That was Saturday before Veteran's Day. I went to see the Dr. today. No one in her office had done shit about it. I was livid. I have gained back 6 pounds and my blood sugars are in the 300s after I eat now. She bumped me to the 10mcg and as soon as my insurance approves I will start all over but at the main dosage.

I don't know what your A1C is but mine had previously rose a whole point in a 6 month period despite 3 months of kick boxing.
Mine has stayed about 6.5 since 2004, late '03 I had it down to 5.5, after my self-imposed drastic weight loss. I'm beginning to get concerned about how I continue to gain it back, which I know will only lead to bad things. Of course, I'm going back & forth about whether I'm up for shooting myself up, altho' I'm not so chickenshit as I used to be (checking my glucose still sends the kids outta the room).

Your mention of insurance issues makes me think twice about that too. I'm thinking of telling the doc what I've heard, & then letting him make the call.

[Lilith]

Mine was creeping towards 8 when they agreed to let me try it. Insurance will approve it. They just want to make sure peeps aren't using it solely for weightloss. Scotz the main thing was I began to have energy and feel better. The first time I saw a 78 I cried. It was so nice to be feeling like I did before diabetes.

[scotzoidman]

8, ouch! I've always heard that anything below 7 is acceptable for a diabetic, below 6 for a non-diabetic. That's why I'm on the fence about it, my doc may not wanna mess up an acceptable situation. OTOH, I know from experience that getting the weight down could reduce my need for all meds...

Energy & feeling better...now that's something I haven't known since long before the diabetes jumped me...

[scotzoidman]

Update: I did ask Doc about Byetta, but I didn't press the issue. He seems to feel that it's usually the last step before going to insulin for most peeps, tho' he did say he had one patient who lost #40 on it (extreme case, of course). My insurance concerns are less about approval than about the co-pay issues, our prescription plan *blows* when in comes to non-generics. Got the results on my blood work today, he wants me to triple my metformin dosage (A1C was 6.9!), & he's still not happy with my HDL levels - but the only med I really hate taking is Niaspan, the hot flashes feel like my head is gonna burst into flames :weg: :banghead:

[Lilith]

Well I'm back on the juice! I stepped up to the 10mcg and am dealing with the side effects pretty well. So far I have lost 20# in 3 mos. 2 of those on the juice and 1 off. The good news is that with a dinner of Chick-Fil-A nuggets and a coke (the real thing) my blood sugar is 88 :D During the day I eat mainly fruits and veggies but at night I crave meat.

[gekkogecko]

Whose meat, Lilith?

[scotzoidman]

Carnivores aren't usually picky about meat.

[Lilith]

<~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~prickivore :bite:

[Oldfart]

Phallophage.

[Lilith]

OK so I'm sharing some personal stuff but I want you guys to really understand how life altering this med has been.

These are my lab # in September (after 3 mos. of intense kickboxing) and now.
9/08
A1C- 7.4
FBG- 167
Cholesterol- 141

12/08
A1C- 5.9
FBG- 125
Cholesterol- 123

I've only been on the highest dosage of the "juice" for 3 weeks. I've lost 10 pounds in 6 weeks. This was over the holidays bith Thanksgiving and Christmas. I've been diabetic and on oral meds for a very long time for a *choke* 40 year old. For the first time I have hope.

Just wanted to share...

[jseal]

Lilith,

The changes in those numbers are quite positive. If you will excuse me for prying, how serious are the accompanying side effects you mentioned?

[Lilith]

In the beginning I got a strange headache that sat right on the top of my head. I felt queasy, extremely bloated, lethargic, almost flu-like for less than a week as the chemical changes began taking place. Because digestion is slowed you can not really take an over the counter drug to ease these symptoms. I then figured out a schedule and when I could eat comfortably. The side effects for me calmed to the point I can tolerate them. If I over eat I will feel bad later when the drug really kicks in. So I don't over eat. Once it kicks in I am not hungry for hours and am never starved. Previously I felt starved often due to my high glucose level.

It is said that some people throw up daily. I have not had that occur at all. The medicine has a half life so I can always see that an end is in sight when I have felt queasy.

[jseal]

Lilth,

TY!