Symlin

My injectable Symlin arrived today from the pharmacy. The last time (last week) I saw my Endo (DM & Thyroid), Dr. Edelman suggested Symlin after reviewing my recent Blood Sugar Logs. He felt it might help reduce the after meal spikes I cannot seem to get rid of. (Just as the insulin pump, the Deltec Cozmo, has gotten rid of my ‘Dawn Phenomenon’.)

I have to admit I am more than a little hesitant, after my Byetta fiasco (both drugs were developed and are produced by the same company, Amylin Pharmaceuticals!). However, I agreed to try it. He ordered the prescription and all the ‘prior authorization’ paperwork was done. Now it is sitting here waiting for me to start using it!

I am not anxious to have Urticaria again. Which is silly, as I have only experienced (and what an experience it was – took me three months and many other drugs to get over it) it once in my life, from the Byetta. I’m also not looking forward to perhaps suffering that nausea again, apparently one of Symlin’s major initial side effects. (Oh, I remember the nausea caused by Byetta well!)

I am also concerned that it will cause ‘lows’, (I HATE LOWS!) though I will be starting out on the smallest dose. In fact, till I see how I react to it, I can hold all pre-meal insulin, almost eliminating the possibilities of a low.

OTOH, it would be so great to eliminate those post meal spikes, and the associated sleepiness! Not to mention getting that A1C down even more.

I did phone the ‘support’ line for Amylin Pharmaceuticals. And I read the info on their web site, and the package inserts that came with the med. There seems to be no chemical connection between the drugs. In fact Symlin mimics a substance (like insulin does) that your body already makes (unlike Byetta, which is, as I understand it, is a ‘foreign’ substance as far as the body is concerned.

I will get up the ‘gumption’ soon (as I de-stress a little more); pick a start date, make a plan, and start using Symlin. Probably as soon as next week. Perhaps Monday. (I can not help it; sometimes my anxiety disorder gets the best of me...)