Staying Active

If you don't already have a plan for physical activity, now is the time to start! Physical activity, along with diet and medication, can help you control your diabetes in many ways. Be sure to consult with your healthcare provider before starting a program with physical activity.

Being physically active is good because it may have the following effects:

• Burns calories by making the body use glucose, which helps lower blood sugar (glucose) levels
• Help you lose weight; losing weight may make your body more sensitive to the insulin you produce
• Improves circulation
• Reduces stress
• Improves your mood
• Increases bone strength
• Helps lower your risk of heart disease and cancer
• Helps lower cholesterol and blood pressure

You don't have to jog or attend aerobics classes to reap the benefits. Be more active at home, at work, and in your leisure time — it all counts. Think of ways you can spend less time sitting and more time moving. A pedometer, or step counter, is a great way to keep track of how many steps you take every day. Gradually increase your activity every day to keep a healthier lifestyle and feel better.

Check with your healthcare provider — he or she may recommend that you slowly start being physically active, for example, by walking for 10-15 minutes 3 days a week. As you begin to see the benefits of being active, your healthcare provider may recommend that you increase the length and intensity of your routine.

If you are taking a sulfonylurea or insulin, check your blood sugar more often and always have some carbohydrates on hand in case of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). Refer to Tracking Your Blood Sugar for more information on how to manage hypoglycemia.

Setting your personal goals

Once you've made the decision to make healthy changes in your lifestyle, it is important to stay on track. Your healthcare provider will help you set activity plans, diet, medication, and general healthcare goals.

Indication

BYETTA is an injectable prescription medicine that may improve blood sugar (glucose) control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus, when used with a diet and exercise program.

BYETTA is not insulin and should not be taken instead of insulin. BYETTA can be used with Lantus^® (insulin glargine), which is a long-acting insulin, but should not be taken with short- and/or rapid-acting insulin. BYETTA is not for people with type 1 diabetes or people with diabetic ketoacidosis.

Important Safety Information for BYETTA^® (exenatide) injection

• Serious side effects can happen in people who take BYETTA, including inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis) which may be severe and lead to death. Before taking BYETTA, tell your healthcare provider if you have had pancreatitis, stones in your gallbladder (gallstones), a history of alcoholism, or high blood triglyceride levels. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have pain in your stomach area (abdomen) that is severe, and will not go away. The pain may happen with or without vomiting and may be felt going from your abdomen through to your back.
• Your risk for getting low blood sugar is higher if you take BYETTA with another medicine that can cause low blood sugar, such as a sulfonylurea or insulin. The dose of your sulfonylurea or insulin medicine may need to be lowered while you use BYETTA.
• BYETTA should not be used in people who have severe kidney problems and should be used with caution in people who have had a kidney transplant. BYETTA may cause new or worse problems with kidney function, including kidney failure.
• Before you use BYETTA, tell your healthcare provider if you have severe problems with your stomach, such as delayed emptying of your stomach (gastroparesis) or problems with digesting food.
• Do not use BYETTA if you have had an allergic reaction to exenatide or any of the other ingredients in BYETTA. Severe allergic reactions can happen with BYETTA. Stop taking BYETTA and get medical help right away.
• Tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if BYETTA will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your healthcare provider first if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.
• The most common side effects with BYETTA include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, feeling jittery, dizziness, headache, acid stomach, constipation, and weakness. Nausea most commonly happens when first starting BYETTA, but may become less over time.

These are not all the side effects with BYETTA. Talk to your healthcare provider about any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

Please see the BYETTA Prescribing Information and Medication Guide.