Type II Diabetic on Byetta

I am on byetta.  I take my shot about 15 minutes before a meal.  Tonight after I had dinner about 20 minutes later I was sick to my stomach. Starting feeling week and checked by blood.  It was 55.  Why would it be so low and what can I do to prevent this?

[Anita Ramsetty, MD]

Hi,
Is this the first time you have had a low reading after eating? Is this the first time it happened after taking the Byetta?  Have you recently had a dose change? Have you lost some weight on it? Perhaps the dose is now too high for you.  It may depend on what you had for dinner as well in terms of carbohydrate load. Byetta can cause low blood sugars in some people, so if this keeps happening, despite eating a meal balanced with carbs/protein/fats etc, I suggest speaking with your doctor soon about changing the dose or the medication entirely. In the meantime be extra cautious and check your blood sugars before driving. If you feel funny or weak while driving, pull over immediately and check your sugars, just to be on the safe side.
Take care.