symlin

christie · #1 (**permalink**) 05-03-2007, 07:55 PM

does anyone still take symlin? if so what are the benefits and downside? my endo said i could think about it and read about it and call on tues to see if i want to start it, the only thing i worry about is lows because i have quite a bit of lows now.

SueM · #2 (**permalink**) 05-04-2007, 12:26 AM

With an A1c of 5.1 I think you would be mad to touch it.
Is your Dr on commission from the manufactures?
What was his reasoning for suggesting you went on it anyway?

But going back to your question no I don't take it and no I wouldn't take it either

camjen1 · #3 (**permalink**) 05-04-2007, 10:23 AM

Christie, I'm on Symlin now and love it but I also have huge spikes after anything I eat and I have a higher A1c of 7.5.

I'm still adjusting to it. I'll be honest and tell you that yes, it has given me quite a bit of lows. It's all in timing it correctly and getting your doses that work for you worked out.

Far as side effects, I had the nausea feeling but for only about a week and I lost about 3 lbs. *sigh*

The few things I can argue about is that after being on the pump for 4+ years it's rather inconvenient for me to carry around Symlin supplies and have to inject before every meal. Then with meals you have to eat a certain amount before you can even use it. I don't inject for breakfast because I rarely eat but if I do it's always to low of carbs or calories to take. Same with lunch usually.

Cyborg · #4 (**permalink**) 05-05-2007, 01:39 PM

When I take Symlin, I need to do a 50/50 combo bolus over 2 hours due to the delayed digestion effect.

It Ain't Over · #5 (**permalink**) 05-09-2007, 09:49 AM

SueM is right, with your A1c it will not help. For the rest of us, it can work well to get the postprandial bg's in line.
I find I cannot take Symlin if I already have bg under 110 before a meal. However if I wait for a half hour after eating I can take Symlin and it will keep the bg's under 140. Without Symlin I always go well over that. As time goes on I am figuring out how to get the most from the Symlin, it works very well with an insulin bolus to get an unexpected hi under control. I somehow had the pump connection get pulled off this week and woke up with 400. Used 20 units of Symlin and 5insulin to get it back to 100. Took only an hour and a half to do so. Nice.

Cyborg · #6 (**permalink**) 05-09-2007, 10:00 AM

I was under the impression that you were not to eat anything for 15 minutes after taking Symlin and before eating. Whenever I didn't wait, the Symlin didn't seem to work...

RLK · #7 (**permalink**) 05-09-2007, 10:06 AM

My doc wanted me to try it to help with post-prandial spiking. I declined, as I don't need one more thing that increases my risk of hypos. For me, the solution to spikes has been bolusing ~15 minutes before eating. For me, pre-bolusing is less of an inconvenience than lugging around another medication and syringes, paying another co-pay, and dealing with a separate variable in my diabetes management.

It Ain't Over · #8 (**permalink**) 05-09-2007, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cyborg

I was under the impression that you were not to eat anything for 15 minutes after taking Symlin and before eating. Whenever I didn't wait, the Symlin didn't seem to work...

Just that for me, I will go low after eating if I have low enough bg's before eating. Symlin is good medicine though. It caused me to lose 25 lbs in the first four months of use. Been level since then. But that 25 lbs was good to lose.