A new class of diabetes medication

My sister has NIDDM. She did everything right – diet, exercise, fought through the puke stage of metformin. Still had fasting numbers in the 200′s. THEN she got Byetta. She loooooves it. Morning numbers are now never higher than 110. She is totally needle-phobic but the Byetta needle hurts less than a mosquito bite. I know – I had her stab me with one just so I could sympathize.

I have a friend who takes insulin and has lost half a foot to diabetes. He wants Byetta so badly but is on a very fixed income and gets his medical care through the VA. The VA in Houston does not offer Byetta although I understand in some in parts of the country other VA’s have it. He is considering selling his house so he can have the money to get Byetta.