Byetta Alternatives

Information on Byetta

Ergot Alkaloids

One ergot alkaloid, bromocriptine (Cycloset^™) is approved for treating type 2 diabetes. Bromocriptine is actually an older medication that has been used for quite some time for other uses, although it was only recently approved for treating diabetes.

Bromocriptine works uniquely, compared to other diabetes medications. It works as a dopamine receptor agonist, which means that it binds to and stimulates dopamine receptors. It is thought that stimulating dopamine receptors in the brain at certain times of the day "resets" the biological clock and improves metabolism. It is thought that seasonal changes in the metabolism of wild animals are due to similar mechanisms.

Combination Medications

There are a variety of combination medications available for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, including:

Glipizide and metformin (Metaglip^®)
Glyburide and metformin (Glucovance^®)
Pioglitazone and glimepiride (Duetact^®)
Pioglitazone and metformin (Actoplus Met^®)
Repaglinide and metformin (PrandiMet^™)
Rosiglitazone and glimepiride (Avandaryl^®)
Rosiglitazone and metformin (Avandamet^®)
Sitagliptin and metformin (Janumet^®).

Lifestyle Changes for Type 2 Diabetes

Many lifestyle changes have been shown to be very effective at controlling type 2 diabetes (especially early type 2 diabetes). These lifestyle changes include weight loss, becoming more physically active (see Diabetes and Exercise), and changes in diet (see Diabetic Diet). In fact, these changes are important for all people with type 2 diabetes, including people taking diabetes drugs.

For many people, lifestyle changes alone may not be enough to adequately control type 2 diabetes. For these people, diabetes medication may be necessary.

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