What have you heard/experienced with Actos?

Scrabblechick · #1 (**permalink**) 04-07-2008, 01:42 PM

From what I've read, if my endo wants me to try Actos, I don't think I will. I know Kim said it made her gain a bunch of weight, and I've worked too hard to lose this 32 pounds, to gain ANY of it back!

Any experiences, good or bad, with this medication? I'm asking since it's been in the news a lot lately.

sugardumplin · #2 (**permalink**) 04-07-2008, 01:47 PM

I was on Actos 15 mg twice a day. When I found out I was diabetic, I had dropped 20 pounds. Then my PCP put me on Actosplusmet and I gained it all back

. I just saw my endo last month and he took me off, he says it does cause weight gain. I work out and have been eating less so I dont know if that is related to that. I personally will never be on Actos again for that very reason. Its bad enough taking birth control that causes weight gain. lol

TomB · #3 (**permalink**) 04-07-2008, 04:27 PM

Actos and I got along just fine for about 4 years, then I changed. Was taking a 30mg Actos and 1000mg metformin twice a day. Then, last October I went into one of those roller coaster things when nothing made sense. One evening I felt the symptoms of going hypo, shakes, sweats, nausea - 2hours after dinner. My good ole OneTouch said 60mg so I took a couple of glucose tabs and got up to around a hundred. Same thing happened the next evening. But the 3rd time things went nuts. Every time I took a glucose tab my glucose would drop even more. I think I kind of passed out, there was a four gap since my last reading. but at least I was back up above a hundred.
Called my doc the next day and was told to stop taking Actos. Magic! The hypo's disappeared. I'm still taking the metformin but now I also take glyburide.
What I think happened is that Actos is activated with food. Was taking it in the morning but maybe it was taking its sweet ever loving time to get in gear. Do remember that I took it for about 4 years without any problems. But I don't think I'll be taking it in the future if for no other reason than that my copay on it is $30 bucks a month.

jacobsam622 · #4 (**permalink**) 04-09-2008, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomB

Actos and I got along just fine for about 4 years, then I changed. Was taking a 30mg Actos and 1000mg metformin twice a day. Then, last October I went into one of those roller coaster things when nothing made sense. One evening I felt the symptoms of going hypo, shakes, sweats, nausea - 2hours after dinner. My good ole OneTouch said 60mg so I took a couple of glucose tabs and got up to around a hundred. Same thing happened the next evening. But the 3rd time things went nuts. Every time I took a glucose tab my glucose would drop even more. I think I kind of passed out, there was a four gap since my last reading. but at least I was back up above a hundred.
Called my doc the next day and was told to stop taking Actos. Magic! The hypo's disappeared. I'm still taking the metformin but now I also take glyburide.
What I think happened is that Actos is activated with food. Was taking it in the morning but maybe it was taking its sweet ever loving time to get in gear. Do remember that I took it for about 4 years without any problems. But I don't think I'll be taking it in the future if for no other reason than that my copay on it is $30 bucks a month.

Has the medical profession just gone bonkers why would a doctor give someone two medicines that do the same thing. The two drug method is only effective when one drug is a sensitizer and the other helps your body produce more insulin. Both metformin and Actos are sensitizers. While metformin also works with the liver it also makes your cells more able to handle insulin. Actos works great when used with a drug like Amaryl but it does have some big negatives; bad for your heart and weight gain the worst. Metformin is not a ray sunshine either its very bad for people liver or kidney issues

Kim_in_TN · #5 (**permalink**) 04-09-2008, 11:46 AM

I was on Actos plus Metformin as well. I was complaining about weight gain so my DE took me off the Actos (saying it did cause water weight gain) and changed me to Janumet (Januvia with Met). In addition to also changing my diet and exercising, I lost 14 pounds in the 2 months since stopping Actos. My DE made a smart comment saying "it must have been the meds" which really hurt my feelings! I know that the first 3 - 5 pounds was water weight because the swelling in my ankles and legs went away very quickly. After that it was all my hard work! But yes, it is noted for making you retain fluids!

Smitie · #6 (**permalink**) 05-04-2008, 10:07 PM

Januvia seem like it has some major longterm effects that you might want to consider.

Januvia

I'm looking for alternitives as I'm still not down to a good level myself and I don't want to take anything that will stop the weight loss.

Smitie

Lloyd · #7 (**permalink**) 05-05-2008, 08:54 AM

Last summer, when I stopped taking Actos, I lost 7 pounds that month, instead of the 3 pounds/ month I had been loosing.

-Lloyd

jdftwrth98 · #8 (**permalink**) 05-06-2008, 12:31 PM

I took ACTOS for about 3 years and it caused weight gain and water retention. I took the ACTOS late in the afternoon and had a devil of the time controling my BS when i was exercising regularly, with januvia that all cleared up.

My cardiologist want me to quit taking actos because of some of the problems it was supposed to have caused.

Janlaton · #9 (**permalink**) 05-06-2008, 01:17 PM

My endo has been discussing possible change to Actos thanks for the info as well. I definately do not need any weight gain fluid or otherwise.

kfryer · #10 (**permalink**) 05-06-2008, 05:34 PM

I've been on actosplus met since Mid-January. I was diagnosed then and had an 11.5 AC1. At the end of March my AC1 was 6.5. Now I have changed my diet and try to exercise a half-hour a day. I have to say that the posts on Actos have scared me to death. But so far no weight gain, in fact I went from 278 to about 250. I've had no swollen ankles or anything like that. My glucose readings really haven't been above 120 no matter what I eat. Although, yes I'm still trying to eat healthy most of the time. As far as the bad for your heart claim, that, just like your liver and kidney always need to be checked when taking a new drug, in particular diabetes drugs. From what I understand the water retention is less than 10 percent and the retaining water or the heart concerns are very rare. And from what I also understand the actos plus met is mainly metformin. I take two a day. It's 850mg of metformin and 15 Pioglitazone. Everyone's situation is different but that's my experience so far. Even though my AC1 was high in January, we still know my diabetes was relatively caught early because about 7 months previous I was testing in pre-diabetic ranges after health insurance tests. So I don't know if catching it early helps, a person on a previous post on the subsect said actos works great when your pancreas is still making insulin.

Alice · #11 (**permalink**) 05-06-2008, 09:02 PM

Did I hear that Actos causes gas? I had an endo that tried to prescribe it for me when it was new (type 1's normally don't take Actos)...and I politely declined. Case of new drug excitement, I think...on the part of the endo...

Second opinion down the road said I would not be a candidate for Actos...but I somewhat remember him saying it could cause gas.