Actos-side effects

[P H R]

what side effects can be looked for while using Actos ?

[P H R]

How succesful is Actos in treating diabetus ?

[PLW]

Actos can be fabulous for reducing blood sugar levels in Type II diabetics. It reduced mine from the 160s to around 85 consistently. However, for a lot more people than doctors are willing to admit, severe weight gain accompanied by growing lethargy are a real problem, and this has been associated with congestive heart disease. I gained 13 pounds in six weeks despite a strict low-carb diet and increased exercise, so I quit the drug.
It also can accelerate tooth disease, and cause muscle aches.

[JLO]

Has anyone experienced severe edema (swelling) in the ankles, while taking this medication? Does anyone know how long after stopping the medication that it actually leaves your system?

[Ted Hunt]

JLO wrote:

Has anyone experienced severe edema (swelling) in the ankles, while taking this medication? Does anyone know how long after stopping the medication that it actually leaves your system?

Reply; About two months after starting Actos I incurred severe edema in the ankles and lower legs along with very severe iching. After three months off Actos iching gone but some edema remains in ankles and lower legs.

[Ted Hunt]

After about 3 months on Actos I incurred severe edema in the ankles and lower legs along with very severe itching. After three months off Actos inching mostly gone and some edema remains in ankles and lower legs.

[Belle Jones]

I was prescribed ACTOS and after one month, something on a blood
test showed that it was damaging my kidneys. The doctor stopped
the ACTOS and started me on JANUVIA, the new diabetic drug approved in October 2006. I still have some ankle swelling but not
all the time. I have to watch what I eat or I will gain...but overall,
I think JANUVIA was the best choice for me.

Are all people that are pre-diabetic or diabetic prone to gaine weight
easily? I assume it is. Belly fat is sooo ugly! I am insulin resistant
and the belly fat is what drove me to the doctor along with other
symptoms of diabetes. My AC1 stays around 5.5 now.

[Belle Jones]

Anyone that would like to ask me a question or tell me their experiences with JANUVIA can contact me at [e-mail]

[Pat Long]

JLO wrote:

Has anyone experienced severe edema (swelling) in the ankles, while taking this medication? Does anyone know how long after stopping the medication that it actually leaves your system?

Yes I took actos in place of avandia when the first warnings came out about avandia. Last month (July) I suffered sever swelling of the feet, ankles legs and could feel it in the knees. My doctor recognized the problem immediately and gave me lasix and I stopped the actos. I only took 3 lasix tablets and the swelling went down. It had been obvious for about a month, until that one weekend when they got huge. I now will have to manage the diabetes without actos or avandia. It helped me in that it stopped the highs and lows from being as extreme as they were before I started them. I guess I will just have to be more careful with my diet and hope that it doesn't progress to insulin shots. Probably will though.......it runs in the family.

[Pat Long]

If you are taking actos keep close watch on any unusual swelling. Water retention seems to be a major problem with this medication esp. in the lower extremities. It's probably an okay med to take if you have no effects, but just keep a close eye out. Mine swelled to the knees....and it happened fast. I had been on it since last fall and this happened in July. I had to stop it and take some lasix for a few days and everything returned to normal. What worries me is what these drugs do to us that we can't see or feel until it is to late. The diabetes itself is destroying us daily as it is, we don't need meds that add to the destruction. [e-mail]

[James Hunt]

Belle Jones wrote:

I was prescribed ACTOS and after one month, something on a blood
test showed that it was damaging my kidneys. The doctor stopped
the ACTOS and started me on JANUVIA, the new diabetic drug approved in October 2006. I still have some ankle swelling but not
all the time. I have to watch what I eat or I will gain...but overall,
I think JANUVIA was the best choice for me.
Are all people that are pre-diabetic or diabetic prone to gaine weight
easily? I assume it is. Belly fat is sooo ugly! I am insulin resistant
and the belly fat is what drove me to the doctor along with other
symptoms of diabetes. My AC1 stays around 5.5 now.

In March of 2000, my dad started on 45mg. of Actos. After 5 months of using this drug, he was put on Lasix and taken off Actos because of fluid buildup. He had severe lower leg swelling that never was reversed. He, at some point, was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. In Aug. of 2001, he was rushed to the hospital, where he passed away soon after. The nurse said his lungs filled up with fluid before they could drain them. I noticed that you spoke of kidney trouble on this drug. He had also been diagnosed with acute kidney failure. I don't know if this is a known side affect of actos, but I wouldn't be surprised. Thanks for your post, it is very helpful.

[The_Murse]

Ahhhh the wonder of actos...It really helped me get my BS under control...But the side effect is that I put on almost 60 lbs from it...I put off changing because my Dr was wanting to wait for this new med that the FDA keeps pushing back...He said just hold out if its not to bad...yea now I have the swelling in my leg all the way up ...My joints are really starting to hurt and they just cant figure it out...I switched Dr's and he is trying to tell me that Actos does not have that kind of side effects...doutttttt....I beg to differ

[its me too]

I was recently diagnosed with Type II diabetis and the dr prescribed Actos for me. In my opinion it was almost the end of my life. I wound up in ER with my life in the hands of the drs who had no clue what was wrong. I came home and weeded out the RX I had added other than my regular meds and found it to be Actos. PLEASE be sure and discuss heart affects of Actos with your physician. It almost cost me my life.

[Mike Q]

I just have to think about something. I take actos and glipizide together. 15 mg of actos and 10 mg of glipizide. My biggest concern is the fda. What the hell is wrong with these idiots now a days?
The whole point in taking medicine is to help with medical problems, and specific types of medical problems. However the biggest problem happening in the last 15-20 years is that side effects from the usual no severe effects have gone to life threatening effects. for instance actos just to name 1 out of probably 15,000 drugs that cause death. Actos, is suppose to help diabetics lower sugar levels correct? Right and the reason we want to lower our sugar levels, is to prevent the diabetes from hurting our major organs and prolonging our lives. Well here is a prime example of the united states paying taxes for and paying for a fda that does not allow cures (even if found which alot have)but only is suppose to help symptoms of health problems( see the us gov doesnt give two craps iof we are cured, only that they make their money keeping us alive just a little longer)Actos causes lung problems that kill us, heart problems that kill us, kidney and liver failure that kill us. So tell me Is taking a drug that may helkp one problem, that only causes 5-10 other life threating problems worth it? HELL NO it is not. I t is time the drug companies pay for being greedy money hungry bastards that could care less about you and I. That is a fact. this is happening with thousands of drugs. So we take actos to help lower blood sugar only to cause the very side effects that we take the medicine in hope to prevent in the first place. While the drug comapnies make trillions, off our rotting ready to die bodies, who they could care less about, only the green to them.

[Mike Q]

sorry here is my contact uni (at) askall (dot) (net)

[Roy]

Well speaking from first hand nightmares. My father was placed on avandia then to actos. Avandia caused severe side effects. Actos started out great kept levels around 85 which was great. He gained weight and then one day his legs swelled after waking up to leg cramps. That day he had a complete physical. Everything looked great and he was placed on water pills. Exactly 30days to the date a massive heart attack took his life. He had no history of heart problems in the family. The FDA have to many common ties with drug companies. Therefore its more a money issue than safety. However sad to say drug companies have resources to drag any suits out in hopes all involved will die or run out of resources. Remember they make billions at the suffering of others. I do wish everyone would get second opinion on what a doctor prescibes. That may be the only way to be best informed on what to look for in the way of side effect. And maybe have better sucess in living a more normal life. The warnings so many times comes long after disaster of so many countless lives.

[Jimmy Hall]

Starting taking actos a few years ago noticed that my heart felt like it was coming out of my chest it would wake me up at night. I would also wake up at night having a hard time breathing. this went on for a while I could not figure out what was wrong until I run out of actos and did not take it for a few weeks, I then starting feeling better and noticed that my pounding heart and my breathing was back to normal. Never again will I take actos. I am starting to exercise more and watch what i eat and I still check my blood sugar twice a day and i am doing good I think God made all of the right foods and exercise to heal most of our problems. Thats what I think and thats what I am going to do. I did not have all of the problems before all of the rx. I don't think your body is built for all of that bull they put in the rx.

[mary cooley]

after taking actos for some time i noticed i was fatiqued, edema and heart racings/poundings

[mary cooley]

what are people using in place of actos?

[ayr2]

search for adverse reactions to ACTOS reported to the FDA at www.adverse-drug-reaction.net