Why does actos cause weight gain

If you have any symptoms of low blood sugar while using Actos, call your doctor. If your blood sugar level drops too low, it can become a medical emergency. Your doctor will work with you to find the right dosage of Actos to help you avoid low blood sugar. They may also prescribe a different medication for treating your type 2 diabetes. Actos has a boxed warning for congestive heart failure CHF.

The drug may cause new CHF or make the condition worse if you already have it. Reports of CHF in clinical trials of Actos were rare. This can cause edema fluid buildup in your body , especially in the hands, feet, and lower legs. Other symptoms of CHF may include trouble breathing, tiredness, and changes in heart rate. If you have any symptoms of CHF while taking Actos, talk with your doctor right away.

As with most drugs, Actos can cause an allergic reaction in some people. For mild symptoms of an allergic reaction, call your doctor right away. They may recommend ways to ease your symptoms and determine whether you should keep taking Actos. Actos may cause several side effects. If you stop using Actos suddenly, your blood sugar level will likely begin to rise. Over time, this can cause health problems linked to type 2 diabetes.

These include problems with the eyes, such as diabetic retinopathy , and problems with the kidneys, such as diabetic nephropathy. Your doctor can also determine whether a different medication may help treat your condition.

These are side effects that can develop if you stop using a drug that your body has become dependent on. They may. Actos is available in three different strengths: 15 milligrams mg , 30 mg, and 45 mg.

The side effects are the same for all three strengths. But certain side effects seem to occur more often as the dose of Actos increases.

These include low blood sugar, weight gain, edema , and flatulence. If you have more questions about the side effects of Actos, or if you develop side effects while taking the drug, talk with your doctor. You can take Actos with or without food, unlike some other type 2 diabetes medications. Keep in mind that if you have type 2 diabetes and skip meals, you may develop low blood sugar.

This is also a potential side effect of Actos, so skipping meals may increase your risk for low blood sugar. Drinking alcohol may also increase your risk for low blood sugar. Talk to your doctor about whether any amount of alcohol is safe for you to drink during your treatment. Below, we discuss some of these conditions. Actos has a boxed warning. Actos may cause new congestive heart failure CHF or make the condition worse if you already have it.

CHF symptoms can include trouble breathing and rapid and unexplained weight gain. Another possible symptom is swelling, particularly in your hands, legs, and feet. Your doctor will monitor you for CHF symptoms during your Actos treatment and after any dosage increases. They may decrease your dosage or have you stop Actos treatment if you develop CHF while using it. These are more serious classes of heart failure.

Also tell them about any vitamins, herbs, and supplements you use. Sharing this information can help you avoid potential interactions. Sometimes your doctor may prescribe Actos along with other medications for your type 2 diabetes , such as glyburide DiaBeta or insulin. However, this may put you at risk for developing hypoglycemia low blood sugar.

Hypoglycemia can cause symptoms such as dizziness, sweating, and headache. In severe cases, you may have serious complications such as a seizure or passing out. Gemfibrozil Lopid may interact with Actos. Gemfibrozil can also increase the amount of time that Actos stays in your body. This can cause symptoms such as dizziness or sweating. Before you start taking Actos, have your doctor review your all medications.

They can adjust your treatment as needed. Taking rifampin Rimactane along with Actos may decrease the level of Actos in your body. This means that you may not get enough Actos, and it may not work to treat your type 2 diabetes. If you start or stop taking rifampin while using Actos, your doctor may need to change your dose of Actos. This means that the Actos may not work well to treat your type 2 diabetes.

They may recommend changing your dose of Actos or monitoring your blood glucose more often to be sure that Actos is working for you. If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

However, you should still check with your doctor or pharmacist before using any of these products while taking Actos. If you have any questions about eating certain foods with Actos, talk with your doctor. They may be able to suggest ways to help you take your medication or recommend other drugs that may be easier for you to take. This is a condition in which where your body has a high level of glucose sugar in your blood. Your pancreas normally makes a hormone called insulin , which takes glucose out of your blood and helps you use the sugar as a source of energy.

With type 2 diabetes, your pancreas may not be making enough insulin to remove the sugar from your blood. And if you have type 2 diabetes, your cells may also become insulin resistant. So people with type 2 diabetes have high blood sugar levels. Actos works by making your cells more sensitive to insulin.

The goal is for your cells to take the glucose in your blood and use it more effectively as an energy source. This lowers your risk of serious complications of type 2 diabetes, including heart disease , nerve damage such as neuropathy , and kidney failure.

After you start using Actos, it may take 7 days or longer before you notice any changes in your blood glucose level. Depending on how well your blood glucose sugar is managed, your doctor may have you take Actos with other medications to treat your type 2 diabetes. These medications may be drugs that you take by mouth, such as metformin Glucophage , or injectable drugs such as insulin.

To determine the best medications for your diabetes, your doctor will monitor your blood glucose and hemoglobin A1c HbA1c levels. HbA1c shows your average blood sugar level for about the past 3 months. But if your blood glucose levels are well managed, they may recommend a safe amount of alcohol that you can drink.

Before you start taking Actos, talk with your doctor what amount of alcohol is safe for you to drink during your treatment.

As with all medications, the cost of Actos can vary. To find current prices for Actos in your area, check out GoodRx. The cost you find on GoodRx. Your insurance plan may require you to get prior authorization before approving coverage for Actos. This means that your doctor and insurance company will need to communicate about your prescription before the insurance company will cover the drug.

The insurance company will review the request and let you and your doctor know if your plan will cover Actos. If you need financial support to pay for Actos, help is available. NeedyMeds lists programs that may provide assistance to lower the cost of Actos. In animal studies , there were no birth defects noted in pregnant animals who were given high doses of Actos. Unmanaged diabetes can cause risks to both the mother and developing baby. These risks can include birth defects, high blood pressure , and miscarriage.

They can review the benefits and risks of the medication with you. Your doctor can also advise you on how to best manage diabetes while pregnant. This may lead to pregnancy. In animal studies , animals that were given Actos did have the drug present in their breast milk. They can review the best ways to feed your child and your medication options.

This drug has a boxed warning. A boxed warning alerts doctors and patients about drug effects that may be dangerous. This can cause fluid to build up in your body. Symptoms of CHF include quick weight gain; trouble breathing; and swelling, especially in the legs and feet. Your doctor will monitor you for symptoms of CHF after you start taking Actos and if they increase your dose.

If you develop CHF while taking Actos, your doctor may decrease your dose or have you stop taking the medication. These are more serious classes of heart failure. Before taking Actos, talk with your doctor about your health history. Actos may not be right for you if you have certain medical conditions or other factors affecting your health. Using more than the recommended dosage of Actos can lead to serious side effects.

There was one case of someone taking too much Actos in clinical trials. However, no symptoms of overdose were reported. You can also call the American Association of Poison Control Centers at or use their online tool. But if your symptoms are severe, call or go to the nearest emergency room right away. When you get Actos from the pharmacy, the pharmacist will add an expiration date to the label on the bottle. This date is typically 1 year from the date they dispensed the medication.

The expiration date helps guarantee that the medication is effective during this time. If you have unused medication that has gone past the expiration date, talk with your pharmacist about whether you might still be able to use it.

How long a medication remains good can depend on many factors, including how and where you store the medication.

Avoid storing this medication in areas where it could get damp or wet, such as bathrooms. It should be protected from humidity and moisture. This helps prevent others, including children and pets, from taking the drug by accident. It also helps keep the drug from harming the environment. This article provides several useful tips on medication disposal.

You can also ask your pharmacist for information on how to dispose of your medication. Actos is indicated for use in the treatment of adults with type 2 diabetes. It should not be used to treat patients with type 1 diabetes or with diabetic ketoacidosis.

Actos belongs to a class of medications called thiazolidinediones. It is important to note that the extra weight gain is linked to congestive heart failure. Luckily, there are certain measures you can take to manage weight gain as a result of taking Actos. The most common is to eat a healthy diet that includes many fruits, whole grains, and vegetables. You can also add proteins, such as fish, beans, nuts, and eggs.

It is also recommended you stay physically active, so that you can burn more calories than you are consuming. A minute moderate workout 5 days a week is a good starting point. In case lifestyle changes cannot manage your weight, your health-care provider may need to change your medication.

You can buy Pioglitazone online at canadianinsulin. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including any that you get without a prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.

Some medicines and Actos may interfere with each other. These include:. These medicines may be affected by Actos or may affect how well it works. You may need different amounts of your medicines, or you may need to take different medicines.

Your doctor or pharmacist has more information on medicines to be careful with or to avoid while taking this medicine.

Follow all directions given to you by your doctor or pharmacist carefully. They may differ from the information contained here.

Your doctor will tell you how many Actos tablets you should take. The dose your doctor will prescribe for you will usually be in the range of 15 mg to 45 mg per day. Your doctor may increase or decrease your dose in order to find the appropriate dose for your condition. Take your medicine at about the same time each day.

Taking it at the same time each day will have the best effect. It will also help you remember when to take it. Continue taking your medicine for as long as your doctor tells you. This medicine helps to control your condition but does not cure it. It is important to keep taking your medicine even if you feel well. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the dose you missed and take your next dose when you are meant to. Otherwise, take it as soon as you remember, and then go back to taking your medicine as you would normally.

If you are not sure what to do, ask your doctor or pharmacist. If you have trouble remembering to take your medicine, ask your pharmacist for some hints. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning. You may need urgent medical attention. If you are about to be started on any new medicine, remind your doctor and pharmacist that you are taking Actos. If you are going to have surgery, tell the surgeon or anaesthetist that you are taking this medicine.

It may affect other medicines used during surgery. If you are about to have any blood tests, tell your doctor that you are taking this medicine. It may interfere with the results of some tests. Your doctor may do some tests from time to time to make sure the medicine is working and to prevent unwanted side effects.

Tell your doctor if you have gained weight since taking Actos. Weight gain can be associated with improved blood sugar control, however; it may also be a symptom of heart failure. Do not give your medicine to anyone else, even if their symptoms seem similar to yours or they have the same condition as you.

Do not stop taking your medicine or lower the dosage without checking with your doctor. If you stop taking it suddenly, your condition may worsen or you may have unwanted side effects. Actos alone is unlikely to affect your ability to drive or operate machinery.