I have already done a search on "Avandia" but still have some questions...

Brandi · 09-10-2003, 11:11 PM

I went to RE today and complained of the s/e of Met/Glucuophage and he wanted me to stop them. He has now prescribed Avandia to me. As I stated, I have done searches on most of the pages with anything to do with Avandia but I still have questions. In most of the other posts - it seemed that not too many people knew anything about them. Maybe b/c it had just been started being used. Anyway, I just wanted to know if there are currently any ladies out there that are taking it and what the results are. In some of the older posts it was thought to have caused Weight Gain. That is something I DO NOT need!! I have also learned today that I have been IR this whole time. I thought I was like borderline IR. The RE said that I was indeed IR and have been since I was dx'd in 2001 b/c my insulin level was really high.
Anyway,

Does Avandia cause Weight Gain?
Does Avandia have really bad s/e like the Met/Glu?
Does Avandia help with any other PCOS symptoms?
Has anyone been able to O or have regular AF with Avandia?
Has anyone gotten PG with the Avandia?
Has anyone used Avandia with Clomid and been successful?
(I ask this b/c I am Clomid Resitant and he is going to add Clomid after 1 month of the Avandia)

Any answers will be greatly appreciated. In the meantime Im going to try and search the net on this as well when I have more time. I will not be starting the Avandia until I have some b/w done again. Its been awhile since I have had all my levels checked. Plus I am on CD41 and need to start Provera to induce AF.

Ok, I think Ive asked enough for now!
Thanks in advance!

Hugs
Brandi

Brandi · 09-11-2003, 10:18 AM

Just giving myself a friendly little "bump"

Anyone?

boodles77 · 09-11-2003, 11:55 AM

I'm actually quite surprised that your doctor prescribed Avandia, or rather suggested it. Avandia would be better suited for a diabetic or someone who has A LOT of weight to lose. From what I understand of the drug, you need to be strictly monitored while on the drug for any complications that may occur... liver, kidneys.

I have been taking Actos since December 2002 due to the fact that I also can't stand the s/e of Metformin. Actos is very similar to Metformin, only doesn't have any of the s/e. I haven't had any s/e on Actos, but I did need to combine it with Clomid to get to O.

HTH

Brandi · 09-11-2003, 05:02 PM

Hmmmm.... Thats confusing!

Re said that I could choose between Glucaphage XR or the Avandia. But, he would suggest the Avandia b/c of the Less Monitoring I would have to have. Its not like being on the Met/Glu and having to worry about the liver and things. And that it has had alot of Great Success with the Avandia/Clomid combo.

Ok - crap, now I don't know what to do!! I guess this means alot of searching on the net.

Thanks for your reply. That's the kind of info I wanted b/c if there is some kind of descripency that I want to know about it.
Thanks again!!

Any other info out there or anyone who's been on it???

Hugs
Brandi

~Sandra · 09-11-2003, 05:28 PM

Hey...I was on Avandia for about 8 months.
I too couldn't handle the Met side effects so my Endo switched me. Avandia does not require as much liver/kidney screening as Met and is in the same class of drugs as Actos. One of its side effects is weight gain although it's usually due to water retention and swelling. I didn't gain any weight on it but I didn't lose any either. According to my Endo it's used a lot for PCOS and in all of my research I've never heard anything about it being for people with a lot of weight to lose (I don't have that much). Actos is also in a totally different drug famaily as Metformin.
I can't comment on it's effectiveness in helping to O as I was on bcp pills when I was taking it.

Good luck!

EDIT – I found this info on the differences between Actos/Avandia and Met:

Class of Drug: Biguanides
Name: Glucophage/Metformin
How it works: Helps the body use it's own insulin better: muscles use more glucose and the liver makes less glucose.
Advantages: Does not cause low blood glucose, may help with weight loss and can improve blood lipids (fats).

Class of Drug: Thiazolidinediones
Name: Actos and Avandia
How it works: Works to decrease insulin resistance and improves the muscle's ability to use insulin. Does not make more insulin.
Advantages: Cannot cause blood glucose to get too low if it is the only diabetes pill taken.

DoubleA · 09-11-2003, 06:39 PM

Brandi -

Iguess you could consider me an Avandia success story. After Met raised my liver enzmyes, we decided it was not for me long term. I switched to Avandia, 4mg 2x a day, and I felt great! No side effects, no weight gain, although you do have to watch the carbs a bit. I had quarterly liver test for the first year and after that, I was told annually. After 3 mos, my hormone levels were all stable and normal, I was ovualting most of the time on my own, and we started Clomid and IUI. On the second try I got pg, but later m/c. I think it was because I had to go off the Avandia as soon as I found out. Some Drs will let a Diabetic stay on it in pg, but not IR. After the m/c I went back to the avandia and the clomid. On the third try it worked again. I am now 17 weeks pg, and feeling pretty good. This time, once I got a + hpt, they weaned me off the avandia and back to met. But the m/s covered up the met side effects! My liver enzymes are normal this time and I am staying on met until 36 weeks. After birth, I plan to go back to Avandia, because I feel great and it works. I hope you have a similar experience on it!

PCOSinDC · 09-11-2003, 07:39 PM

I was on Metformin for 6 months, during which time I was completely and totally miserable. And to top it all off, my numbers were getting worse and not better. I never once ovulated or got AF.

My endo switched me to avandia, which has had absolutely NO side effects. I immediately began ovulating and getting AF regularly. It has been a life saver for me.

I am really thankful that my endo was willing to switch me. Now I'm just worried about what will happen if I get pregnant, because my endo said I shouldn't take it while pregnant. He said he'll put me back on the metformin, which makes me sick to my stomach just to think about.

Definitely let me know if you have any more questions!

Best of luck to you!

~*~*DC*~*~*~

lovleylady300 · 09-12-2003, 12:34 AM

I am a recent user of Avandia. I was on it for over 8 months. I was switched from met to it because of all the side effects I was having with met. My first RE gave it to me reluctantly. I also had to get liver functions tests done every three months. I had no real side effects from the avandia, except the swelling and water retention (mostly during the warmer weather). With the water retention I would see a slight weight gain, but once the retention went down I was back to normal weight. I never once O'd on Avandia on my own (only with injectables and trigger).

I now am seeing a new RE and was taken back off the Avandia because he states that there are more studies and better success rates with women with PCOS using Met. I am now trying to work my way back up to 1500mg (and it is killing me--my s/e's are terrible). I am about to attempt my third IVF cycle and if it doesn't work with the Met I am not going to be on it much longer. I just can't take the stomach discomfort. I hope that you have better luck with Avandia helping to result in a PG or O. Good luck!!

Jcbelle · 10-02-2003, 03:13 PM

I was on Avandia for 8 months, starting in January, 2003.
Here are my answers, at least to my experience with Avandia...

Does Avandia cause Weight Gain? When I started taking Avandia, I weight about 245lbs. I stopped taking Avandia in late August and have an ending weight at that time of 208lbs. I was watching what I ate alot.

Does Avandia have really bad s/e like the Met/Glu? I didn't have any side effects that I can recall, however if I took it without eating something first my sugar levels would drop and I would feel dizzy.

Does Avandia help with any other PCOS symptoms? I was told it was really only for insulin resistence.

Has anyone been able to O or have regular AF with Avandia?
Has anyone gotten PG with the Avandia? Both of these questions kinda go together. The fine print says that Avandia may cause you to O. But Avandia is in a category which has been shown to prove defects in offspring of lab animals, but there isn't enough testing on it to prove that on humans. My doc put me on BCP when I was on Avandia. Now, though, since TTC, I have been put on Glucophage XR since it is in a category where it has not shown any defects in offspring of lab animals but not enough testing on humans.

Hope this helps you a bit!

supragrl · 10-06-2003, 03:55 AM

Hi hun,
I just seen my ob/gyn a week ago. i was having so many s/e with met so he decided to try avandia. my insulin level is through the roof. before I started met, which was almost a year and a half ago, it was 21 and now it's up to 53 (yikes). no wonder i've been feeling so rotten lately. i just just found some info on avandia and it seems like it's up to par. I guess we will see, hopefully i don't have better luck with this than i did with the met
luv
Amber