Thread: What other meds are out there for IR? Avandia?

I am currently on Fortamet and I am wondering is there any other meds other than metformin. I have been on it in some form or another for 5 years and see no drastic improvement. I see Avandia around here...is that a IR drug? What else is out there? tia..

Avandia and actos. Both work more directly on muscles to improve insulin usage (something like that) whereas met works to keep the liver from releasing too much blood sugar which in turn keeps insulin down.

For some reason the Avandia or Actos works better for some of us... either alone or with the met.

Met didn't do much for me besides help me lose weight. I just recently added Avandia so it is too early to say if it is helping... gonna go off BCPs in a few weeks and we'll see what happens. *crosses fingers* I am still taking my met. Many doctors seem to feel the two work together very well, better than one or the other alone.

Avandia and Actos *can* cause weight gain/swelling/fluid retention but so far I don't seem to be having that issue. *knocks wood* *knocks again for good measure*

*knocks one more time*

Oh no...are you serious about the water retention? That's something I'm going to have to watch for, because I tend to retain water like mad. I just started Avanida because Glucophage was really tearing my stomach up. I lost no weight on it and I had no success (had been on it for the past 6 months here, only at 1500 mg).

I'm worried also about gaining weight on Avandia. My mother is diabetic and has actually GAINED weight on Avandia (she can't take Glucophage, something really messed her up bad when she took it). Any success stories out there??

There are MANY success stories.

FWIW My doctor no longer prescribes Actos to his patients because he saw the weight gain effect crop up much more than with Avandia. This was just one doctor's observation, of course... but it's good news to my ears.

I did have fluid retention on Avandia but it also did regulate my cycles and cause ovulation a few times. I also have thorasic outlet syndrome and it only acts up when pregnant and as I found on the Avandia. It is related to the fluid retention. I have been off Avandia one month now and my symptoms of TOS are gone and I have dropped that 4 pounds of fluid plaguing me since my 3rd month on Avandia.

My RE did say I could take spiro. with the Avandia to help skin, hair , and oilyness. She said an added benefit may be to help with the excess fluid since it is a diuretic. I decided not to try this but you may want to consider it. Just a thought!

Ohhh keep the good stories coming Cysters!!! i am more hopeful now. Hopefully it'll sort the mess that has become my cycles!

Anyone having insomnia issues with the Avanida? I wonder if it's that...I just started having a few sleepless nights here lately and I can't quite put my finger on it.

nope can't say I have had any problems on it. I've been on it nearly 5 months now in conjunction with met and am down around 6lbs without trying. Met alone did nothing for me and didn't make me lose weight. I also haven't suffered with water retention or anything. I'm on 2mg of Avandia and 2550 mg met (when I remember to take that 3rd met pill)

So...it is my understanding that Met and avandia can be mixed? Also, what is avandia, meaning what does it do for the IR?

So many pills...so little time...