Pioglitazone and Weight Gain: What Users Say

• Gga...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 1, 2021

Pioglitazone for Type 2 Diabetes "I took this medicine for around a month and a half and it did nothing for my sugar levels. It caused a 15-pound weight gain. I stopped taking it after reading the serious side effects it can cause. Why take something that is going to make me worse off than I already am?"

• Tbe...
• July 3, 2013

Pioglitazone for Type 2 Diabetes "I am 66 years old and have been on Actos for over five years, taking 45mg. Lately, I have experienced shortness of breath, swelling of ankles and feet, weight gain, anemia, and fatigue. My primary physician ordered an echocardiogram and a lung function test, and they both indicated my heart and lungs were fine. The doctor attributed the issues to my taking Actos and immediately took me off the medication. He replaced it with Tradjenta (5mg) and asked me to monitor my blood sugar levels three times a day during the transition. I have been off Actos for 24 hours and feel better already. I know that sounds impossible, but I believe it may have been the cause of my recent health issues."

• epi...
• January 25, 2011

Pioglitazone for Type 2 Diabetes "Took 30 mg Actos for 8 or so months, was very happy with it at first. It did lower my numbers, but... I had so many bad side effects. Weight gain, chronic fatigue, swelling, urgent need to urinate, watery eyes, and pain. I could barely get up my steps. I stopped taking this medicine myself, and I feel as if I have been raised from the dead."

• Vic...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 2, 2018

Pioglitazone for Type 2 Diabetes "I was on this pill for about 2 years, gained about 40 pounds, and also had really bad muscle pain. I took myself off of it, so far have lost close to 20 pounds, and muscles are feeling so much better. These pills the doctors give me freak me out. All the side effects are so bad."

• nos...
• October 16, 2010

Pioglitazone for Type 2 Diabetes "I've been taking 30 mg of Actos per day for 3 years. In that time, I have gained 55 lbs, and I have had problems with my feet, ankles, and lower legs swelling. I would have stopped taking this medication a long time ago, but I was blaming the water retention and weight gain on menopause. Now that I stopped taking Actos, I lost 4 lbs in 2 days."

• CWA...
• September 15, 2009

Pioglitazone for Type 2 Diabetes "I was on Actos for nine months. At first it controlled my blood sugar well, but then I started to have blood sugar lows in the 40s, gained 28 pounds eating 1200 calories a day, swelling of feet and lower legs, and finally short-term memory loss. Got a second opinion on the drug. Stopped it and all symptoms ceased within one week. I have lost 12 of the 28 pounds. I have lost 50 before this drug. I am now on glipizide and metformin. My blood sugar is a little higher but I feel so much better. I took a difficult college class and got an A, so I know my brain is functioning better."

• Anonymous
• March 4, 2008

Pioglitazone for Type 2 Diabetes "I was taking 30 mg of Actos daily, and for the two weeks after I seriously started taking it, I had dull throbbing headaches to full-blown migraines non-stop! About 2 weeks into taking it, I developed a dull pain in my kidney area. Thinking it was a kidney infection, I went to my doctor's. We found out that it was muscle soreness...one of the common side effects. I also gained weight. As soon as I stopped taking it, the headaches stopped, and the muscle pain is going away."

• Anonymous
• June 9, 2010

Pioglitazone for Type 2 Diabetes "I have been on Actos for almost a year. I gained 24 pounds and have swelling in my hands and feet and am retaining a lot of water in my thighs. My sugar levels are good. My doctor lowered my dosage from 30 mg to 15 mg but refused to take me off. I will get a second opinion because the side effects are too much."

• Nik...
• June 17, 2010

Pioglitazone for Type 2 Diabetes "My doctor put me on Actos 6 months ago. I noticed swelling of legs and feet. The joints in my arms are aching daily. I also had a 23-pound weight gain and noticed headaches. But it has brought my sugar levels back under control. I didn't know about the particular side effects. I am going to talk to my doctor about them and see if I can get a replacement."

• Ano...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 14, 2022

For Type 2 Diabetes "I began taking pioglitazone in March 2021, and within days experienced significant swelling in my legs and feet, as well as consistent weight increases of 3-5 lbs each week. The leg swelling caused mobility and balance issues, and I had 3 falls during the first 4 months, which resulted in permanent damage to my knees requiring medical treatment. Another documented side effect is 'tooth problems' — having not had a cavity in over 35 years, 5 months into the drug a tooth broke (no previous cavity or filling) and was decayed at the center, necessitating a root canal and crown ($1K). I stopped taking the drug after only 7 months when I had gained over 40 lbs! Within 2 weeks, I lost 20+ lbs, and 9 months later, have lost 55 lbs. While the drug DID lower my blood sugar, the horrendous side effects of weight gain, leg swelling, mobility/stability, knee damage, and tooth decay caused permanent damage to my body and made this drug intolerable for me."

• Jim...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 13, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "Took pioglitazone for about 8 months or so, all was OK, my numbers were down for a while, but now I have gained weight, the numbers stay the same, I feel tired, dizzy, I was swelling from the waist down all the way to my feet to the point that I had a hard time getting into my clothes. I contacted the doctor and he reduced the dosage, but I felt the same, the fatigue continued and so did the swelling. I was not myself anymore. I decided to stop taking the pioglitazone on my own for about three weeks now, and I am back in action. My numbers have not changed, I feel alive again, the swelling has gone down a bit, but the fatigue is gone. I will give my doctor one more chance to find an alternative medication, if none are available, I will look to change to another doctor for sure. 1.0"

• Swe...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 10, 2022

For Type 2 Diabetes "I'm on pioglitazone three years now. I have abdominal swelling, swelling in my legs horribly. I thought maybe it was menopause or a lymphatic system problem. But nope, my lymphatic system test shows normal flow. I've been to all kinds of doctors about the swelling: heart, kidney, blood doctor. Nothing found. I came across a video on YouTube, and I was like, what a minute, I take that medication. I wonder why the doctors never thought it might be medication doing this. After much reading, I think it's very possible this drug caused my 60-pound weight gain and my swelling. Sure, my sugars good, but at what cost? I'm miserable."

• Jen...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 10, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "Lowered blood glucose (BG) and A1C, but the side effects couldn't be tolerated. Leg and abdominal edema was considerable, resulting in weight gain, pelvic floor pressure with less bladder control. Went off for a couple of months, then tried again at a lower dose. Leg edema not as noticeable, but again had me thinking I had a UTI, which I again did not, cultured to confirm. I was on the med for 5 weeks each time, and problems worsened, which after that long I would expect them to decrease. This med is definitely not for me."

• Sus...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 17, 2023

For Type 2 Diabetes "I have been taking 45 mg of pioglitazone for about 6 months. My sugars are better, but I have gained over 10 pounds. For someone who is only 4 ft 10 in tall, that is a lot of weight! I struggle with weight issues anyway. I mentioned to my doctor that I was having problems losing weight with a 1,200 calorie diet. She just said to exercise more. I feel bloated in my abdominal area as well as everywhere else. I am exhausted all the time, and I hurt all over. After wracking my brain trying to figure out what was different to cause these issues, I looked up the side effects of pioglitazone. There they were... all of the issues I have been experiencing. I stopped the medication two days ago. I hope to see a difference in the weight, water retention, and pain. I will update after a few weeks! I still take metformin and Farxiga (but Farxiga costs me almost $400 a month!). Big pharma just cares about money, not people."

• Gil...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• August 4, 2021

Pioglitazone for Type 2 Diabetes "I am 74 years old and have taken Actos for about 15 years and have recently gotten serious about tracking my sugar levels to indicate trends and medicine effects. I currently take Lantus and 3 metformin per day and my sugar levels are in the 80-110 range consistently. I stopped taking Actos and did not notice any effect on my sugar level. I am convinced that it does promote weight gain and swelling in the feet. I had no serious side effects, but as a person who has weight problems anyway, it is not the medication for me. I am glad I can dispense with taking it with my current medications. For those that it does help, I have no personal experience that would cause me to say do not take it. Not doing something about the sugar levels is far more risky than the side effects of this medicine."

• Mar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 30, 2014

For Type 2 Diabetes "Been taking 30 mg of pioglitazone daily. Noticed increased anxiety, weight gain, difficulty sleeping at night. Going to stop tomorrow 12/1/14 to see if any conditions reverse themselves."