July 23, 2000
Daily Care, Medications: Pills for Diabetes
Question from Houston, Texas, USA:
I am a 41-year-old man who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes over 27 years ago. I visited a new internist who suggested that Actos [pioglitazone, a pill for Type 2 diabetes] would help me manage the peaks and valleys of my blood glucose levels. He has prescribed Actos for me. I was surprised, but when I questioned him he assured me that Actos could help me. I checked it out, and the Actos website and other sites say that Actos is “inappropriate” for type 1. Should I fill the prescription or should I question my doctor again? Should I look for an endocrinologist?
Answer:
I do think Actos is inappropriate for you and that you should seek for an endocrinologist with a good experience in the care of diabetes or try to look for a diabetes team in Houston.
MS
Additional comments from Kris Swenson, diabetes nurse specialist:
We have used Actos on the rare occasion for people who have type 1 diabetes but have needed high doses of insulin due to insulin resistance. These people typically “look like a person with type 2 diabetes”, overweight with middle abdominal obesity, but low or absent C-peptide. Granted, it is not a common occurrence but has seemed helpful in the overall insulin dosing.
KS
