Panorama 8.30 Monday 6th sept

[ZACNEMMA]

Investigating Diabetes

 

[hanadr]

Investigating Avandia
Hana

 

[cocacola]

Very interesting programme and if what I saw tonight is fact, Avandia should be either withdrawn or very carefully prescribed.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11170878

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00tr25t

 

[debbietowns]

Panorama and Avandia

Hi all,
Maybe i'm not looking in the right place, but i expected loads of people to be posting messages about this issue but i have only found two.

I watched it and read about it last night and decided NOT to take my tablet last night or anymore until i see my GP. Did anyone else feel the same after watching the programme?

Interested to see opinions

Debbie

 

[daisy1]

Re: Panorama and Avandia

If I had been taking Avandia, which I am not thank goodness, after watching that programme I would have stopped it too. Just the drug companies wanting to make money with no regard to people who actually take their dangerous rubbish. I was horrified when I saw that programme. What other medication are also dangerous?

 

[Hobs]

Re: Panorama and Avandia

I was taken off rosiglitazone about 2yrs ago and put onto pioglitazone but now wonder if it has the same action

 

[Amansco]

I didn't get chance to watch the program about Avandia but thought I would post my experience of the drug. I was on Avandia for approx. 3 years on the 4mg dose. My GP then increased the dose to the 8mg tablet as I was still having problems with high blood sugars. Approx 2 months at the increased dose, I developed heart palpitations - at first I wasn't concerned as I figured it would settle down but these palpitations continued constantly throughout the day and night, leaving me extremely breathless. I phoned my GP the following morning and told her what had been happening and right away she said "Oh that will probably be the Avandia" and she advised me to stop taking the drug immediately. The palpitations eventually settled down as did the breathlessness however I have since been diagnosed with Angina and Tachycardia and I am convinced that this has been caused by the Avandia as I never had any heart problems prior to taking this drug (however I doubt I would ever be able to prove this)!!! :x

I was shocked when my GP suggested that I go back on Avandia just approx 4 months ago as I am still battling high blood sugars - I told her straight that I would never put that drug across my mouth ever again and I let her know that I was shocked at her even suggesting this given my past history on this drug. I also put on approx 3 stones in weight during my time on this drug and I know others who have experienced weight gain while on Avandia - I am still battling to get the weight off.

It really angers me that America banned this drug a long time ago and yet the UK just carried on prescribing the drug despite this without investigating further.

 

[Patch]

Don't forget - weight gain is a DESIRABLE side effect for the drug companies! The more weight you put on, the more resistant to insulin you become, so the more drugs you need to take.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if we find out one day that they produce drugs with this "side effect" on purpose.

:x

 

[Sula]

Six cups of green tea a day has the same effect as Avandia, (I think I read this in the 'Daily Mail health pages) without the side effects but with lots of health benefits. Read Dr Mercola about diabetes, follow his advice , low carb and keep out of the clutches of 'Big Pharma' they are out to kill you whilst making enormous profits. I don't intend to ever take any medication or insulin, I low carb religiously,take supplements and keep away from the doctors as much as possible. I have recently stopped taking blood pressure medication (ACE inhibitors, they have been recently linked to cancer) and take an Ayeurvedic remedy which has brought my blood pressure down to normal. At the last diabetic clinic the doctor wanted to raise the dose of the ACE tablet as my blood pressure had gone up, but this is what conventional blood pressure medication does,it raises blood pressure so you need more medication.

 

[bowell]

for info

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0 ... th_Taking/

 

[ZACNEMMA]

Hi

In response to Patch... But it isn't the desire of your PCT that you put on weight or your GP. It is your GP that prescribes not the drug company.

 

[phoenix]

Anyone taking it should perhaps read the DUK. advice and info sheet.

http://www.diabetes.org.uk/About_us/News_Landing_Page/Diabetes-UK-advice-on-Avandia/

Hobs. The Wikipage has a good section on the pros and cons of Pioglitazone (Actos). It is in the same class of drugs and has a similar action but it is not the same, There are, as with many drugs, pros and cons it is worth reading carefully and perhaps following up the references. I found it
interesting that one trial showed a reduction in arterial plaque.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pioglitazone
You might also want to read this NHS doc from the National Prescribing Centre (dated Sept 2009)
http://www.npci.org.uk/blog/?p=524


As to pharma interests this link from the same source describes the study which found an association between financial conflicts of interest and authors’ views on the MI risk with rosiglitazone. This study was done by scientists from the Mayo Clinic, not all scientists by a long way are in the pockets of the big corporations.
http://www.npci.org.uk/blog/?p=1673

 

[IanD]

Now what aren't we being told about other drugs - particularly metformin?

I'm reassured by what I found.

I knew that a similar drug, phenformin, was introduced first, & was very effective in controlling BG. I also knew that it was withdrawn because of fatalities, whereas metformin became widely used instead. That withdrawal was 35 years ago.

I googled metformin & phenformin.

Metformin possesses some distinct advantages in treating diabetes. Excess glucose produced by the liver is the major source of high blood sugars in Type 2 diabetes and is typically the reason for high blood sugars on waking in the morning. Metformin reduces this overproduction of glucose. It helps in lowering the blood sugar, especially after eating, with no risk of hypoglycemia when used alone. Modest improvement in cholesterol levels are also seen. The 10 year UKPDS Study of over 3,000 people with Type 2 diabetes found that those who were placed on metformin had a 36% decrease in overall mortality and a 39% decrease in heart attacks.