A WARNING IF YOU ARE TAKING ACTOS/PIOGLITAZONE

[ecneps]

This is a copy of a letter I have sent to the drug regulatory body MHRA in the UK

FRANCE and GERMANY have banned actos /pioglitazone this medication used in the treatment for diabetes there are lawsuits going on in the USA for people who have Bladder Cancer because of using this drug
I have taken this drug since I was taken off rosiglitazone which was banned for causing suspected heart failure
Why have the UK not banned this drug if their is a risk of using this drug however small I may get Bladder Cancer?
I will stop taking this drug immediately
This drug should be banned in the UK if the two largest countries in the EU have banned it
Our Gp’s should inform us of these risks its discraceful

Mr S.Fleetwood

ps type actos or piolitazone in to your browser and read for yourselves

 

[Hobs]

An extract from BNF 62:-

Pioglitazone: risk of bladder cancer (July 2011)
The European Medicines Agency has advised that there is a small increased risk of bladder cancer associated with pioglitazone use. However, in patients who respond adequately to treatment, the benefits of pioglitazone continue to outweigh the risks.

Pioglitazone should not be used in patients with active bladder cancer or a past history of bladder cancer, or in those who have uninvestigated macroscopic haematuria. Pioglitazone should be used with caution in elderly patients as the risk of bladder cancer increases with age.

Before initiating treatment with pioglitazone, patients should be assessed for risk factors of bladder cancer (including age, smoking status, exposure to certain occupational or chemotherapy agents, or previous radiation therapy to the pelvic region) and any macroscopic haematuria should be investigated. The safety and efficacy of pioglitazone should be reviewed after 3–6 months and pioglitazone should be stopped in patients who do not respond adequately to treatment.

Patients already receiving treatment with pioglitazone should be assessed for risk factors of bladder cancer and treatment should be reviewed after 3–6 months, as above.

Patients should be advised to report promptly any haematuria, dysuria, or urinary urgency during treatment.

 

[Unbeliever]

Also be aware that it can cause /make worse diabetic retinopahy and macular oedema which can lead to blindness as can rosiglitazone..

My DSN is not aware of this. Yours may not be either.

 

[Yvonne-1]

I've just started on pioglitizone. I've been having bladder problems caused by seroxat. I intend talking to my GP until then I'll stop taking pioglitizone. I have a family history of cancer.
**feeling very fed up with GP's who don't read my notes

 

[DavidGrahamJones]

Our Gp’s should inform us of these risks its discraceful

I also took Rosiglitazone, ballooning to 27st didn't ring alarm bells with my GP at the time, deteriorating liver function did. At least not taking it bought my weight back down somewhat, work in progress.

I've spoken to my present GP about being told of side effects and she candidly said that so many drugs have some side effect in some people that she wouldn't prescribe anything to anyone. She also mentioned that these days the vast majority of her patients up to a certain age will have done their own research, not just reading the leaflet that comes with the drug but using Google.

In an ideal world all GPs would warn us of side effects. It's worth mentioning that my old GP use to tell me not to Google looking at side effects, luckily my pharmacist was brilliant, he always told me of side effects. Given the amount of time GPs can spend with each patient, I consider myself lucky to be able to discuss things with my present GP. In fact if my appointment is ever late, say an hour, I know that my GP will have spent some extra time with a patient explaining things just as she does for me, so no problem.

 

[HopeGirl]

Pioglitazone also has a (US) black box warning about potential cardiac problems.