I am diabetic, have been since age 18. Started insulin in 1992. When they started the diabetic pills, my docs have insisted I take them, along with insulin. All I know is, since taking the pills (and I tried EVERY ONE) along with insulin, I have gained 100 pounds. While I was only on insulin, I took only 8 units a day. Now I take 140. I take metformin and hate it. It is awful to my digestive system. Actos created Congestive Heart Failure. Rezulin damaged my liver. Now I have Chronic Kidney Disease, Congestive Heart Failure, Fatty Liver Disease, and severe neuropathy. I also have Peripheral Vascular Disease and now a clotting disorder. I have Deep Vein Thrombosis. All of this is caused by diabetes and crazy blood sugars. This last November I survived 30 pulmonary embolisms and one saddle embolism (sudden death embolism). My right leg has been impaired by the blood clot: they can't find a pulse in my right foot without a doppler.