I hope the metformin works for you! That would be my preference, too.
Why would you need Actos with the insulin? Why not just the insulin? I think it carries the same black box warning as Avandia. Actos made my ankles swell up like softballs every evening. (When I told my doctor my ankles were swelling, did he take me off Actos? Noooooo, he prescribed a water pill
)
Actos costs a fortune too, even with insurance my copay was $90.
Well this guy is a Pharmacist PLUS a Doctor, so he wants to push those expensive meds from two angles - DOUBLE KICKBACK. I mean he was nice and all, but money is money. When he was telling me about the Byetta, he actually looked it up to see what my co-pay would be and it would have been $100. This is co-pay, mind you. If he suggests Actos again, I'll pass. If the Metformin doesn't work, I'm passing on all the other stuff pills.
But I hope you find success with just the met.
Hope you find out what's causing your hives. I have hive outbreaks all the time, too. Have one right now, in fact, on my arms neck and chest from
perfume. Some I can wear, some I can't.