why have i got to have this new medication

[rubyr61]

i have mitra valve replacement ,af, heart failure now being recomended to take DAPAGLIFLAZIN TOTALLY CONFUSED AND CANT BREATH PROPERLY

rubyr61

[BobD Volunteer]

I have googled this drug and it does appear to have some benfit if reducing the effects of heart failure even though it is primarily for treatment of diabetes.

[rubyr61 in reply to BobD]

yes i googled it and they did tell me it is a diabetic drug BUT they have found out it helps people with their breathing and since they cant get to the bottom of my breathing problems they are thinking a long the lines of me trying it but it might cause me problems 😚

[Hidden]

I was involved in the EMPEROR trial for a couple of years which looked at Empagliflozin for heart failure. I suspect that I was in the placebo group. When the trial ended I was told that many participants had asked to stay on the drug as they found it very effective and didn't want to go back to HF without it. In Australia it seems like Dapagliflozin is a little further along in the TGA registration process for a heart failure indication so I found a cardiologist who was on the Dapagliflozin Product Familiarization list and have been on it a few months now. I can't say it has had a marked positive effect on my HF as far as I can tell but neither has it had any negative effects for me. The general attitude to it seems to be very positive from everyone I speak with. Perhaps the breathing difficulties are related to your HF more than the Dapagliflozin - only you can decide that of course. For me the jury is still out. Expectations here are that it will become available on the PBS for HF in a few more months, though no guarantees of course.

[jeanjeannie50]

Hi Ruby

Admin on this forum put a post on here recently about this drug. Please see:

healthunlocked.com/afassoci...

[Ppiman]

My cousin has been given a very similar medicine for his Type 2 diabetes and it's helped his blood pressure a great deal. I gather it is used in heart patients such as yourself to improve the condition and output of the heart whether or not diabetes is present. My cousin is very pleased with it.

I noticed that it come with a warning to look out for a very rare side effect of developing something called diabetic ketoacidosis. Have you been told this or seen it in the product leaflet? I'm going to ask my cousin as he lives alone and hasn't mentioned it.

Steve

[rubyr61 in reply to Ppiman]

yes i have read it but i am more concerned about what else is in it as ,metformin gives me severe diaorrh

[Ppiman in reply to rubyr61]

I think it's given when people can't take metformin and also when blood pressure needs to be brought down as well as blood sugar. My cousin lost about 10 lbs on it as it increases the kidney's effectiveness at removing excess water from the blood. It reduced his blood pressure well, too, although from what I've read it works better at that when given alongside a betablocker.

Breathing problems can be all sorts of things but it looks like most have been excluded. One thing that can cause a feeling of shortness of breath is gastric issues with things like reflux oesophagitis, gastritis, hiatus hernia, diverticular disease and IBS - even a slow transiting gut and constipation.

Steve

[Crystalbowl]

I have been taking Dapagliflozin for a while now and my breathing is much better than it was although I can’t be sure it is due to the Dapagliflozin. The main thing I now want to improve is the circulation in my hands and feet so the Cardiac GP slowly reduced the amount of Nebivolol I was taking from 10mg daily down to 1.25mg. It didn’t seem to make any difference so it went back up to 2,5 and then 5 mg. However, I felt my breathing was getting worse again so reduced back to 2.5mg. Breathing better but no change to hands and feet so not sure what is causing that. Had a raft of bloods done recently and all in normal range.

[Hidden]

This drug for type 2 diabetes, as BobD has explained is primarily used for the lowering of blood sugar, but is especially useful for those people who suffer from heart failure, (which you say you have), because, over time, diabetes does cause damage to your organs, including your heart.But clearly if you are struggling with a side effect which is as serious as this seems to be, then you need some further medical advice as to whether you should continue with it, or not. But of course, don't stop taking it without that advice.