Dapagliflozin, be duly warned about this drug!

[Buzzy-Beans]

In May last year after the most recent one of my Blues & Twoes A&E visits as a result of my heart playing up, I was eventually prescribed a whole host of additional medications including the new wonder drug Dapagliflozin which is for diabetes, but it turns out that it also appears to be working wonders for coronary patients as well!

Over the past few months I have noticed the condition of my skin has gone very steeply downhill, it has gone almost exceptionally dry and flaky and the condition of the skin on my feet has also shown some small pin point red blobs that are both saw and exceptionally irritable, I had also noted that some of my toe nails were going almost pure white.

Today I met for the very first time a locum GP at my health practice and she is the one, after first very closely examining me, decided that my problems were in the main some kind of fungal infection, she then checked thoroughly through all my many medications and then asked me how long I had been on Dapagliflozin.

It turns out that one of the many side effects of this new wonder drug is exactly what I have been experiencing, it can cause excessively dry skin, it can cause various types of fungal infections and it can also result in a patient passing far more water than they normally do.

So as of today, I have stopped taking this drug!

[Hidden]

Dear Buzzy-Beans

I am also on Dapagliflozin with no effects, sorry to hear of the problems that you are having.

I presume that your Dr has stopped it for you which is a shame as it seems to be an excellent drug,

Its a know side effect and thrush is listed as such, personally I think I would rather put up with that and get the benefits of the drug.

But each to their own.

Take care.

[Silvasava]

I've been on Dapa for about 9 months now and had no issues. My skin has always been dry and it's no worse. Dapa has been used for many years before being approved for HF patients. I'm sorry you've had this side effect but it doesn't seem to be one that many are experiencing but good to highlight it for any others who may have a similar issue.

[P0rtnahapp1e]

I’m very happy with this drug and can only report positive results from my past year of being on it. For a start it’s a diuretic so I don’t have to take furosemide which was lowering my already very low bp, and it, together with Entresto, have changed my life from one with a poor outlook to near normality.I can now walk 10,000 steps a day at least, go on lots of holidays, breathlessness is completely eliminated and, added bonus, I’ve lost some weight since being on it.

It’s costing me a fortune as I have now changed so much, physically and mentally, that I’m buying lots of bright clothes as befits my new outlook on life.

73, going on 18 🤣

[Hidden in reply to P0rtnahapp1e]

Very colourful! Love it

[P0rtnahapp1e]

PS, I feel very guilty that I don’t need to avail of disabled parking any longer, but still have the card in the car, in case of emergencies. I should really hand it back. 🤔

[nilmonisikdar40]

Yes, this so called wonder new drug Dapagliflozin has been introduced because it was found to be effective in cardiac failure while treating patients with sugar diabetes. The enclosed leaflet mention the side effects on skin mainly in genital region. I used it for a while and developed some itchy, dry skin lesions in the legs, I stopped it and got better. Your locum G.P. was right and detecting the cause of skin lesion.

[LaceyLady]

I’m in that too. My finger nails are absolutely terrible and not sure which drug is causing it. Empagliflozin can cause thrush too.

[RufusScamp]

Have you consulted your GP about stopping the drug? There may be an alternative, depending on how much you need it for your condition.

[Buzzy-Beans in reply to RufusScamp]

Believe me, I am on so many other drugs, well 14 to be exact and only yesterday the locum GP expressed her amazement that I was on so many, indeed 2 years ago a senior consultant at Papworth had suggested I might be able to stop taking the vast majority of them!

The trouble is that our normal GP's appear not to mind you taking never ending numbers of drugs as they are too darned busy to sit down and discuss matters with you.

So yes, as I know that I don't actually need this drug, the exceptionally knowledgeable locum GP and I are more than happy for me to stop taking this drug, just as long as I keep a wary eye on any changes to my health.

[RufusScamp in reply to Buzzy-Beans]

14 sounds ridiculous. I moan about 3. They must start interfering with each other, surely. I hope your condition improves.

[Geoff51 Heart Star]

I have been taking Dapagliflozin since last December on the advice of my Cardiologist and can honestly say i now feel the best I ever have since my HA in 2010. I am on the usual cocktail of drugs which I have been on for 12 years with increases in dosage and the addition also of Amalopidine for Blood pressure. Apart from a incident of urinary thrush which is a known side affect I have had no problems with the drug. I think if you were prescribed Dapagliflozin you should persist in taking it, I never see the point of stopping medicines prescribed to you from a medical professional as I am sure the know far more than you whether you need to take any medicine or not. I urge you to go back to taking it and consult your GP as to the side effects.

[Alison_L]

Hi BB. I had a rather more immediate reaction to Dapa, in that I got the most excruciating back pain (another noted side effect). I had to stop taking it after 2 weeks, and it took another 3 months and several visits to an osteopath to get rid of the pain.

[Buzzy-Beans in reply to Alison_L]

Like so many drugs, if you read up about the known side effects, then it honestly does make me wonder how they are allowed to be prescribed!

[Alison_L in reply to Buzzy-Beans]

Aah, because, for the vast majority of users (who mostly won't reply on here), the side effects are negligible and hugely outweighed by the benefits.

[Keith1949 in reply to Buzzy-Beans]

"does make me wonder how they are allowed to be prescribed" Because they have been thoroughly tested and shown to be effective and to actively save many lives. There may be some side effects, every drug has some, but the vast majority of users never experience them

[Keith1949]

I am on dapa for my heart failure and have experienced a big side effect, my blood sugars have dropped enormously, so much so that after years of working to keep my diabetes under control, last blood test I had, my HbA1c was down to the region classified as pre-diabetic and I was able to reduce significantly my diabetes meds! Wonderful drug, helping with HF and diabetes!

[Nexus6]

That's useful to know, after stopping metoprolol and then bisoprolol, I have been recommended to start Dapagliflozin for my heart failure whilst awaiting another heart MRI to determine what specific cardiomyopathy I am suffering from, before a potential ICD is fitted. Given I also suffer from psoriasis and eczema, I will discuss the impact on the skin further with the heart failure team. Thank you.

[Finaus]

Sister drug caused genital fungal infection. Obvious discomfort and detrimental effect on general well being, but seemingly nothing compared to your adverse effects. I can understand your post and your decision. I hope the medics step up to the plate and help you rather than leave you to struggle with these effects and your decision!

[Barkone]

Dapagliflozin and other drugs in this class are associated with a rare infection of the scrotum and perianal area, Fourniers gangrene. It starts with mild infection via any other UTI or bacterial infection and quickly progresses to necrotizing fasciitis, it requires urgent surgical intervention with an up to 50 mortality. Patients must observe the perineal area for infection and at the first signs of an infection go to hospital for diagnosis and treatment.