sodium glucose co-transporter new meds called Forxiga advice needed

[Letsallhope1]

good morning,

I’m an congenital heart disease patient with heart failure and I have recently added a medication called Forxiga or dapagliflozin, which is traditionally used to help with type 2 diabetes but studies have proved to be helpful in stop worsening heart failure onset and death by it.

I DONT have diabetes and what worries be a bit are the symptoms which go with it like low blood pressure/low sugar related episodes like feeling lightheaded and very tired.

Is anyone in this lovely group on it? And if so can you give me advice or simply tell me how you’re coping with it?

Thank you xx

[Heythrop51]

Hello. I am not on it but read about it when I was pre-diabetic but no longer am. You may or may not get these side effects and I would suggest buying BP and BG monitors so you can check things out. Hope it works for you.

[VelvetSky]

Hi, I have been diabetic for years, family genetic, plus heart and other problems. I was prescribed Empagliflozin, I refused to take it after reading the side effects including gangrene of the perinaum, who wants to risk that? Later our surgery sent out a round robin warning what side effects to look for if taking this drug, if this drug is so safe why are they sending out a warning? Since having Stevens-Johnson Syndrome last year and subsequent appalling treatment by the NHS I trust nothing that is prescribed, investigate, find out, balance the risks against benefits. Good Luck!

[vnarayan in reply to VelvetSky]

Hi hope you are doing good. What medication are you taking for diabetes?

[Anon2023]

Hi. I started this drug about 2 weeks ago. I’m not diabetic but was prescribed it for heart failure. It’s too early to say whether it’s working but I’ve had minimal side effects. I do pee a lot more and I’ve lost a tiny amount of weight. I do suffer from fatigue but that could be as result of my health conditions as well as the myriad of other meds that I am on. If I feel a bit spaced out I tend to eat a couple of sweets or a biscuit and that seems to work. I was warned about thrush and uti”s being common side effects but was told that gangrene was extremely rare. Obviously there are risks to taking any medications but you need to balance that against the positives. As long as you’re aware of possible side effects and raise issues with your gp straight away if you have serious problems then you will be fine. I’ve yet to look at any patient information leaflet for a medication and not feel spooked. They have to cover every eventuality. Good luck.

[Mollykin]

Hi I started this for heart failure about three weeks ago. I have been really tired, lightheaded and upset stomach, but hoping I’ll get used to it as meant to be good for increasing EF.