Dapagliflozin - fatigue and a “winded feeling”

[MummaSoap]

Hi all,

I’ve recently started taking dapagliflozin again after experiencing some chest pain and a recommendation from the hospital to stop at the time. I contacted my cardiologist and he advised me to restart it but to try starting the ivabradine first and reintroduce the dapagliflozin 2 weeks later.

I did this and I had no issues with the ivabradine but I’ve been taking the dapagliflozin again for 5 days now and over the last couple of days I’ve started feeling really tired again and experiencing this winded feeling in my chest - almost like I’ve constantly just sprinted to “catch” one of my children and when I climb the 2 flights of stairs to bed at night my heart is still really racing for several minutes afterwards but I’m also noticing more ectopic beats.

I’ve been trying not to give it too much priority in my thoughts and I wouldn’t say I’m worried but obviously don’t want to end up with chest pains again if I can avoid it.

Has anyone one else experienced any of these symptoms during the early days of taking dapagliflozin? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks in advance,

Soap

[Hidden]

I am due to start this med amd have read up on some nasty sides including a flesh eating bacteria that attacks the groin area and bum. Urghh.

You maybe experiencing chest problems due to your heart condition as it is? I have also and still do wonder if my meds are causing chest pains, aniexity, sometimes sweats and all the sensations we feel each day... I have bad health aniexity as it is so having heart failure just puts me on edge with it.

So it could be this, just bad timing coincidence, or mind doing it or could actually be the med itself.

[MummaSoap in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for your reply; yes I read the same and decided to think positively 😂

It’s hard to know for definite, I know and you’re right, anxiety can definitely cause havoc with its own symptoms too.

I was fine on the ivabradine alone but it just seems the dapagliflozin (without or with the ivabradine) that is causing me to feel tired and giving this winded feeling. I’m still persevering with it and it hasn’t got any worse so hopefully it’ll settle in a few weeks or if not months. I would just like to get back to a “normal” life instead of feeling like my body is older than it really is 🤣

[Hidden in reply to MummaSoap]

Yes same here. Im in my 30s and have heart failure 40%. It was down to 12%. Just crazy. Have young children also. Trying to find a way to plod on but symptoms come and go. Its tough. Wish there was a cure for it.

[Hidden]

Hello MummaSoap. I was wondering if you are back on this medicine or any updates regarding this?

I have been on this almost a week now. The first couple of days i had a strange headache feeling at the top of my head. Nothing too strong. I am however super sleepy on a night time and fairly more drowsy during the day. Pee a littpe bit more but thats calmed down after a few days.

I don't know what to describe how i am feeling if its worse or any better. I do feel more calm and relaxed in ways, less aniexity i suppose and maybe my heart feels beating more calmly. But i have noticed a feeling of being out of breath more than usual and a kind of mild stitch type feeling near my heart.

[MummaSoap in reply to Hidden]

Hi, yes I’m still on it and have been since the beginning of January. I’m still getting tired, especially towards the end of the day but thankfully no repeat of severe chest pain like I had back in December.

I’ve had 6 separate episodes of being woken in the night feeling like I can’t breathe and I’m not sure if I’m waking up because I’ve stopped breathing for a moment or what is causing it. During each episode my heart has been pounding, racing, missing beats and ectopics -just feeling very erratic and seemingly unexplained but it does settle again by itself eventually.

I do get that stitch type feeling that you’re describing now again but not every day. I’m really not sure what is causing the symptoms and I can’t say I’ve noticed anything in particular that exacerbates them other than too much physical exertion but I feel that kind of goes without saying.

My consultant is still down under and I haven’t been able to get hold of anyone to speak to someone in his absence. My GP doesn’t seem concerned though so I’m just persevering with it.

I hope your symptoms start to settle down for you 🤞🏼🤞🏼

Best wishes

Soap

[Hidden]

Yeh hopefully they can investigate and do one of those sleep tests to test for sleep apnea. Good luck x