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dapagliflozin

bhfels profile image
17 Replies

Hi

I’ve just been prescribed the above for heart failure but I’m not a diabetic, far from it. I’ve just had a mandatory talk from the pharmacist about being light headed but when I’ve looked a side effects there are UTIs , thrush and worryingly dizzy spells. I’ve had a UTI before and I went mildly gaga. I’m dreading starting it , has anyone had a positive experience

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bhfels
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17 Replies
Lezzers profile image
Lezzers

My husband takes it for HF, he's been taking it for over a year & it made a massive difference to his energy levels. He's has no side effects at all apart from some weight loss.

Motorman profile image
Motorman

I have recently started Dapa. I do have T2 diabetes and heart valve problems, my T2 is under tight control and I keep my sugar levels in the normal range. I believe that Dapa is good for HF which I dont have, so I must ask why I am on it! I have no side effects and have had no infections so far ( I am male). It is important to drink plenty of water to help flush out things.

in reply toMotorman

Maybe for the diabetes?

Motorman profile image
Motorman in reply to

Maybe, but I keep my blood sugars in the normal range. I have read up on Dapa and it also lowers blood pressure, so I am covered on all fronts!

in reply toMotorman

Is it best to monitor blood sugars on this med? I would have thought the doc would check this first before putting someone on it. I have just started it and week in, feel so sleepy.

Motorman profile image
Motorman in reply to

I am not a doctor, but I would have thought a blood sugar test would be reasonable, most GPs would do one if requested. If not many pharmacies can do one, a simple finger prick test.

in reply toMotorman

thank you sir.

Etzel profile image
Etzel

I started Dapa 5 months ago and like Motorman i'm T2 with valve problems, on my last echo they said my Mitral efficiency had gone up by 4-5% so try to look beyond possible (not guaranteed) side effects and think of the benefits. I will admit that i'm making a call to my GP tomorrow because I think it has given me thrush though (i'll trade thrush for 4-5%!!)

Gingercats profile image
Gingercats

I have HF and was prescribed Dapagliflozin and was told side effects could be weight loss and first week I lost 4lbs but after that nothing 😞 also told I could get UTI’s which I did frequently but the clinical pharmacist at my doctor’s practice advised me to take a concentrated cranberry capsule every day and it seems to have done the trick as haven’t had one since.

Dave678 profile image
Dave678

Yes, an initial Thrush side effect for me but a 400mg Cranberry Supplement tablet from Sainsburys in the morning and using Canesten at night has sorted it.

Bigheart58 profile image
Bigheart58

I’ve been on it for several months now. I’m not diabetic either. My cardiologist also warned me of these possible risks and side effects. He said it was important to keep that part of my body clean and to dry it well after a bath or shower. So far, I’ve not had any problems. Meanwhile, my ejection fraction has increased from 35 to 49 which is almost normal.

in reply toBigheart58

Brill. I hope this is the same for me. Do you feel better for it? Improved any symptoms?

Larneybuds profile image
Larneybuds

Good morning....I have been taking it for 4 months .... not diabetic but it is very beneficial for patients with HF. I have no side effects at all and was told it is like a wonder drug along with entresto which I also take. X

Hello. I have been on this 1 week and feel exhausted with it. But i was having this problem with the entresto tablet so i think the mix has made the fatigue a bit more...Little short of breath this morning from doing a bit of house work. However, the sleepiness it is causing has improved my nights sleep so much. I do wake up a bit groggy but hey ho...

I think it has also calmed my aniexity and general calmness with my heart.

I did have half of pint of beer at a funeral i was at not long after takign the tablet and it sent me very spacey and all over so be careful with alcohol when taking it so soon.

Other than this i am hoping for improvements as my ef rate is currently 40%.. So will see.

ILowe profile image
ILowe

I am very suspicious of it. I have read what I could find in the research papers. What bothered me most was that few allay my suspicion that this is big Pharma, and critiques are very difficult to find-- when there is little debate I am always suspicious. I have heard that the patent in UK ends in May 2023 so expect the price to come down one day.

But, in the mess out there of drugs research, there are some good ideas. We know that off label use of drugs for another disease can sometimes work well. We know that sometimes drugs do not work until combined with another different drug. With the various forms of Heart Failure, treatments are in short supply. Dapa is usually prescribed as part of a package, polypharma, with low doses of several drugs rather than high doses of a few. Perhaps Dapa is best thought of in terms of the package.

One nice part of this drug is that at the slightest suspicion of a UTI I can stop it for several days and restart only when ready. I also bought some Methylene Blue just in case.

MummaSoap profile image
MummaSoap

I’m so sorry to read of your husband’s experience and what you must both be going through presently.

Sending best wishes and strength to you both, it’s a horrible place to be with a loved one, my thoughts are with you.

Soap 💛

in reply toMummaSoap

thanks

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