Forxiga side effects?

[Legoladd]

Hoping someone can share any info or experiences with Forxiga, one of many meds prescribed after heart failure in January. I have blood and glucose in my urine and it seems all my GP is thinking is Diabetes which seems unlikely. I am blaming the Forxiga. I hope to speak to a nurse from the heart failure team tomorrow but wondered if anyone had similar experience or if they have taken and then come off the medication.

[NuttyP]

Same here, I've never shown diabetic signs before either do assume the meds are responsible. They don't seem to want to change anything as mine was recent too. Hope it goes well.

[Legoladd in reply to NuttyP]

Thank you for your reply. My bloods were taken on admission to hospital a month ago so surely they would have picked up on high blood sugar then. I'm assuming diabetes can't develop in 4 weeks so puzzled that this is my GPs first assumption, especially as I had gone to see her regarding side effects of my medications. It is all just more to worry about. Hope things go well for you too. I have found everything scary and hard to cope with.

[HenryTudor]

Replying to OP and NuttyP . Surely, saying “I’ve not previously shown symptoms so it can’t be diabetes” is like saying, “My microwave is broken, but it was working last time I used it.”

[Collectone in reply to HenryTudor]

That's a pointless and cheeky reply !!

[honeybubs]

I’ve been on Forixiga (Dapagliflozen) since 2023. I’m 65. It’s described as the wonder drug for heart failure patients. It all came about when it was used for just diabetics and they found that the people who had heart failure as well as diabetes started to improve so they started giving it to heart failure patients who didn’t have diabetes. I have a yearly Hb1Ac diabetes test and I’m below having diabetes level 39. I have a good diet, vegetables fresh fruit, fish mainly and perhaps chicken once a week. It can affect your kidneys so I have to have regular eGFR blood tests. It’s best googling it incase I haven’t explained it fully or accurately. My EF was 39 and over a couple of years has now gone up to Ejection Fraction 45 but I had a pacemaker defibrillator fitted as well which has helped the improvement of my heart. They gave me a prick your finger and machine to use at the beginning of which I was horrified with being on a good diet and said ‘do I test my sugar levels for a week then bring it back’ the nurse said ‘no it’s for life’ I used it for the first week then decided to put it in a cupboard and not use it. My Hb1Ac blood tests have been between 38 and 42 so I’m not worried about getting diabetes you just have to eat good food and have the yearly blood tests. This has been my experience though everyone is different. Hope this has helped.

[Legoladd in reply to honeybubs]

Thank you so much for your very informative response. I am glad your heart has improved so much. My diet is good and I can see no reason why I would suddenly be diabetic. No one has suggested I need regular blood tests while taking it. Everything seems to come down to me being concerned about something and going to the doctors. I went with muscle ache and back ache and dark urine which led to the urine test showing glucose and blood and that's when the blood test was suggested. Its hard to know what to think. I'm told it's a wonderful drug that helps the heart but I'm struggling with the side effects. Do you know why you need the regular blood tests? Can the drug actually cause Diabetes?

[honeybubs in reply to Legoladd]

Hi Legolad, I was told that Dapagliflozen helps to expel sugar through your kidneys so they said I needed regular blood tests called eGFR to monitor my kidneys. At the beginning they were regular tests but slowly I went longer and longer between having the tests. GPs are so busy I think that’s the reason maybe. With the drug being given to diabetics only originally I wouldn’t have thought it would cause diabetes in people taking it that don’t have diabetes? I’m not sure about this. I find that in between holidays I don’t really eat sugar foods so my tests come back 38 or 39 (diabetes blood test) which is good but when I indulge in food and occasional desserts on holidays my Hb1Ac (diabetes blood tests) goes up to 42 which is still ok but increases. This is why I keep a check on it throughout the year. I have one test from GPs yearly but test myself privately with a company called Thriva if you look them up. They send it to you and you prick your finger, send blood to them in supplied test tubes and you get results in 2 days. Could it be something else that is going on causing it and not the drug? It is meant to expel sugar in your wee from your kidneys so that’s why they found sugar in your urine but not sure about the blood? Ask them if you have a kidney infection as this can cause side back pains? Hope it gets sorted for you. X

[Taichid]

I take Forxiga doe diabetes. Certainly lowers blood sugar. I have a heart problem and it has recently been discovered it is good for heart problems the only downside is risk of thrush and seeing which flushes out the sugar.

[Legoladd in reply to Taichid]

Thank you for your reply. I don't have high blood sugar (or I didn't). Ihave heart failure and am just concerned about what the drug actually does.

[honeybubs in reply to Legoladd]

Hi the drug improves your heart failure that’s what it does and with regular Echocardiograms it shows your EF (Ejection Fraction) pumping your blood improving. I went from EF35 to EF45-50 which is marvellous but it takes time to happen. X