Dapaglifloxin - anyone had any experience with this?

Trulee

Well-Known Member
Messages
96
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Hi - have just recently been prescribed the above to use in conjunction with Metformin, Novorapid and Levemir.

I understand the basic principles of this, but am wondering how long after starting treatment I should notice any benefits as, to be honest, I am almost a week in and all it has done is send me to the loo about 9 times a night (daytime is not much different to how it was, perhaps one or two more visits), made me tired and irritable, and given me an almost constant headache.

I am at the point of ringing my GP (the drug was prescribed by my consultant) for their advice as I am more than a little fed-up with it already.

I haven't noticed any radical change to my BG's during the day. I am now testing before I go to bed at night and they are a little lower than they were (which then makes them border on hypo, so am then having to have 'supper' which I never ate before to stop hypo'ing during the night!).

The promised weight loss isn't occurring (though it is only a week) but I tend to weigh myself twice a week and, if anything, my weight is climibing rather than falling!!!!!

Any comments would be gratefully received!!!

many thanks
Trudy
 
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Liam1955

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Hello Trudy. I have been on Dapagliflozin 5mg since May of this year and have had great results with it. My GP explained to me that it is supposed to make your Kidneys filter more sugar from the blood and you pass it out in your urine. Had my bloods done in May before starting it: HBA1C = 80, BMI =30.1, WEIGHT = 88.1 and my last lot of bloods done on 4th November were: HBA1C = 62, BMI = 28.7, WEIGHT = 83.8. I also take daily = 2000mg Metformin and 40 Units of Humulin 1 Insulin. I do however experience excessive sweating during sleeping at night, which I believe is a side effect. Regards, William
 

zhaith

Active Member
Messages
40
I was put on this two weeks ago but sadly I didn't react to well to it on was only on it for a few days, Like yourself I don't think I have ever been to the loo so many times in one night by the 3rd day i was peeing about every 45 mins, read some info here and tested my urine for ketones and by day 3 i was up to 5 mmol or +++ according to the packaging on the strips.

Add to that lethargy a constant headache and most other hypo symptoms apart from confusion, ended up with me off of them after 3 days, ketones were back to normal after 24 hours but I had to take 2 days off work because I felt spaced out. I gave myself a few days with no meds to get over it and now back on my original combination of sitagliptin/gliclazide and feeling better.

I would strongly recommend checking your urine for ketones if you are on this medication. just for the piece of mind.
 

Trulee

Well-Known Member
Messages
96
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Thank you both for your comments, I am persevering for the moment but am now up to 8-10 times a night peeing!!!!!!!!

Zhaith I don't have access to testing for keytones, but may try and ring my surgery and see if the nurse can check for them for me, I must admit I hadn't thought about ketoacidosis and wasn't warned to keep an eye out for it either!
 
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lessci

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Messages
1,023
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I've been on it for about 8 months now for T2, I will sound counter intuitive but drink more, I have at least 3 litres of fluid a day, only get up once a night maybe. You will show ketones in your urine as that's how the meds work( this is what my DN told me), ketones and ketoacidosis are 2 different things and most people following a low carb diet will have ketones
 

Macca66

Newbie
Messages
2
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Have been on these for a good while now , haven't had any side effects other than increased urine output . I would say it is definitely worth persevering with as it helps with weight loss ! I have lost 21 pounds since starting taking it ! Which can only be benificial
 
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luceeloo

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677
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
I took Dapagliflozin for a while - peed for England whilst on them, too! It kept my blood sugar levels down for a while (about 5months I think), before I progressed to GLP1 injectables.
Lost a few pounds whilst on it.
 
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Liam1955

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Hi Macca66. I have been on 5mg Dapagliflozin since May 2015 and I cannot say anything bad about it - except for going to the loo more! But, in November last year when I had my Diabetic Review at the Hospital I was told it had brought my HBA1C down from 80 to 62, also decreased and my BMI and my weight. I was pleased with that.
 
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worrywort

Newbie
Messages
2
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
I have been on 10 mg Dapagliflozin for 9 months. Absolutely brilliant! Threw out all injectable insulin - looking to stop taking 1 x Gliclazide 60 mg & 2 x Metformin 1000 mg if HBA1C keeps dropping at current rate (6.0) and weight loss of 22 Kg. Getting away from all technical stuff, 10 mg Dapagliflozin 1 x daily has improved my lifestyle beyond all expectations - no insulin injections, no hypo's, feel just great - consistantly, everyday. Only side-effect, weeing takes on more urgency (normal otherwise) but easily anticipated - otherwise, I feel like a two year old again (76)! I'm only surprised not to hear more people sing the praises.
 

Oldvatr

Expert
Messages
8,470
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
My experience with Forxiga was short lived (2 months max). It gave me a dose of thrush, which needed a major dose of strong medication to remove. I have since seen some recent reports regarding long term safety of this medication, and breathed a sigh of relief that I had dropped it quickly. I don't have any links to these reports, and cannot remember any of the sources. Since dealing with the thrush, and switching to Gliclazide, I have managed to reduce my bgl very significantly by diet and minor changes to medication regime. i have also been able to halve the Gliclazide dose.
 
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DaveD6822

Newbie
Messages
1
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Thank you both for your comments, I am persevering for the moment but am now up to 8-10 times a night peeing!!!!!!!!

Zhaith I don't have access to testing for keytones, but may try and ring my surgery and see if the nurse can check for them for me, I must admit I hadn't thought about ketoacidosis and wasn't warned to keep an eye out for it either!
I am on this tablet but was told to drink more liquids and you will were more it clears you out of sugars
 

Oldvatr

Expert
Messages
8,470
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I was on Forxiga for a short while, and suffered the 'up all night ' syndrome to a very urgent degree. It dehydrated me, but did not drop my bgl to any great extent.
Finally I suffered a nasty UTI and had to undergo extended treatment with a strong antibiotic to clear it up. I came off it without a second thought, then later I read the warnings I posted earlier, and felt much better about my earlier decision. I mean, it is a different way of tackling the problem, and probably suits some, but I am glad to have found another oral I can use instead. Now I have found a way to use diet to replace my medication, so for me it has become academic.
 
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Liam1955

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As from today 26/1/17 - GP has put me back on 5mg Dapagliflozin. I was taking this drug from May 2015 until March 2016, but it got stopped because of repeated episodes of Burning Urine and Thrush. So, had a 10 month break and hopefully it will bring my HBA1C down again and I loose more weight.
 

ClaireBField

Newbie
Messages
4
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Being too hot
I was wondering about others experiences with dapa...

I've lost kilos, have more need to drink water -not a bad thing!- and have night sweats and occasional headaches.

All in all a positive experience thus far!
 

COCO62

Newbie
Messages
4
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Weight gain
Women gossip
Started 5mg forxiga last Thursday. This was to top up the 2000mg I was already taking. My blood glucose shot up since beginning of the year from the average of 8.5/13 mmo/l. My weight shot up to nearly 13 stone.
I was put on forxiga to manage my blood sugar and control my weight. I am more thirsty than usual & I am drinking water more.i just have to wait and see. Thanks to you for your useful posts.
 

Kittycat_7_

Well-Known Member
Messages
492
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
Just started forxiga today, already have thrush so concerned.
Hope I lose weight on it and don't get DKA.
My GP wasn't sure what to put me on.
 

ringi

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,365
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Can you GP give you all the treatment options for thrush before waiting for it to get worse?