Forxiga

[Suffolk]

Hi has anyone been given Forxiga 5 mg ? I am having trouble with thirst ,feeling cold and dizziness since taking it,I’m also on a restricted fluid intake as I have left ventricular heart failure ,any advice welcome ,thankyou

 

[luceeloo]

I used to take Forxiga - it was a few years back now. I've just been taken off a similar medication (Canagliflozin). They work by making your kidneys excrete the excess sugar out in urine, so it does make you drink loads. I was drinking in excess of 6 litres a day, and still feeling thirsty.
If you are on fluid restriction, then I'm not sure how effective it could be without making you dehydrated in the process! Definitely go and see your GP if you feel continually thirsty.

 

[DCUKMod]

Hi has anyone been given Forxiga 5 mg ? I am having trouble with thirst ,feeling cold and dizziness since taking it,I’m also on a restricted fluid intake as I have left ventricular heart failure ,any advice welcome ,thankyou

Hi there Suffolk.

Have you had a read through the Patient Information Leaflet from your box of meds?

On the leaflet there are a couple of remarks your GP may already have taken into consideration. Do you take a diuretic, to help with water retention at all? The drug can also cause some folks' blood pressure to drop a bit, which could maybe account for the giddiness, although that is speculation on my part.

In your shoes, I might be inclined to have a chat with my GP, or if he/she is unavailable tomorrow, pop into your pharmacy. The pharmacist will usually have a great handle on any potential med interactions or side effects.

As a genereral rule of thumb though, those taking the Farxiga class of drugs are advised they drink enough fluids, because of the way the medication works - to wee the glucose out.

 

[ringi]

You should also have a blood ketones meter, and totally understand the risk of DKA from foxiga as dehydration increase the risk. But provided you control the risk by being ready to take action if DKA starts then foxiga could still be worth it.

 

[neels]

Last week I got told I need to come off Forxiga (10mg) as it is not recommended for Type1's as likelihood of DKA is increased in type 1. I have been on Forxiga for over 3 years, its been the one drug I don't want to go without - it has been fantastic in keeping my glucose levels way down when nothing else did. However they sent me to get some blood tests done and if it can be proven that I am NOT a type 1 ie classed as type 2 etc then I can carry on with Forxiga. Well after 40+ years as type 1, I highly doubt I am a type 2 diabetic!!!!

As for OP's post, I didn't feel extra thirsty when I went on Forxiga and still don't, but they did say when I first started on Forxiga to drink plenty of water as you want all the excess glucose that the Kidney is removing to come out of your system quicker and not stick around in the body.

 

[Shas3]

I was on Forxiga 5 mg for 5 months (since I was diagnosed) in addition to Metformin. Last few weeks, I was having very similar symptoms that you mention - dizziness / a bit light headed / difficult to concentrate / cold / very thirsty. I put it aside as recovering from a bad cold and the cold medication, that I had to take. But after almost 2-3 weeks of cold having gone, these symptoms kept going. Yesterday and I went to the doctor and he said all these sound very much like side effects of Forxiga and he asked me to immediately stop it. Today is my first day without Forxiga and all the symptoms seem to be subsiding. I am keeping an eye on what my blood sugar will look like as I come off Forxiga. Good luck.