Seniors Face Special Risks When Taking Diabetes Drug Invokana
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento Invokana Injury Lawyer. My office represents clients struggling with serious side effects from drugs like Invokana that can greatly worsen a patient’s condition rather than make it easier to control and tolerate. One of my greatest concerns is for senior citizens with diabetes who take the SGLT2 drug Invokana since it can pose special hazards to them. (SGLT2 refers to sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors).
Multiple Drug Interactions
This special risk exists since seniors often have one or more chronic medical conditions besides diabetes – that require other prescribed drugs that can interact poorly with Invokana.
Please take the time to review your personal medical diagnoses – or those of a closed loved one – so you can avoid taking any unnecessary risks by taking this diabetes drug.
Seniors’ Medical Conditions That Can Increase Serious Side Effects on Invokana
- Ongoing pain caused by bones fractures and arthritis. If you have been told to take any type of NSAID (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug) to relieve your pain, you are more likely to suffer side effects from diabetic drugs like Invokana;
- Frequent urinary tract infections. If you develop these often, your chances of developing side effects from diabetes medications may be much higher. Be sure to keep a lookout for blood in your urine and other unusual drug side effects. When these more serious kidney-related symptoms aren’t caught early enough, you can eventually wind up suffering complete kidney failure;
- Lung disease or serious, ongoing respiratory difficulties. One of Invokana’s known side effects is its tendency to cause patients to suffer moderate to profound breathing problems;
- Having previously required one or more amputations. Due to poor blood circulation in their bodies, some diabetic patients must endure one or more amputations during their lifetimes. If you have already lost toes or an entire foot due to your illness, you have an increased risk of developing more of these types of problems while taking this Janssen Pharmaceutical prescription;
- Currently suffering from severe nausea – even if not on cancer medications. If you are already suffering from serious nausea or vomiting, be sure your doctor is aware of this fact. There may be other diabetes drugs available that are less likely to make this condition even worse;
- Frequent bouts of heartburn and indigestion. While you may initially not notice any side effects while taking Invokana, should you start needing a higher dose of heartburn medication, be sure to ask your physician if this need might be related to this diabetes drug.
- Current daily use of diuretic drugs. Seniors suffering from heart failure, hypertension and either pulmonary or systematic edema often take diuretics. When taking a diuretic drug for one of these conditions (that helps regulate the amount of water in your body), you are far more likely to suffer serious side effects from diabetes medications.
Consulting with your Physician
Before you or another senior loved one already suffering from one or more of these conditions decides to take Invokana, be sure to ask your doctor if another drug might prove far less dangerous for you.
Always keep in mind that there are other SGLT2 drugs that might also prove dangerous for you. Be ready to recognize the following drug names since they can potentially pose just as many serious side effects for you as Invokana.
Other SGLT2 Drugs That Can Prove Equally Hazardous for Seniors
- Invokamet (this includes both canagliflozin – the drug in Invokana – and metformin);
- Glyxambi (empagliflozin and linagliptin);
- Farxiga (dapagliflozin);
- Jardiance (empagliflozin); and
- Xigduo XR (dapagliflozin and metformin).
Always call your physician immediately if you experience any new serious complications while taking Invokana so you can try to avoid a trip to an emergency room or a new hospitalization.
Sacramento Drug Injury Lawyers
Hello. I’m Ed Smith and I am a Sacramento Invokana Injury Lawyer. If you, or someone you love has been injured by the drug Invokana, please call me at (916) 921-6400 or toll-free at (800) 404-5400 for free, friendly advice.
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