Vokanamet

Canagliflozin is used in adults with type 2 diabetes to lower blood sugar levels. It works best when used along with diet and exercise. It is also used in adults having diabetes and cardiovascular disease together. Its use in such patients helps reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke or death due to these cardiovascular events.

No, Canagliflozin is not the same as metformin. Canagliflozin is a sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor whereas metformin is a biguanide. Canagliflozin lowers blood sugar by causing the kidneys to get rid of more glucose in the urine. On the other hand, metformin works by reducing the amount of sugar which your liver releases into your blood.

Take Canagliflozin exactly as advised by your doctor. You should swallow the tablet whole with water. You can take your tablet with or without food. It is best to take it before the first meal of the day, preferably at the same time each day. This will help you remember to take it.

There are some risks involved with the use of Canagliflozin. In some people it may cause dehydration (the loss of too much body water). Canagliflozin may also cause vaginal yeast infection in women and yeast infection in the skin surrounding the penis in men. Furthermore, this medicine may increase the risk of lower limb amputations in patients who had a history of amputation or have major risk factors like peripheral vascular disease.

The serious side effects of Canagliflozin include ketoacidosis (increased ketones in your blood or urine), some allergic reaction, sudden kidney impairment, serious urinary tract infections and low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Canagliflozin may also cause a serious bacterial infection that may damage the tissue under the skin in the area between and around the anus and genitals (perineum), although it is rare. This medicine may weaken your bones, increasing the risk of fractures, particularly in the upper arms, wrists, or hands.

Canagliflozin usually causes loss of fat mass which further leads to weight loss. However, this may vary from person to person depending upon the doses and whether it is being used alone or with other diabetes medications.

Keep a record of your blood sugar levels, daily or at regular intervals. You can show this record to your doctor on your next visit. Your doctor will analyze these reports and tell you whether the medicine is working or not.

Patients having a history of amputation are more prone to lower limb amputation. The risk is also high in patients with foot ulcers or sores or who have or had heart disease. Also, patients who have or have suffered from peripheral vascular disease (narrowing of blood vessels in feet, legs, or arms causing numbness, pain, or coldness) and neuropathy (nerve damage that causes tingling, numbness, and pain, usually in your hands and feet) also have a high risk of lower limb amputation.

People with type 2 diabetes are not able to make enough insulin or respond normally to the insulin made by their bodies. When this happens, the concentration of sugar/glucose increases in the blood. Metformin acts in several ways to reduce the increased levels of sugar in blood. Metformin decreases glucose production from the liver and decreases absorption of glucose from the intestine after taking food while improving the sensitivity of the body organs and muscles towards insulin. This helps improve the uptake of glucose from the blood. It also helps your body to respond better to the insulin it makes naturally.

Yes, Metformin has been shown to cause weight loss in people who are overweight or obese. It may also cause a modest loss in weight in those overweight and obese individuals who are at risk for diabetes. In addition, patients who are sensitive or resistant to insulin may also show weight loss. But, do not start taking this medicine for weight loss on your own. Consult your doctor for the same.

Metformin is one of the first medicines that is given to patients with high blood sugar levels. It helps control blood sugar levels. It promotes the body’s response to the insulin made by the pancreas, decreases the amount of sugar made by the liver and decreases the amount of sugar absorbed by the intestines. Unlike other oral antidiabetic medicines, Metformin when taken alone, rarely causes low blood sugar as it prevents the pancreas from secreting more insulin. In addition to being a great medicine to lower blood sugar levels, it also helps in controlling weight gain.

Metformin usually does not cause sleepiness and is well tolerated. However, the use of Metformin may rarely cause sleep disorders and insomnia. Sleepiness may be due to a very serious side effect called lactic acidosis, which particularly occurs if your kidneys are not working properly. Contact your doctor if you feel sleepy or tired while taking Metformin.

Take Metformin with or after a meal. Do not crush or chew the tablets and swallow it with a glass of water. If your doctor has prescribed one tablet a day, prefer taking it in the morning with breakfast. If you have been prescribed two tablets a day, then take one in the morning and other in the evening with dinner. In case of three doses a day, apart from morning and evening, you can take it with lunch. Taking Metformin with meals will reduce its digestive problems like indigestion, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach ache and loss of appetite.