Any advice gratefully received - Getting use to an SGLT2 medication

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Libs

Libs

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hi all. I am new to this forum. Have had type 2 diabetes for about 10 years now and just had to have an SGLT2 medication added to my treatment. I knew it makes you pee a lot but I am struggling with this today, first day on it. Does this side effect improve over time? How have others found this medication? Just need a bit of reassurance.
 
Welcome the form @Libs Glad that you have found us.

Sorry I don’t have experience of that drug. I am sure someone will be along who has. So I will just encourage you to read around the forum, and come back with any questions that you have. There is a wealth of knowledge to tap into on here, and no questions are considered silly. Just ask.
 
Hi guys
i am new to diabetes uk though have had diabetes for almost 8 years now. Just recently I was put on Jardiance, as over Covid i let my diet management really slip and my exercise, as swimming was my exercise of choice. Anyway I already take metformin 1500mg but my hb1c had gone up to 95 and on my next check 88. The medicine is making me pee hourly. I was warned of this side effect. Just wondered if this level of peeing improves for people on SGLT2 inhibitors like this. finding it hard to handle. Thanks
 
I would imagine it will ease once your BG levels come down into range but with your HbA1c being very high, it suggests there is a lot of Glucose that needs removing and the action of the medication is to do this through the kidneys.

What are you eating? Can you cut your carbs a bit to help reduce the glucose going into your blood?
 
I believe Jardiance can cause more urine to be produced as it causes the kidneys to remove glucose via the urine . Have a read through the patient info leaflet, that come with the medication or online.
If it is really excessive then do have a chat with the prescriber.
 
Hi @Libs sorry to read of the difficulties you are having. If your glucose levels are high that will also make you need to pee more, so that along with the drugs may be the cause.

Do you have some successful strategies to bring your glucose levels down that worked before. It can seem like a big battle, but perhaps start by focusing on just one aspect. Take small steps to work back to where you before lockdown.

Keep in touch and let us know how you get on.
 
I am really thinking about what I am eating again and to make sure I make much better choices. I also watched and am now using the good swaps advice from this website so hopefully that will help. When I was first diagnosed I got my hb1c from 78 to 33 as it scared me so I did everything I was meant to. Peeing loads has certainly been an incentive to not eat what makes my BG high. Spoke to my friend who is a diabetes specialist nurse today and she has told me this is normal until my BG comes down and then it should reduce but it can take some time. Fingers crossed. Thank you for the advice and support. I will let you know how I do. My goal is in a years time I am at the right weight for my height am healthier and have my BG levels much more controlled.
 
Sounds like a good plan. No reason why you can't achieve it with a bit of work and dedication. Might be worth setting some smaller goals along the way to stay motivated and help you feel like you are making progress.
 
Welcome to the forum @Libs

Sorry to heear about the increased urination - is that listed on the Patient Information Leaflet as a possible side-effect? Or did your Dr/Nurse mention it? Do you know what your blood glucose levels are like in general? As BGs over 10 can make the kidneys try to flush away the excess glucose by making you wee more too.

SGLT2s are often prescribed under the names canagliflozin, dapagliflozin, and empagliflozin, or under brand names like forxiga.

We have a few members on these meds including @Stitch147 I think.

You might get some hints from these threads too?


 
Hi and welcome to the forum. I take empagliflozin (amongst others) I didn't really notice an increase in peeing, only if my sugars are running a bit to high (but that can be normal for high blood sugars though). As it makes you pee out excess glucose. I was advised to drink plenty of fluids to help prevent urine infections. Hopefully things will settle down. I pee on average 6 to 8 times a day (sorry if thats too much information).
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
Welcome to the forum @Libs

Sorry to heear about the increased urination - is that listed on the Patient Information Leaflet as a possible side-effect? Or did your Dr/Nurse mention it? Do you know what your blood glucose levels are like in general? As BGs over 10 can make the kidneys try to flush away the excess glucose by making you wee more too.

SGLT2s are often prescribed under the names canagliflozin, dapagliflozin, and empagliflozin, or under brand names like forxiga.

We have a few members on these meds including @Stitch147 I think.

You might get some hints from these threads too?


Click to expand...
Hi
thank you for the reply. It was listed as a side effect on the medicine leaflet But I hadn’t realised peeing a lot more for me would be about every hour. Which has been really hard. My BG has been in the high and dangerous which is why I was put on this medication as I could only get it to borderline if I ate no carbs at all. However in the last two weeks I had been re-education myself on food choices and adjusting my diet and seeing what my BG did with different foods as well as using some of the food swaps that I knew about but hadn’t been using. I’ve also put exercise back into my life. I think the more my BG comes down the more this side effect will reduce. Already I have times when I’m peeing more like a normal person and when I test my BG it is in borderline. I even got a normal reading yesterday. Thanks for the links to other threads too. It helps to Just reach out to others who are diabetic too.
 
I’ve merged your threads as you had 2 running on the same topic, and it‘s usually easier to keep all the replies in one place 🙂
 
Hi @Libs
Welcome to this great forum,
up until today I had never heard of SGLT2 medication
however strangely this morning I had a conference call (with a new GP & DSN) as they are looking at taking me off insulin, and then trying me on me on a SGLT2 medication
DSN thinks it might help me,
I don’t really know much about this medication but she seemed a big advocate of it,
hope it works out for you.
 
The medicine is working really well and as my BG has reduced so have my toilet trips. I already feel less tired and I am working hard on my diet making better choices most of the time. I was told this medicine was good and i have to say the benefits so far are outweighing the need to pee more frequently. Thank you for the support everyone.
 
So pleased to hear that you are making good progress with the new medication and feeling more positive about getting to grips with your diabetes management in general. Good luck and please keep us posted as I am sure it will be helpful to others in a similar situation.
 
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