Kidney function drop with empagloflozin, can anyone relate please

[Suzy52]

Just had a phone call from diabetes clinic. Kidney function dropped even lower to 51 now from 59 2 weeks ago.
Scared to death about it. Advised to carry on jardiance and drink water every hour but I'm really worried these tablets have caused this as my kidney function was OK before these tablets.
Has anyone experienced anything similar please?
Worried about it all so much

 

[Leadinglights]

Just had a phone call from diabetes clinic. Kidney function dropped even lower to 51 now from 59 2 weeks ago.
Scared to death about it. Advised to carry on jardiance and drink water every hour but I'm really worried these tablets have caused this as my kidney function was OK before these tablets.
Has anyone experienced anything similar please?
Worried about it all so much

I think it is recommended that you do drink plenty when taking that medication as it works by flushing excess glucose from your system via urine output so you risk becoming dehydrated unless you are drinking plenty of water.
However you need to check the implication of the reduced egfr with your diabetic clinic or GP.

 

[IrvineHimself]

I can relate. As you can see from my signature, I am on the same medication, I am still waiting for an appointment from the Diabetic Clinic, but my Doc is drawing blood every week and concerned about the combination of Proteinuria and high blood pressure. When you look at the possible implications of this combination, it is not good. However, if you are not prepared to trust your Doctor, there is little point in going to see them.

In my case, as in yours, they have recognised the problem and have it under observation.

Further, with regard to my specific situation: From what my Doc has told me, along with what I read on Wikipedia, my high blood pressure, along with the diabetes and smoking, is a risk factor for complications from the Proteinuria. So, getting the high blood pressure down, along with lowering my BG levels and stopping smoking, will significantly reduce the risk of permanent kidney damage.

Like I say, both of us have to trust our Doctors in this: They have seen the problem, have it under observation and warned us to drink more water. In fact I am just going to go and have another glass myself.

 

[Suzy52]

I can relate. As you can see from my signature, I am on the same medication, I am still waiting for an appointment from the Diabetic Clinic, but my Doc is drawing blood every week and concerned about the combination of Proteinuria and high blood pressure. When you look at the possible implications of this combination, it is not good. However, if you are not prepared to trust your Doctor, there is little point in going to see them.

In my case, as in yours, they have recognised the problem and have it under observation.

Further, with regard to my specific situation: From what my Doc has told me, along with what I read on Wikipedia, my high blood pressure, along with the diabetes and smoking, is a risk factor for complications from the Proteinuria. So, getting the high blood pressure down, along with lowering my BG levels and stopping smoking, will significantly reduce the risk of permanent kidney damage.

Like I say, both of us have to trust our Doctors in this: They have seen the problem, have it under observation and warned us to drink more water. In fact I am just going to go and have another glass myself.

Oh I see, my BP is OK and everything else it's just the issue with this decline in kidney function which I'm thinking it's a side effect of empagliflozin . It's so worrying isn't it.

 

[IrvineHimself]

Yes, especially if your Docs haven't fully explained the rational behind their thinking.

According to the Wikipedia page:

Guidelines by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) recommend SGLT-2 inhibitors like empagliflozin as second-line medications after metformin for type 2 diabetes in people with heart failure or chronic kidney disease.[9]

So, it is unlikely Empagliflozin is causing the loss of kidney function, but rather the case that you would be prescribed Empagliflozin because of pre-existing kidney damage.

Further:

In the United Kingdom, empagliflozin is typically only recommended together with metformin if a sulfonylurea cannot be taken.[17]

My Doc gave me the option of a Sulfonylureas, (I think it was Glimepiride, but I am not sure.) She went through the risks of Hypoglycemia along with the other possible complications, and I personally felt that, for me, the Empagliflozin, was a better option.