Are you taking Canagliflozin (Invokana) for diabetes? Let's learn about the side effects.

If you have Type 2 Diabetes, your doctor may have prescribed you a medication called Canagliflozin (often called Invokana) to help control your blood sugar levels. This is a very good and effective medication. However, like any medication, it can cause some minor side effects. Some of them are minor and go away in a few days. However, rarely, serious conditions can occur that require treatment. So don't worry, we'll talk about everything clearly today.

How to control common side effects?

This medicine can affect everyone differently. And not all side effects require medical attention. It's best to pay attention to any changes in your body when you first start taking this medicine.

The main problems that are often seen are urinary tract infections, yeast infections, low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), and dehydration. Let's look at how to manage each of these.

Yeast Infections

This can occur in the vagina in women or on the penis in men. If you have had yeast infections in the genital area in the past, you are more likely to get them again with this medicine.

Women may experience symptoms such as vaginal discharge, unusual odor, or itching. Men, especially uncircumcised men, may experience pain, swelling, and discharge around the glans penis, making it difficult to retract the foreskin.

Your doctor will often prescribe an antifungal medication. This may be a pill, a suppository, or a cream. The infection should clear up within 7-14 days.

Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)

If you have symptoms such as bladder pain, blood in your urine, cloudy urine, difficulty urinating, burning when urinating, frequent urination, or pain in your lower back or groin, be sure to tell your doctor. Sometimes, a UTI can progress to a kidney infection (pyelonephritis).

The doctor will give you a course of antibiotics. Do these things for a speedy recovery:

• Drink plenty of water.
• Ask your doctor about common painkillers you can take for pain.
• Take antibiotics exactly as your doctor tells you, for the full duration. Don't skip a single dose or take more than you should.

These things will help prevent both infections.

Low blood sugar (Hypoglycemia)

If you take insulin or other diabetes medications (such as glipizide, glyburide) with canagliflozin, your blood sugar level may become too low. If you feel dizzy , shaky, or weak , these may be signs of hypoglycemia. If your blood sugar level gets too low, you may lose consciousness.

• If you experience these symptoms, check your blood sugar levels immediately and call your doctor.
• If you are sitting or lying down, get up slowly. If you get up suddenly, you may feel dizzy and fall.
• To quickly increase your blood sugar , drink some fruit juice, a sweet toffee, some sweetened water, or eat some glucose tablets.
• If it is too difficult to eat or drink, you may need a glucagon injection. You can get this prescribed by a doctor and keep it at home. Teach your family how to use it in an emergency.
• After eating something sweet, take a break and check your blood sugar again. Once your blood sugar is back to normal, eat a small meal or snack to prevent low blood sugar again.

Dehydration

Canagliflozin works by removing excess sugar from your body through your urine. However, it can also cause your body to lose too much water. This can make you feel very thirsty, dizzy, and weak .

If you are on a low-salt diet or taking blood pressure medication, you are at higher risk of dehydration. Be especially careful on hot days and during exercise, as you lose more water through sweat.

The best way to prevent this is to drink plenty of water and fluids. If necessary, you can also take a drink containing electrolytes on the advice of your doctor. If dehydration is severe, go to a hospital's Emergency Treatment Unit (ETU) immediately.

Other common side effects

In addition to these, there are a few other minor side effects that may occur. If these bother you or don't improve over time, talk to your doctor. He or she may be able to adjust your medication dosage.

Serious side effects to be aware of

These are very rare to see, but it is very important to be aware of them.

• Heart problems: difficulty breathing, fast or irregular heartbeat, loss of consciousness.
• Severe allergic reaction (Anaphylaxis or Angioedema): Severe swelling or severe itching of the face, eyes, lips, tongue, throat, hands, feet, etc.
• Bone fractures: This medication may slightly increase the risk of bone fractures.
• Fournier's gangrene: This is a very rare but serious bacterial infection that destroys the tissue under the skin around the genital area and anus (necrotizing fasciitis). If you notice any signs of pain, swelling, or redness in the area , seek medical attention without delay.
• Other serious symptoms: difficulty speaking, weakness, difficulty walking, excessive sweating, fever, tremors, or seizures.

If you notice any of these serious symptoms, call your doctor immediately or go to the nearest hospital's Emergency Department (ETU).