NEW Type 2 Diabetes Drug

Here is some valuable information on a fairly new type 2 diabetes drug called Invokana.

How exactly does the drug work to lower A1C levels? SEE LINK:

http://asweetlife.org/feature/how-invokana-works-new-type-2-diabetes-drug-hailed-as-a-major-treatment-advance/

How Invokana Works

In development for the last 13 years, Invokana employs a “novel mechanism of action” to lower blood sugar in type 2 diabetics, Bloomgarden says. The medication is a sodium glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, according to the drug’s developer Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a part of Johnson & Johnson.

Invokana works by inhibiting sodium glucose co-transporter 2, a carrier that aids in the reabsorption of glucose into the bloodstream through the kidneys, which occurs during the process in which blood is filtered through the kidneys. The excess glucose is then flushed out of the body, which is why Invokana also acts as a “potent diuretic,” Bloomgarden said.

“One of the most basic biological factors driving the diabetes and obesity epidemics is that our bodies have evolved to never waste food and energy,” medical journalist Alasdair Wilkins said when describing how Invokana works. “For most species, including our hunter-gatherer ancestors who could never be entirely sure where their next meal would come from, such aggressive conservation of energy made perfect sense. But modern humans live in an era of plentiful food, where there’s far greater danger of eating too much rather than too little. SGLT-1 and SGLT-2 evolved to prevent the loss of seemingly vital sugar by transporting glucose from the kidney back into the body’s circulation, with SGLT-2 reabsorbing 90% of glucose in the kidney and SGLT-1 accounting for the final 10% in the kidney.”

Invokana reduced the A1c of type 2 diabetics more effectively than glimepiride, or Amaryl, which works by increasing insulin production in the pancreas, according to Jimmy Ren, Ph.D., of Janssen Pharmaceuticals. It also worked with about the same effectiveness as sitagliptin, or Januvia, which inhibits enzymes and increases pancreatic function, Ren added.

- See more at: http://asweetlife.org/feature/how-invokana-works-new-type-2-diabetes-drug-hailed-as-a-major-treatment-advance/#sthash.nNrlPpkj.dpuf

IS THE BENEFIT WORTH THE RISKS? / YOU read and decide for yourself:

Some side effects of Invokana may not be reported. Always consult your doctor or healthcare specialist for medical advice. You may also report side effects to the FDA.

For the Consumer

Applies to canagliflozin: oral tablet

Along with its needed effects, canagliflozin (the active ingredient contained in Invokana) may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking canagliflozin:

More common

• Bladder pain
• bloody or cloudy urine
• decreased frequency or amount of urine
• difficult, burning, or painful urination
• discharge with a strong odor from the penis
• frequent urge to urinate
• increased blood pressure
• increased thirst
• itching of the vagina or outside of the genitals
• loss of appetite
• lower back or side pain
• nausea
• pain during sexual intercourse
• pain in the skin around the penis
• redness, itching, or swelling of the penis
• swelling of the face, fingers, or lower legs
• troubled breathing
• unusual tiredness or weakness
• vaginal discharge without odor or with mild odor
• vomiting
• weight gain

Less common

• Anxiety
• blurred vision
• chills
• cold sweats
• confusion
• cool, pale skin
• depression
• dizziness
• dry mouth
• fast or irregular heartbeat
• headache
• hives or welts
• increased hunger
• itching skin
• large, hive-like swelling on the face, eyelids, lips, tongue, throat, hands, legs, feet, or sex organs
• nightmares
• rash
• redness of the skin
• seizures
• shakiness
• slurred speech
• unusual tiredness or weakness

(MY INPUT) Do you drive a vehicle to and from work, or do you work with heavy machinery, or power saws, etc.?  Would you want to do so with:

Blurred vision, under a state of confusion, slurred speech, dizziness, shakiness, after having nightmares the night before, or while suffering from depression etc.????

Incidence not known

• Abdominal or stomach pain
• dizziness, faintness, or light headedness when getting up suddenly from a lying or sitting position
• numbness or tingling in the hands, feet, or lips
• sweating
• weakness or heaviness of the legs

Some side effects of canagliflozin may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

Less common

• Difficulty having a bowel movement (stool)
• lack or loss of strength
• pain or swelling in the arms or legs without an injury

Rare

• Increased sensitivity of the skin to sunlight
• redness or other discoloration of the skin
• severe sunburn

(MY INPUT) Before I went on this, I would try some healthy alternatives such as eating less, cutting back on refined carbs and sugar exercising more along with drinking more water etc.

God Bless,

Dan