If consumers knew every side effect before taking a drug, would they still choose to take it? What people are unaware of is that they aren’t being told the side effects. Manufacturers conceal them or the FDA identifies potential risks but approves the drugs anyway. This happened with the Type 2 diabetes medication, Invokana.
What is Invokana?
Manufactured by Johnson & Johnson, Invokana is the brand name of the drug canagliflozin, which is a sodium glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitor. This class of Type 2 diabetes drugs lowers blood sugar by causing the kidneys to remove sugar from the body via urine. This prevents sugar from being reabsorbed into the blood.
What are the Risks?
On May 15, 2015, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a safety communication regarding SGLT2 inhibitors, including Invokana. These drugs may lead to diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). DKA happens when the body starts using fats as fuel instead of sugar or glucose. Insulin aids the body in using sugar as fuel, but when a person has diabetes the body cannot use sugar for fuel. Instead, it uses fat. When the fat is brown down, it causes the body to produce acidic chemicals, called ketones. Ketones build up and poison the body. This build up can cause organs to malfunction
DKA is a dangerous complication of diabetes. Around 14% of all diabetics are hospitalized because of it. This illness can lead to coma and death. Additionally, researchers linked 16% of all diabetes-related deaths to this side effect.
What are the Alternatives?
Be wary of using any miracle drug – especially those to treat Type 2 diabetes. Nutritionists recommend a diet change to consist of whole foods. This includes the elimination of processed foods, grains, and simple sugars. Eat plenty of veggies and healthy fats. This includes real butter, olive oil, and coconut oil. The thought process is it will starve your bloodstream of excess glucose to help relieve the pancreas. This will also lower your body fat.
What if Invokana Already Injured Me?
Consult a doctor before stopping any medication, but make sure you contact us immediately. We are litigating these cases right now and have over 40 cases pending in Philadelphia alone. The Michael Brady Lynch Firm has decades of experience going against large pharmaceutical companies and winning multi-million dollar judgments.
You deserve compensation. It can never replace what you have lost, but it can help you recover medical expenses, lost wages and the loss of an ability to work. The consultation is completely free, and you are under zero obligation. We are available 24/7 to take your call.