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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Can Invokana Be Taken With Insulin To Lower Blood Sugar Levels?

I was given Invokana while in ICU to lower blood sugar while still getting Lantus, Humalog, Metformin too. MY blood sugars are the best they have ever been. I Have never had blood sugars in this rage 90-180 I AM ALWAYS in the 300-500 range. I once was in ICU getting IV drip insulin 140 every hour on the hour for seven days. I become insulin resistant when I am ill. I love this Invokana, I have been on it now for two months. NOW all the sudden my PCP called me and asked me to stop! See Dr. Murphy endocrinologist for I am not supposed to be taking this medicine with insulin. Why??? It is working??
Tue, 7 Oct 2014
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General & Family Physician,  's  Response
Hello there,
Invokana is the trade name for a drug called Canagliflozin. It is one of the recently approved drugs for use in type 2 diabetics (like you). It causes the blood sugars to be thrown out through urine and thus has shown very good results in many patients. It seems to me that you are doing very well with this drug. The only concern I can think of is that Canagliflozin when used alongwith insulin can cause hypoglycemia episodes and there maybe a need to reduce the dose of insulin. There is nothing to panic if you are not having such episodes where you get very weak, dizzy ,with palpitations and sugars going below 70. The other warnings to be followed are monitoring Kidney functions while being on Invokana which includes monitoring of potassium levels. If your kidney functions are normal now there is nothing to worry on that front either. Your PCP may not be very well versed in the use of this drug as it is relatively newer in the armamentarium of anti-diabetic medicines. Its always better to meet a diabetologist who can guide you better.
If sugars are doing fine with no other complications then there is no reason for alarm.
Hope this helps. Take care.
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Can Invokana Be Taken With Insulin To Lower Blood Sugar Levels?

Hello there, Invokana is the trade name for a drug called Canagliflozin. It is one of the recently approved drugs for use in type 2 diabetics (like you). It causes the blood sugars to be thrown out through urine and thus has shown very good results in many patients. It seems to me that you are doing very well with this drug. The only concern I can think of is that Canagliflozin when used alongwith insulin can cause hypoglycemia episodes and there maybe a need to reduce the dose of insulin. There is nothing to panic if you are not having such episodes where you get very weak, dizzy ,with palpitations and sugars going below 70. The other warnings to be followed are monitoring Kidney functions while being on Invokana which includes monitoring of potassium levels. If your kidney functions are normal now there is nothing to worry on that front either. Your PCP may not be very well versed in the use of this drug as it is relatively newer in the armamentarium of anti-diabetic medicines. Its always better to meet a diabetologist who can guide you better. If sugars are doing fine with no other complications then there is no reason for alarm. Hope this helps. Take care.