Side Effects of Invokana

Posted by Lawsuit Information on August 11th, 2015

Invokana is the brand name for a drug called canagliflozin which is made by Janssen Pharmaceuticals which is part of Johnson and Johnson. This drug is used for type 2 diabetics to help prevent kidney damage, nerve damage and manage insulin levels. This drug is new to the market, having only been approved by the FDA in 2013.

450 cases of renal toxicity were reported to the Institute for Safe Medication Practices in just the first year it was on the market. These side effects included urinary tract infections, impairment of the kidney and failure of the kidney, stones in the kidney, unwanted weight loss, dehydration and fluid impairment.

Some of the most serious side effects are what triggered the FDA to issue a safety warning in May of 2015. The drug has been found to cause abnormally high blood acid levels. This causes ketones to build up and cause ketoacidosis which can cause comas or fatality. The FDA received 20 cases of diabetic ketoacidosis in a year and has continued to get more reports of bad complications with the drug.

Animal testing showed the drug caused cancerous tumors to develop in the animals and it showed the drug to cause toxicity to the fetus if the mother was pregnant. The animal testing also showed the drug was excreted in breastmilk. The drug should not be used while pregnant or breastfeeding.

If you experience lightheadedness, fatigue, abdominal pain, confusion, anorexia, difficulty breathing, nausea, vomiting, change in urination or other unusual symptoms you should seek medical attention immediately. If you have health conditions like type 1 diabetes, serious kidney or liver problems don’t take the drug. Tell your doctor about other drugs, supplements and allergies you may have or are taking as well.

During the tests initially done before the drug was approved by the FDA, the people taking the drug had a higher rate fungal infection. People have reported hypersensitivity to the drug as well as over 50 cases of allergic reactions. These symptoms include swelling of the throat and eyes, lips, face and tongue. The symptoms can also been skin rashes.

Even animal testing reported bad results from this drug. Some of the animal toxicities shown were that they developed testicular or kidney cancers, had abnormal bone growth and kidney damage.

Lawsuits are now being produced by qualified law firms to first of all help people get compensated for their pain, financial burden and emotional losses. Secondly, the lawsuits help to hold the company accountable for releasing and marketing unsafe drugs. These companies are so large and their profits are so big that it is hard to stop them. Reporting to the FDA and other organizations is also important to help tip the scales in the direction of justice so people will be warned properly of the risks and not hurt because of what they don’t know.

The drug manufacturer has already been the subject of some of the largest lawsuits in the industry and if people continue to speak up about these injustices, hopefully the FDA will be forced to recall the unsafe drugs. If people do not know, they can’t take action so please share this information with your community and loved ones. Visit here for reference