Empagliflozin and Thirst: What Users Say

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 7, 2020

For Type 2 Diabetes "My physician prescribed Jardiance to me 8 days ago. Immediately, I didn't feel good but didn't attribute it to this medication until yesterday. I woke up, couldn't stand or much less walk without becoming extremely dizzy, lightheaded, nauseous, and faint. Extreme thirst was also an issue but not nearly as bad as the other symptoms. I called my physician. They had me discontinue the medication and come immediately to the office. He stopped this medication and I'm trying to flush my system. I've been in bed the majority of the past two days. I will not be taking this medication again. The side effects are too horrible."

• Kia...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 29, 2020

For Type 2 Diabetes "This drug Jardiance seemed like a godsend when I first started taking it around 9 months ago. At first, I was on 10mg, and the only symptom I was having was excessive thirst, and I could handle that. But in the last 4 months, since an increase to 25mg, I have been suffering constantly with a yeast infection. I even spoke to my doctor about it and had a week's course of Fluconazole, which helped for less than a week. Now, even after creams and tablets, I still have a yeast infection that will not go away and a UTI. Before I was diagnosed with Diabetes 2 in 2018, I had never had a UTI or a YI, but now I suffer constantly. The long-term side effects are also a worry as no one really knows what they are capable of. I know one thing though, I cannot continue with this medication."

• Big...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 13, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "On Jardiance for type 2 diabetes and now have a major bleeding rash on the head of my penis as a side effect. Other side effects also; thirsty constantly, light-headed when getting up from sitting, small reduction in A1C but not significant. I believe this medication Jardiance is very dangerous and is being marketed to only make money and not provide any positive benefits. I stopped the medication 16 days ago, and the bleeding rash is 95% gone. I would avoid Jardiance like the plague!"

• Int...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 9, 2020

For Type 2 Diabetes "73-year-old male diagnosed about 5 years ago as type 2 diabetic. Been controlling with diet, exercise, and metformin, 500 mg twice a day. Blood pressure recently spiked after minor surgery. Cardiologist wanted my GP to become more aggressive with my 7.6 A1C. Started me on a dose of 10 mg a day of Jardiance about 6 weeks ago. Just had first blood tests. A1C dropped to 7.2 and fasting glucose dipped from 170-180 range to 130-150. I assume next testing will show the full effect on A1C. I have dropped 12 pounds as of this morning. And I have experienced very mild side effects. Excessive thirst probably the most noticeable. With my insurance plan, I got a 90 day supply for 65 dollars. I hope cost remains the same with refill."

• Im...
• October 15, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "I have been taking this medication along with metformin. It has made me thirsty all day, every day. No UTI or yeast infections. Blood sugar is lower in the morning as expected but not a significant amount. I’m thinking not enough to continue with this med. I do get light-headed upon standing, especially in the morning. Since starting it, my energy level is so low that I had to start laying down in the afternoon, and my ambition went south! I stopped taking it for four days, and my energy was back up, and I managed to get my house cleaned for the first time in months! I did not lose weight on this drug but actually gained with no diet changes. I’m not going to take it any longer for sugar readings that are 200 or below. I’d rather have the energy to burn the sugar myself!"

• Saa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 4, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "Jardiance was added to my glipizide routine. I took it for 3 weeks and had to come off due to the severity of the side effects. The first few days were the worst, and I thought I'd give the medicine time, maybe I just have to grow accustomed to the change. Don't do that. If it's not working for you, get off the medication. I became a zombie. The worst were the two painful yeast infections (I don't get many). I was losing memory, constantly nauseous, and growing weaker over the course of the medication. I had minor bouts of all the other side effects listed, such as constipation. The thirst was extreme. It also took a few days to recover from the side effects after being taken off."

• Cre...
• July 21, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "I am a nurse and let my diabetes go. My A1C was 10.2. I was on Trajenta and glipizide. I started on Jardiance 2 months ago. My life has been a nightmare. No sleep due to urinating every hour. Daytime too. My lady parts are about to fall on the floor. Multiple yeast and urinary infections. Never had either problem before. I have to pour water over myself after urinating (hourly) to stop the burning. I drink a lot of fluids because I am always thirsty. Benefits: 4-point drop in A1C and 20-pound weight loss. But I don't think I can handle another month of these side effects. I'm going back on Metformin until I get to see my MD. As a kidney nurse, I'm also afraid of its toll on my kidneys and ketoacidosis."

• THa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 13, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "Dangerous drug. It should be taken off the market. Took it for 4 months. Extreme thirst, constant urge to urinate. It did lower my blood sugar. After 4 months, I swelled up like a balloon. WARNING... DO NOT TAKE THIS DRUG. Especially if you have any kind of cardiac conditions. I am surprised no one has died from this drug!!!"

• Sid...
• March 10, 2023

For Type 2 Diabetes "I started out for the first three weeks thinking this was great. I was having headaches the whole time and didn’t associate that it was the pill. I started on 10 mg after three weeks. The doctor wanted me to update to 25 mg, but I didn’t because the 10 mg was just fine and I was afraid the 25 mg would bring on side effects. Good thing I didn’t take it, as 2 to 3 weeks later, I was tired constantly and had no energy. It seemed like I was wide awake, but I couldn’t get up and move. The headaches continued. The thirst was insane, and I drink like I have a camel's hump full of water. Urinating up to two times an hour really started to worry me about my kidneys, and I was having back pains in that area, but I’m not sure what it was. Another week later, my legs were hurting all day. I just thought I was tired and on them too much. I got into bed, and that was the worst thing I could’ve possibly done."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 17, 2016

For Type 2 Diabetes "I've been on 10 mg for over a month. It has made a huge difference in my BS levels. My fasting and evening BS was in the 200's, now it's 120-170. I've lost 12 pounds, but I am dieting too. I've noticed only a slight increase in urination, and I'm definitely more thirsty. I think the drug makes me tired, though. I'm hoping that gets better as time goes on. I haven't had any other side effects."

• Cha...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 8, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "Have been on Jardiance since January 2019. Have lost about 11 lbs. A1c was 9.1 and is now 7.1. Urinating increased at first but has leveled off a bit. I am constantly thirsty, but nothing I can't handle. Love this medication. I take 1/2 of a 25 mg pill daily."

• Glo...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 23, 2016

For Type 2 Diabetes "I have been taking Jardiance for 8 months, my A1C dropped from 10.1 to 7.5. I also lost 12 pounds, and I haven't experienced any side effects except for frequent urination and thirst. So far, it's working for me."

• Tam...
• September 19, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "This medicine did decrease my blood sugar, but what it also did was make me continually thirsty. For the amount of decreased sugar for me, it was not worth continuing. I did not lose weight with this medicine either. I gained weight, and my diet is very good for type 2. I did not get yeast infections or kidney infections. My skin was severely dry, as was my hair. I stopped this med and am just on metformin."

• Sto...
• December 24, 2016

For Type 2 Diabetes "Been on Jardiance 10 mg for 3 months and have lost 20 lbs without changing my diet significantly. First time under 200 lbs in 30 years! My BP is lower and my knees don't ache and have not had any back pain. However, my HgA1C has increased from 8.5 to 10.2 and BG's have increased to between 10 - 15 (Canadian readings!). I am taking Metformin 1000 mg twice daily along with the Jardiance. My Dr. discontinued Glucophage and Januvia before adding Jardiance, so this may have caused the increased changes. I've had 3 yeast infections during this time but better now. Dry mouth and increased thirst, as well as urine that is almost syrupy at times. My Dr. was not aware of weight loss as a side effect, so sending me for tests! Thanks for your reassurance!"

• Mar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 27, 2016

For Type 2 Diabetes "I have been taking 25 mg of Jardiance each day for 4 months. I pee constantly, have to get up through the night to pee. I am always thirsty, and I drink a lot. I too have noticed an increase in sugar cravings. The eye doc found a hole in my retina last week, and I had laser surgery to repair it. I also have a constant yeast infection, which is very uncomfortable. I do not want to take this drug anymore, but my pancreas does not work correctly since I had a tumor 25 years ago. I am going to try to eliminate all sugar from my diet to see if my BS is okay."

• Cha...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 17, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "I was prescribed Jardiance 4½ months ago by my doctor. And starting with 25 mg and going down to first ½ tablet, then to 10 mg and now 5 mg (1 tablet). But I have nothing positive to say about Jardiance. I have had a lot of side effects: abdominal pain, dizziness, headache, extreme thirst, sinusitis, itching, tiredness, nausea, vomiting, raised triglycerides, raised hematocrit, muscle stiffness, yeast infections, and now hair loss. No sleep at night - I wake up to pee 3 or 4 times during the night. And my A1C has risen more than 10%, and the weight loss is about 1 kg :-("

• Ann...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 6, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "I have been taking this medication for one week, and it makes me extremely thirsty, and I feel the need to urinate mostly all the time. I feel light-headed and giddy when I stand, become really tired mid-afternoon (I take 10 mg around 8:00 a.m.), and occasionally feel sick. I have lost my appetite slightly but cannot see or feel any weight loss yet, which is what I hope for. It has helped my sugar levels, and as yet, I have had no signs of UTIs or intimate itching. Weirdly though, my lower arm itches like crazy. I've also had a few headaches, perhaps because I need to drink even more water. I will keep taking Jardiance as it's early days, but the constant thirst and urinating is a pain!"

• Pee...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 22, 2017

For Type 2 Diabetes "I have been on this for 2 weeks, and while I haven't checked my sugar levels, it may not matter as I cannot stand peeing every one to one and a half hours. It's like I pee all night and all morning, and then I'm terribly thirsty all afternoon to early evening. Then I go to bed, and it starts all over again. It's annoying and makes me look weird going into the bathroom every hour or so at work. Does the peeing ever lessen up? I also feel like any weight loss will only be due to water loss by constantly going to the bathroom, so that's not a true weight loss... this may be the fourth Diabetes med I give up on because of the side effects."

• Anonymous
• November 17, 2015

For Type 2 Diabetes "I am a Type 1 diabetic, and my doctor and I were really concerned with how high my A1C was, and he put me on this about 6 months ago. I was taking Lisinopril until he told me about this medication that would help lower my A1C and cause me to lose a little weight. I said, let's try it. I am not overweight but have noticed that I lost about 8 lbs, and my blood sugars have decreased a lot. Everything he warned me about I did experience, like frequent urination (which is the sugar being excreted from your body through urine) and extreme thirst, to be expected. The only thing I have noticed is that my blood sugar range seems to be going up again, which I will go back in to see my doctor about. Other than that, this medication has been great for me."

• Way...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 22, 2018

For Type 2 Diabetes "I have been on and off Jardiance. It was not effective in lowering my A1C at all. I was thirsty all the time. Also, developed terrible vaginal itching. My neck felt swollen, so I just stopped. This is the fourth med I have been on and can't seem to tolerate any of them. I will try a more natural path. Good luck to all."

• Boo...
• October 19, 2015

For Type 2 Diabetes "I have been on 10 mg Jardiance for 5 weeks now. My reactions: excessive sweating (shirts are visibly soaked), extreme thirst, and vaginal yeast infections. Jardiance also gave me headaches the first two days I started. Right away, my numbers dropped from the 160-190 range to the 125-135 range, however, within a week it went up into the 150-160's. I believe that is partly because Jardiance caused my body to produce more glucagon (a hormone that promotes insulin resistance and raises blood sugar). Not sure the net gain is worth it?"

• Kat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 2, 2018

For Type 2 Diabetes "I started taking Jardiance to help with weight loss and to transition off of Basaglar insulin, in conjunction with my other medications (metformin, Victoza, Basaglar). My A1C is 6.6, so control hasn't been an issue, but the weight gain (insulin resistance) coupled with hypothyroidism is. My experience was severe dehydration, extreme thirst, kidney pain, and yeast infection. I took this medication for 2 weeks and stopped. It was just not worth it...the risk of further damage to kidneys from dehydration, itchy/burning nether regions, and that whole vaginal gangrene possibility...nope."

• IAM...
• February 28, 2016

For Type 2 Diabetes "I have only taken this medication for a week and had to stop. The need to go pee every hour, including at night, is keeping me from sleeping, and I drive for a living. After only just a week, I also got a yeast infection, and my back is in constant pain. I am also incredibly thirsty, and this medicine has increased my craving for sugary drinks, which I have not drunk in years. The second day on this medicine, my blood sugar was 302. This is a number I've never had before. My blood sugar reads about 200 on a bad day and generally runs at an average of 150. My week on this medicine, my average blood sugar reading was 220. Two days after going off, my blood sugar started going down again. This medicine raised my blood sugar significantly."

• Eta...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 14, 2021

For Type 2 Diabetes "My doctor prescribed Jardiance to go along with my metformin. She said I would lose weight as well and possibly get a yeast infection. I started the medication immediately, and before the week was out, I had a really bad yeast infection. I haven’t had one in years. The itching was really bad. I was given Diflucan. Usually, Diflucan works the same day, but this time it took three days to kick in. A few days passed, and I now have another yeast infection, worse than the first time. Major itching and burning when I urinate. Excessive thirst. I’m calling my physician in the morning because this is too much."

• Car...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 30, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "I had bypass surgery, and that strain on my body made me a diabetic. My last A1C was 5.8. I went to the heart doctor for a follow-up, and he put me on 10 mg of Jardiance because studies show there are fewer cardiovascular incidents in people with diabetes. I have been on it for about 5-6 months. My only side effect is thirst in the evening. I probably should drink more water. At first, I was up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, now it seldom happens. I did not lose weight, and had another A1C, and it went up to 6.0 from 5.8. I usually have drug side effects, so I am tolerating it well. However, I am not seeing results and wonder if the expense of this drug is worth me staying on it."