Sitagliptin for Type 2 Diabetes User Reviews (Page 3)

• Lul...
• July 17, 2019

"Endo prescribed Januvia along with Farxiga and Metformin 4 months ago. Regular ER Metformin caused horrid gastric distress (diarrhea). Two doses of Januvia and the upper abdominal ache started, constipation, scalp itching, fatigue, and extremely high blood sugars. Now prescribed TEVA manufacturer Metformin instead of the generic brand that costs nothing at certain pharmacies. TEVA doesn't use the same fillers as the other Metformin - I take two with dinner and working to go to four a day with no GI issues. Before Januvia, my sugar was controlled - never going over 180. With Januvia and Farxiga, my readings are in the high 100s, 200+ - I called my endo and told her I had stopped the Januvia (stomach ache is gone). She said to also stop Farxiga since it appears that both drugs are not helping my sugars. I am going back to my routine I had BEFORE Farxiga and Januvia. Those two drugs' cost is $1600 each for three months WITH excellent insurance."

• Lov...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 29, 2015

"I have been diabetic since 1989 and have gotten worse over the years. My A1C has been climbing steadily. I take Metformin 2,500 mg per day. In March, my doctor started me on Januvia also, and I can't believe the difference. My A1C went from 9.4 to 7.0 in 4 months. I am also surprised I haven't had any side effects because it seems many meds bother me. My problem now is my new health insurance won't cover Januvia as of January 2016. Yuck."

• Leo...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 6, 2013

"No noticeable difference with Januvia, which was added to Metformin, Glipizide, and now Victoza. I have been taking the first three meds for a few years. My question is that I often see the entire Januvia pill, undigested, in my stool. Why is this? I tend to be constipated but do not take laxatives. I told my doctor, but she did not seem concerned. If this med is just passing through my body, what is the point? I take my Januvia and Glipizide before dinner, and my Metformin before breakfast and my nighttime snack. (I have high morning sugars.)"

• Rit...
• August 24, 2015

"Been taking Januvia for almost 2 wks. Almost instantly had difficulty breathing, rapid heartbeat, and coughing. I have more energy, but I don't like the side effects. I have a hard time talking because I'm constantly coughing, and that's not good, especially when you're a college instructor. Just called my MD to see if there's something else I can try."

• Ins...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 17, 2019

"I was diagnosed with diabetes a few years ago and was given Metformin. Immediately, I had severe stomach pains, nausea, and vomiting. I was switched to Amaryl (dropped my blood sugar constantly), then to Oseni (which worked miracles with the right diet). Then there was a shortage, so I was prescribed Januvia! Januvia doesn't drop my blood sugar if I haven't eaten in a while, and I don't have to be as strict with my dieting (no pasta with Amaryl and Oseni vs. pasta with Januvia). With Januvia, my A1C was at a 6.5, and I didn't have any nasty side effects. Januvia is the only medicine I'm on right now for my diabetes, and I'm actually glad my doctor fought to get me the medicine."

• Vic...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 9, 2018

"I had a 9.6 A1C. I have been on Januvia for approximately 1 year, taking 100 mg daily. My A1C dropped to 6.1 in 3 months. My doctor said to try taking half of a pill for the next 3 months. My A1C is now 5.1. No side effects. I also am a sepsis shock survivor from 2016. I left the hospital with 50% kidney function and continue having the same function numbers, having my kidneys checked regularly."

• Cha...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 16, 2016

"This drug came after a bad reaction to Metformin. It is definitely not any better. From day one, I have had diarrhea. And the heaviness in my arms is still present. Now, the leg spasms are showing up, but it is the abdominal pain and the excruciating back pain that take this drug out of the running. I am coming off of it. I can't afford for this drug to kill me. Nausea has been a problem within 3 days of beginning it. Be wary...be alert."

• Bag...
• September 20, 2017

"Took Januvia for two months and started to get joint pain, which got so severe I could hardly walk. I have been off it for one week but still have pain in my legs, especially the right. Would never recommend this drug to anyone, the side effects are really bad. The medication is expensive."

• DLa...
• August 30, 2016

"Took Januvia for several years. Had tightness/pain in my lower abdomen, which I assume was related to my pancreas. Blood sugars did not get lowered. Stopped taking Januvia, and my sugars went down 30 points. My cost went from $47 to $167 for a 30-day supply because of Medicare Donut Hole, so I had to stop. Drug is way too expensive for what it does."

• Mel...
• November 29, 2016

"Worst drug I've ever been on. My sugars went from a controlled 120 to over 350 in a matter of weeks. Invokana was giving me severe yeast infections, so I asked for a change. Now I don't have YI, but this medication doesn't do anything to lower my sugar. If anything, it makes my sugar higher. Seeing my doctor Thursday to switch back or to something else."

• Jay...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 27, 2018

"I took Januvia as a replacement for Metformin for a short period of time and found it caused me to start experiencing shortness of breath. I quit after another doctor told me Januvia was the cause of the problem. Since quitting Januvia, I continue to have shortness of breath, and with even very little activity, I experience chest pain. My cardiologist assures me I have no heart problems and no blockage but does not know what is causing my chest pain. I am beginning to think that my chest pain is being caused by permanent damage from the Januvia to my breathing, resulting in my chest pain. I am now on insulin."

• Kar...
• August 21, 2018

"Aug. 20, 2018 - After 10 days of taking Januvia 25 mg per day along with Metformin 500 mg twice a day, I started getting upper abdominal pain and back pain at the same time. The pain came and went all day long. At first, I didn't connect it to the Januvia, but after 5 days of the pain getting worse, I called my doctor's office. They told me to go straight to the ER at the hospital. I had blood work done, an EKG, and an ultrasound of the affected area. Everything came back negative. I was told to discontinue the Januvia and go on a very light diet of broth, juice, etc., which is what I did. It took 5 days before the pain subsided. I have done a lot of research online since then, and I see I'm not the only one that had this problem."

• Har...
• February 22, 2010

"I have been on Januvia for eight weeks. No side effects, no problems. The blood sugar two hours after eating is well below 120. However, the fasting blood sugar level does not drop below 100. Overall, I am very satisfied. It is very expensive but good."

• CAB...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 3, 2019

"I took Januvia for a few months to lower my A1C, prescribed by my endocrinologist’s APN, and my PCP took me off because she didn’t see the benefits and didn’t understand why I was prescribed it in the first place. My PCP said Januvia is usually prescribed for older patients (80 years +) with kidney issues. I am 50 and have no kidney problems, but I experienced horrible stomach issues on Januvia and regretted taking it. Why is this being prescribed? It didn’t work for me and didn’t lower my A1C. Period."

• Joe...
• October 9, 2015

"Works really well, my doctor is happy now. The only side effect is large, hard stool, which plugs the bathroom plumbing up every time, so I need to carry a plunger with me when away from home. Have been on it for about 3 months now, 100 mg daily, along with 1000 mg Metformin twice daily and 4 mg Glipizide twice daily."

• JIM...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 27, 2020

"I've been taking Januvia for 6 months, along with Metformin and Jardiance, and my A1C went from 9.6 to 8.2, so the combination is working some. The only side effect I'm having is itching, and it is bothersome. I will see if there is something new I can take other than Januvia because of this daily itching. Other than that, no side effects... So far..."

• Hap...
• July 1, 2008

"Love this drug. I have been on Januvia for at least a year and a half now. When I started, I noticed that, in combination with metformin, if I am walking or exercising, within a few (1-3) hours after taking a pill, my sugars are terrific and going down significantly. I couldn't achieve this with gliburide and metformin alone. I used to have under-skin tissues all over the body formed like bulges under the skin, many bulges, actually. After I started Januvia, all those accumulations of tissue disappeared."

• Luc...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 2, 2019

"Started Januvia a week and a half ago - metformin gave me major gastric distress. Januvia has been horrid - upper abdominal ache and constipation. My blood sugars have been very high since starting Januvia. Sugars have never been above 190 until Januvia. I am going back to metformin and deal with the diarrhea. I will let my doctor know what is going on again."

• Ray...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 5, 2022

"My mother had a slight diabetic condition, she took Metformin to control her condition. Then her doctor suggested she start Januvia. She only took Januvia for less than 90 days. Eight months later, she was rushed to the hospital when her eyes had a yellow tint. That night, she was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer that had spread to her liver. The doctors told us she 'had' 30 to 60 days to live. Through the grace of God, she lived another 11 months. This is my story. You can find that this drug can have this reaction in people. I tell you this story so that it somehow helps people make better decisions about the drugs they use for any condition. Just because a drug is approved by the FDA does not mean that it is safe, it just means it beat a placebo by 20 percent for a period of time, more than likely less than a year. Please hear my message."

• pos...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 24, 2016

"Not sure about any medicine I take. But Januvia was 56 bucks on Sept 14, now it is 96 bucks. Got a letter from them after complaining, their answer priced competitively. What does that mean when there is no competition????? There is no generic, and they know it. Tempted to take myself off of it, found that if I forget it for two days, I crash when resuming the medicine."

• Use...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 19, 2019

"Very frequent need to go to the toilet after two months of Januvia, dose 100 mg once a day, like need to go to the toilet every thirty minutes, day or night. It's the first time I have seen this, although I had type 2 diabetes for more than thirty years. Stopped using it, and it's getting better now."

• Har...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 22, 2018

"Terrible drug worked okay the first few weeks, then I began developing the most severe diarrhea and dysentery. I would spend 3 or 4 days glued to the toilet, going through 20 to 30 pairs of underwear (diapers). I was pooping in my sleep in bed. The dysentery went away when I discontinued the pills but came back immediately when I resumed taking them. Became dehydrated, shortness of breath, sweating, dizzy, vomiting, dry heaves, and felt weak. Severe stomach cramps ended up in the ER room with an IV drip of morphine to stop the pain. I almost died."

• chu...
• August 27, 2008

"Although only taking it for 3 months now, I basically feel a lot better and the sugars are at a moderate level to lower. I do not feel as hungry as I usually do. There have been some problems with constipation, though not bad."

• Ubu...
• September 7, 2018

"Taken for 3 days. I have a cough, respiratory problems, put on inhalers. Diarrhea, savage pain at night that I feel like I will not live until morning. Quit taking it, and reading all the side effects with it, I wonder why this is even prescribed. I hope the side effects go quickly. I can hardly walk and breathe at the same time. Only on 3 days."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 23, 2019

"I took Januvia for about five to six months. This was back in early 2012. I developed the side effect of terrible tremors. I finally stopped taking it. Although the tremors and handshaking lessened, they have never gone away."