When you’re diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, the best way to prevent any complications in the future would be to make some changes in your lifestyle. Before talking about medications, some personal effort on your part will do a lot of good.
Simple things can be done to live longer despite having type 2 diabetes. You could start by choosing a healthier diet and avoiding things that have sugar and saturated fat. For smokers, this is the time to seriously consider quitting. You will have to monitor your weight and maintain a healthy body weight. This can be achieved if you dedicate at least 30 minutes of your day to exercise.
People with type 2 diabetes need to take medicines that control blood sugar levels to ensure that their bodies function at their best. Insulin injections usually help, but other medicines, such as Januvia, sulfonylureas, SGLT-2 inhibitors, and Metformin, are also available.
In this article, we’ll learn about Januvia and Metformin. We’ll look at their benefits individually, the benefits of Metformin and Januvia together, and certain considerations you must look out for.
Usually, it’s not recommended to take different medicines at the same time, but in some cases, it’s necessary. A doctor will look at your medical record to see how each drug should be dosed and when they should be taken together, separately, or at intervals.
Metformin is a drug used to lower high blood sugar levels caused by type 2 diabetes. When you have type 2 diabetes, your pancreas produces insulin but can’t get sugar to your cells because not enough insulin is produced. So, to help bring down your blood sugar level and help your body use food for energy, you can take metformin.
So, metformin isn’t for people with type 1 or insulin-dependent diabetes. When you have type 1 or insulin-dependent diabetes, your pancreas glands can’t produce insulin at all. Your blood sugar level will be best controlled with insulin injections.
Yes, according to federal law, diabetes is identified as a disability, but that does not mean you have to limit yourself. You can live a beautiful life thanks to a good diet and some exercise. For metformin to work at its best, it must be taken in proportion to the type of food you eat and the amount of exercise you do.
If, for some reason, you have to change what you eat and exercise, your doctor must step in to show you how to see if your blood sugar level is too high or too low. You can only buy this drug with a doctor’s prescription.
Metformin is available in these dosage forms:
- Tablet immediate release
- Tablet extended release
- Oral liquid
- Oral powder
Januvia (Sitagliptin Phosphate)
$140.00Considerations Before Using Metformin
For Children
Generally, any type of children’s medicine should be taken carefully. So far, no negative feedback has been regarding children taking metformin in tablet extended-release or immediate-release oral solution. However, metformin should not be given to children younger than 10.
Older people
Metformin use in older individuals has not received any negative feedback, either. However, it’s quite common for older people to have kidney problems. This isn’t related to diabetes but to their age. If this is the case, greater care is needed when taking metformin. However, if the elderly patient is 80 and over with kidney problems, metformin is prohibited.
Allergies
Generally, if you have an allergy, your doctor must know before prescribing any type of drug; the same goes for metformin. If you notice an allergic reaction to metformin you should also urgently contact your physician for medical advice.
Breastfeeding
So far, no report or medical feedback states that metformin can’t be used while breastfeeding.
Benefits of Metformin
Aside from lowering high blood sugar levels and helping your body absorb insulin, Metformin has a long list of other benefits. Metformin helps type 2 diabetes patients fight side effects such as stroke, heart failure, arterial revascularization, myocardial infarction, cardiovascular immortality, and other cardiovascular events.
Metformin and other diseases
Cancer
Metformin can significantly slow the growth and formation of certain tumors. If you’re diagnosed with colon cancer, metformin reduces the development of colon polyps. If you combine metformin with your hormonal therapy, there’s a good chance of responding better to the therapy and living longer.
Dementia
As a type 2 diabetes patient, taking Metformin lowers your chances of developing dementia.
Longer Life
Metformin has proven to lower your chances of dying sooner if you have diabetes or heart disease. As an addition to your medical treatment, metformin will help you live a longer and healthier life when taken under supervised care of medical professionals.
Weight loss
Even if you don’t have diabetes, Metformin can help with weight, especially if obesity is your problem. Metformin helps to treat obesity and other related illnesses like metabolic syndrome.
Fertility
If you’re having trouble conceiving, you can consult your physician to see if you can try Metformin. What Metformin does is it brings down the insulin level in your bloodstream.
In this case, it may be advised to take metformin with clomiphene. But metformin can also be taken alone during your pregnancy to reduce the risk of a miscarriage, if medically necessary.
What Is Januvia?
Januvia is a drug used by people with type 2 diabetes. It helps lower blood sugar levels, especially with a healthy diet and exercise. Januvia blocks DPP-4, an enzyme responsible for raising the level of the natural hormone incretin.
After eating, incretins will help your body lower the blood sugar level by increasing insulin production. Incretins will also bring down the level of sugar produced by your liver.
Januvia is only available in tablet form in these dosages:
- 25 mg tablets
- 50 mg tablets
- 100 mg tablets
Considerations Before Taking Januvia
Other Medical Conditions
Januvia isn’t an over-the-counter drug; it’s brought with a doctor’s prescription. If you’re ever prescribed this medicine, you should tell your physician about any other medical condition(s) you might have. By doing so, your doctor will know if it’s okay to take it alone or with other anti-diabetic medicine. This will also help your doctor determine what dosage of Januvia is best for you.
Your doctor should be notified if you suffer from:
- Heart failure
- Kidney-related issues
- Presently or previously had a pancreas inflammation (pancreatitis)
- When pregnant or planning to conceive: no medical data shows you shouldn’t take Januvia while pregnant or trying to conceive.
- Nevertheless, always consult your doctor for other medicines to lower your blood sugar levels before or during a pregnancy.
- When you breastfeed or plan to breastfeed: no medical data shows if Januvia will go into your breast milk. But to be safe, you must consult your doctor on other blood sugar-lowering remedies to take while you breastfeed or if you plan to.
- You should also inform your doctor about any other over-the-counter medicines, minerals, vitamins, or herbal supplements you often take.
Allergies
Some of the ingredients used to make Januvia may cause an allergic reaction. Consult your physician for a list of all the ingredients in Januvia. Allergic reactions to Januvia could include hives, a rash, and swelling of your face, lips, throat, and tongue, making it difficult to breathe or swallow.
Other allergic reactions to Januvia can be joint pain, nausea or vomiting, stomach aches, a racing heart, swollen lymph nodes, fever, lightheadedness, dizziness, or fainting.
Using Januvia With Other Drugs
Great care and medical attention must be applied when you combine Januvia with another anti-diabetic drug. Especially insulin and glipizide are also known to lower blood sugar levels.
The problem with combining Januvia with insulin or glipizide is that you have a greater chance of having low blood sugar. Check your blood sugar level if you ever feel your heart is racing, shaky, or confused after taking Januvia with insulin or glipizide. If it turns out that your sugar is too low (under 70 mg/dL), you can take four glucose tablets or four ounces of fruit juice.
Benefits of Januvia
Januvia is an effective drug that helps your body make insulin and produce less sugar. This is possible thanks to its method of action, which helps your body properly control your blood sugar levels through the release of certain hormones.
As mentioned, DPP-4 (dipeptidyl peptidase-4), a protein enzyme, breaks down these hormones. Since Januvia is a DPP-4 inhibitor, it blocks DPP-4, which allows insulin to stay in your body longer and then tells your body to produce less sugar. As a result, this operation brings down your blood sugar level.
Another pro about Januvia is that you just need to take it once a day, with or without food.
Can Januvia Be Taken With Metformin?
Both these drugs are used by type 2 diabetes patients to lower blood sugar levels. But can you take metformin and Januvia together? Yes, you can. It’s quite common to be prescribed a Januvia metformin combo.
How Does Januvia Work With Metformin?
Metformin takes care of the liver by reducing sugar production and absorption by the intestines. On the other side, Januvia will monitor the amount of insulin your body produces. Once again, if you observe a healthy diet and an exercise routine, the combination of Januvia and metformin will give positive results.
The best time to take Januvia and metformin is when you’re eating, which can also reduce the risk of an upset stomach. Extended-release tablets should be taken in the evening. Don’t break, crush, or chew the extended or immediate-release tablets; take them whole.
Consideration Before Taking Januvia And Metformin
Other Health Conditions
As a general rule, let your provider know if you have or ever had another health condition, such as:
- Liver disease
- Heart disease
- Kidney disease or diabetic ketoacidosis (If this is the case, your doctor will have to do regular checks before and while taking the Januvia metformin combo)
- An inflamed pancreas (pancreatitis)
- Gallstones
- High triglycerides
- Alcoholism
Lactic Acidosis
Lactic acidosis is when a high level of lactic acid is built up in your bloodstream. This disease may come up if you have other medical conditions and are taking metformin and Januvia together. Lactic acidosis can also surface if you also have chronic alcoholism, a serious infection, or if you’re older than 65.
Pregnancy
Pregnant women with diabetes or high blood sugar should be closely monitored because these medicines can cause complications for the mother and the baby. So, some medical advice is highly recommended if you take Januvia and metformin.
Surgical Procedures
If you know that you’ll need to have surgery or go for a CT scan where the dye has to be injected into your veins, you’ll have to stop the Januvia and metformin treatment for a moment. Tell your physician that you’re taking these two medications well in advance.
Other Reactions To Januvia And Metformin
You can call your doctor urgently if you notice these symptoms while taking Januvia and Metformin:
- Little or no urinating
- Continuous or serious joint pains
- A serious auto-immune reaction that leads to blisters, itching, or the outer layer of your skin starts to peel off.
- Indications of heart failure, like difficulty breathing even while lying down, swollen feet or legs
- Gaining weight quickly
In Closing
There are other kinds of diabetes, such as type 1 diabetes, gestational diabetes, and even brittle diabetes; the latter is the most severe kind of diabetes. In general, you can manage your diabetes on your own. Your visits to the doctor will mostly just be a routine or if you see or must apply a sudden change to your lifestyle.
Many new products, medications, and methods have been developed to make diabetes easier to control. This is an advantage for both patients and physicians. In the future, 100 percent natural tablets will be more available. Apart from eating well and being active, other products, such as diabetic socks, also help with lifestyle management.
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