Why have I been prescribed Januvia?

• Your doctor has prescribed Januvia to help lower your blood sugar, which is too high because of your type 2 diabetes.
• Januvia can be used alone or in combination with certain other medicines (insulin, glucophage, diamicron) that lower blood sugar, which you may already be taking for your diabetes together with a food and exercise plan.

How does it work?

Januvia helps to improve the levels of insulin after a meal and decreases the amount of sugar made by the body.

When and how do I take it?

• Januvia is taken once a day.
• If a dose of Januvia is missed, it should be taken as soon as the patient remembers.
• A double dose should not be taken on the same day.
• Januvia can be taken with or without food.

What’s the dose?

One 100mg tablet a day.

Could it interact with other tablets?

Januvia may interact with drugs which can affect the speed of breakdown of the drug in the body like:

• ketoconazole
• itraconazole
• ritonavir
• clarithromycin

There may also be a slight interaction with digoxin. Always tell your doctor/pharmacist what you are taking.

Herbal supplements should be used with caution and only after informing your doctor first.

What are the possible risks or side-effects?

Common side effects include:

• nausea
• hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) especially when using Actos with another medicines like Glucophage
• constipation
• flatulence
• foot swelling
• headache
• cough
• diarrhoea
• vomiting
• fungal skin infection
• upper respiratory infection
• swelling of the hands
• stuffy or runny nose and sore throat
• osteoarthritis
• arm or leg pain

Allergic reactions, which may be serious, including rash, hives, and swelling of the face, lips, tongue, and throat that may cause difficulty in breathing or swallowing. If you have an allergic reaction, stop taking Januvia and call your doctor right away.

Can I drink alcohol while taking it?

• There are no known interactions between alcohol and Januvia.
• Always ask your doctor/pharmacist however, as this may depend on what other tablets you are taking.

What if I’m pregnant/breastfeeding?

Januvia should not be used during pregnancy or while breast feeding.

If you have any more questions please ask your Pharmacist.

Remember to keep all medicines out of reach of children
Please Note: We have made every effort to ensure that the content of this information sheet is correct at time of publish, but remember that information about drugs may change. This sheet does not list all the uses and side-effects associated with this drug. For full details please see the drug information leaflet which comes with your medicine. Your doctor will assess your medical circumstances and draw your attention to any information or side-effects which may be relevant in your particular case.

References:

https://www.merck.com/product/usa/pi_circulars/j/januvia/januvia_pi.pdf

http://www.januvia.com/sitagliptin/januvia/consumer/index.xhtml

http://www.drugs.com/januvia.html

http://www.rxlist.com/januvia-drug.htm

https://www.drugwatch.com/januvia/