Invokana (canagliflozin) is a popular medication that is supposed to help those with type 2 diabetes manage their glucose levels. However, many adverse effects have been attributed to Invokana, including hair loss. While hair loss isn’t as common as other side effects, more and more patients are reporting this stressful condition.
One reason why information about hair loss and Invokana is not readily available is that there are more dangerous and common side effects that are getting the majority of the attention. For example, in May 2015, the FDA announced that diabetic ketoacidosis is a devastating adverse effect that is associated with Invokana. Diabetic ketoacidosis occurs when there isn’t enough insulin in the body so the body instead starts to break down fat as fuel. This process creates a large amount of acids in the blood called ketones which can be toxic if not quickly treated. While this condition is more common in type 1 than type 2 diabetics, canagliflozin increases the risk for this problem in type 2 diabetics.A second dangerous adverse effect was announced in May 2017 when the FDA required that Invokana put a Black Box Warning (the strongest warning available) on their packaging to warn patients that those who take this medication have a greater risk for leg and foot amputations. In fact, one study showed that those who took Invokana were twice as likely to have a leg or foot amputation as the group who were given the placebo.
Anyone who has suffered from a chronic condition understands how draining it can be both physically and emotionally to try and manage a health issue. If you had diabetic ketoacidosis or an amputation related to diabetes, it can be scary realizing how fragile your condition really is or you may be mourning the former lifestyle you once enjoyed. Hair loss can also take a huge toll on your self-esteem. Hair is more than just something that covers our head; it can be our identity, a form of self-expression and even a security blanket to help us blend into the crowd. Each one of these painful side effects impacts us to the core of our being and influences how we live our daily lives.While depression may seem like a reaction to our suffering, one study found that there is a close link between depression and diabetes. In a study published by the Archives of Internal Medicine, they found that diabetes caused depression and depression caused diabetes. “Women who were depressed were 17% more likely to develop diabetes even after the researchers adjusted for other risk factors such as weight and lack of regular exercise,” explains Denise Mann of WebMD. “Women with diabetes were 29% more likely to develop depression after taking into account other depression risk factors, and those women who took insulin for their diabetes were 53% more likely to develop depression.” Diabetes and its connection to depression is similar to the old “which came first, the chicken or the egg” adage. Diabetes can cause depression when a patient has to manage diet, lifestyle, injections and diabetic complications. Depression can cause diabetes depending on which medication you are on and the lifestyle you are living to make you feel better. Talk to your doctor today if you are worried about any of the side effects associated with diabetes or if you are struggling with depression. Managing these problems early on can help to avoid more difficult complications down the road.
