While Invokana is one of the more popular type-2 diabetes medications, patients taking this drug may not be aware of the serious Invokana amputation risk they face.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has even issued a warning that taking Invokana may increase a person’s Invokana amputation risk. If you or someone you love has suffered from side effects of Invokana, like lower limb amputation, you may be able to pursue litigation.

Background of Invokana

Invokana (also known by its generic name, canagliflozin metformin) is a popular type-2 diabetes medication. It works by ridding the bloodstream of glucose and lowering glucose production, ultimately lowering blood sugar levels. Invokana is part of a class of type-2 diabetes drugs known as sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors. Other drugs belonging to the class include Invokamet and Invokamet XR.

Despite its widespread use, Invokana has been connected with a few severe side effects, some of which have prompted warnings from the FDA. In 2015, the FDA released a safety announcement regarding the risk of diabetic ketoacidosis and kidney failure. Recently, the FDA released another safety announcement regarding heightened Invokana amputation risk that patients taking this drug may face.

The FDA’s Invokana Amputation Risk Warning

In May 2017, the FDA released a safety announcement updating its information on Invokana and other SGLT2 inhibitor drugs, noting the threat of Invokana amputation risk in the lower limbs.

The safety warning read, in part: “Based on new data from two large clinical trials, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has concluded that the type 2 diabetes medicine canagliflozin (Invokana, Invokamet, Invokamet XR) causes an increased risk of leg and foot amputations.”

The FDA described the changes it would make to warn patients about this Invokana amputation risk: “We are requiring new warnings, including our most prominent Boxed Warning, to be added to the canagliflozin drug labels to describe this risk.”

Side Effects of Invokana

Invokana users have reported a number of serious Invokana side effects, including Invokana amputation risk (toe, foot, knee, or leg). Symptoms like pain, ulcers, or infections in the legs or feet may lead to lower limb amputation.

Another severe side effect linked with the drug is diabetic ketoacidosis. Symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis include difficulty breathing, confusion, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and unusual fatigue or sleepiness. If you notice one or more of these symptoms after taking an SGLT2 inhibitor like Invokana, you should consult your doctor immediately.

Lawsuits allege that the manufacturer either knew or should have known about the Invokana amputation risk patients faced, but failed to give adequate warning to the public and the medical community about these problems.

If you or someone you love has suffered from serious side effects after taking Invokana or a similar SGLT2 inhibitor, you may have cause for filing an Invokana lawsuit. Though filing a lawsuit cannot take away a patient’s pain and suffering, it may help to alleviate the financial burden incurred through medical bills and lost wages.