A Texas man recently filed a lawsuit against Janssen after allegedly being forced to undergo an Invokamet amputation to his leg because of serious complications.

The plaintiff, Belindo C., says he began taking Invokamet in order to treat his diabetes by reducing his blood sugar in 2015. However, according to the lawsuit, Belindo was not warned about the slew of serious side effects associated with Invokamet, including diabetic ketoacidosis, kidney failure, sepsis, cardiovascular problems, stroke, and Invokamet amputation. Instead, the Invokamet diabetes medication was presented to the plaintiff as a safe and effective treatment, he says.

Unfortunately, Belindo alleges he suffered from complications necessitating that his left fourth toe be amputated in March 2016. This didn’t permanently fix the problem, and he he says he had to undergo a second Invokamet amputation—this time for his leg.

In response to these injuries, Belindo decided to file a lawsuit against Janssen, alleging that he had not been adequately warned of the risks associated with Invokamet, including Invokamet amputation. Had he been given such a warning, he say he would have chosen a safer alternative and avoided these risks altogether.

The Invokamet amputation lawsuit was filed on multiple counts, including strict liability, manufacturing defect, design defect, failure to warn, negligence, breach of express and implied warranties, and several others.

Belindo is not the first patient to file a lawsuit over Invokana or other drugs like it.

Basics of Invokamet

Invokamet (canagliflozin metformin) belongs to a class of drugs known as a sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, which are used to treat type-2 diabetes. The canagliflozin component of the drug helps the kidneys rid the bloodstream of glucose, and the metformin component works to lower the production of glucose in the liver. SGLT2 inhibitors like Invokamet are popular option for diabetes treatment, but despite the widespread usage of these drugs, more and more patients are coming forward with reports of Invokamet side effects.

Invokamet Side Effects

Serious Invokamet side effects include serious allergic reactions, kidney problems, kidney failure, and Invokamet amputation. Studies show that patients on Invokamet and similar medications are twice as likely to have to undergo lower limb diabetic amputation than patients taking a placebo. In some cases, patients had more than one lower limb amputation.

The FDA issued a safety announcement in May 2017, warning patients taking Invokamet of the serious risks associated with the drug

Filing a Lawsuit Over Invokamet Amputation and Other Side Effects

Lawsuits allege that the manufacturer either knew or should have known about the risk of these serious side effects like Invokamet amputation, yet failed to adequately warn the public and the medical community.

If you or someone you love has suffered from serious side effects like Invokamet amputation after taking Invokamet or a similar SGLT2 inhibitor, you may have cause for filing a lawsuit. Though filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering caused by Invokamet side effects, it may help alleviate the financial burden caused by bills and lost wages.

The Invokamet Amputation Lawsuit is Case No. 1:18-cv-00060, in the U.S. District Court for the Brownsville Division of the Southern District of Texas.