Chronic Health Conditions Discussion and Support

Norvasc and hydrodiuril are old drugs, available as generics, and cheaper than dirt. Norvasc is a caclium channel blocker that regulates heart rate and lowers blood pressure. Hydrodiuril is a diuretic, removing excess fluid. Avapro is an angiotensin II antagonist and is used to help repair kidney problems in diabetics, which makes me think his renal function tests were a little off.

The Invokamet is a fairly new medication that combines metformin and canagliflozin, a drug that stabilizes glucose and lowers A1c. It can also cause episodes of low blood pressure, so he needs to ask his doctor about that one, especially if he feels woozy or starts to black out.

Invokamet has a black box warning because the metformin can cause a lactic acid buildup in some people, so if he has muscle aches and weakness, severe sleepiness, and difficulty breathing, it's ER time. It's an extremely rare problem. I've never seen it in practice.

There is also a lawsuit stating the drug contributes to ketoacidosis, but as yet that one is unproven.

It sounds like a good drug for someone with fairly new diabetes 2, with low risk for things like hypoglycemia. The combination sounds more like it's compensating for kidney problems rather than treating hypertension. It's also good that he's getting help to pay for it, since it's a new drug.

It would still be a good idea for him to get a meter. Anyone with new onset diabetes, no matter how mild, needs to know what his blood sugar is doing.