Invokana Litigation

If you have been taking the drug Invokana (generic name canagliflozin), and you have suffered harmful side effects, call the Kelly Law Team today. We are an experienced Phoenix personal injury law firm, and we will provide you with an honest evaluation of your case. At the Kelly Law Team, we offer a free initial consultation. Contact us to learn your rights, and find out whether you are entitled to compensation for your injuries.

Why Do Doctors Prescribe Invokana?

If you have Type 2 diabetes, your body does not react normally to glucose. It resists the effects of a hormone called insulin, which regulates sugar in your cells, or produces an insufficient amount of insulin. In either case, the result is high blood sugar (glucose) levels. While diet and exercise can help to manage the condition, medication may also be necessary for some patients.

Invokana is one of the newer drugs designed to treat Type 2 diabetes. It is one of a class of SGLT2 (sodium-glucose co-transporter 2) inhibitors. SGLT2 is actually a human protein that facilitates the absorption of glucose in the kidney. SGLT2 inhibitors lower blood sugar levels by blocking the reabsorption, and increasing the excretion, of glucose, and removing it from the body through the urine.

FDA Warnings and Side Effects

In May 2015, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a safety communication concerning a number of Type 2 medications, including:

• canagliflozin (trade names Invokana and Invokamet);
• dapagliflozin (trade names Forxiga and Xigduo XR); and
• empagliflozin (trade names Jardiance and Glyxambi).

The essence of the warning is that these drugs may lead to too much acid in the blood, a condition known as diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), ketoacidosis, and ketosis. KTA and the other acidosis conditions, according to the FDA, may require hospitalization. Symptoms are nausea, vomiting, breathing difficulties, vomiting, confusion, abdominal pain, and fatigue.

The FDA strengthened its warning in 2016 concerning the risk of using Invokana and several of the other Type 2 diabetes drugs. The warning states that these medications carry the risk of acute kidney injury, and the possibility of kidney failure. Symptoms include decreased urine or swelling of the hands or the feet.

Numerous lawsuits have been filed regarding these drugs, including claims against Janssen Pharmaceuticals (a Johnson & Johnson subsidiary), which manufactures Invokana. Some of the serious side effects of Invokana and other SGLT2 inhibitors include

• ketoacidosis
• kidney damage
• kidney failure
• heart attack
• dehydration
• high levels of potassium
• urinary tract infections
• hypoglycemia
• allergic reactions
• yeast infections

Some of the more serious of these side effects could lead to the need for dialysis, a kidney transplant, coma, or even death.

Help for Invokana Users

Your health comes first. If you were prescribed Invokana or another SGLT2 inhibitor, and you have experienced any of the symptoms of kidney damage, ketoacidosis, or any of the other side effects listed above, you need to seek medical help immediately. Once that is done, you can focus on getting the legal help you require in order to recover compensation for your injuries. This includes focusing on the right theory of liability, which could include negligence in the design, manufacture testing, packaging, marketing and/or selling the drug, failure to warn the public of these dangers, and strict liability, among others.

At the Kelly Law Team, we will sit down with you to discuss your case, and provide you with an intelligent and well thought out game plan. We combine our experience and skill with a strong commitment to achieve the best possible result for each and every one of our clients. Our goal is to maximize your recovery, and provide you with compensation that will cover all your losses and injuries, including medical and hospital bills, pain and suffering, lost income, and any other damage you may have suffered.

If you have suffered any pain or loss that you believe was caused by Invokana or another drug, talk to a Phoenix personal injury attorney today. Call the Kelly Law Team at 602-283-4122 for a free consultation.