If you have been prescribed Tradjenta (linagliptin) by your doctor, you may wonder about this medication. You are not alone! Many people who take Tradjenta ask themselves the same questions repeatedly: What is it, how does it work, and is it right for me? In this article, we will explain everything you need to know about Tradjenta to make an informed decision about taking this medication.
What is Tradjenta used for?
Tradjenta is a pill that controls blood sugar levels in patients with type 2 diabetes. People with type 1 diabetes should not take Tradjenta because it is not approved for people with this condition.
Tradjenta may be prescribed along with a proper diet and exercise program to help lower blood sugar levels in patients who are already taking other medications to control the disease. It should not be used as the only treatment for high blood sugar but can be taken alongside other drugs like metformin and insulin.
How does Tradjenta work?
Tradjenta is a drug called a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor. DPP-4 inhibitors work by blocking the breakdown of another hormone called GLP-1, which is released by your intestine after meals. This helps control blood sugar levels because it increases the amount of insulin released into the body and decreases the amount of sugar your liver makes from food.
Tradjenta is a class of drugs called incretin mimetics or incretin enhancers developed to stimulate insulin formation after eating food without causing hypoglycemia (low blood glucose).
In addition to Tradjenta (linagliptin), other DPP-4 inhibitors on the market include Januvia (sitagliptin) and Onglyza (saxagliptin). Tradjenta is a once-daily pill that helps control blood sugar levels by increasing insulin release after meals.
Does Tradjenta come in a generic form?
Tradjenta is currently available as a brand-name medication. A generic version of Tradjenta, called linagliptin, has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
If you have health insurance, your pharmacy may be able to tell you if your plan will cover the cost of brand-name or generic drugs, or both. You can also call your health insurance provider directly for information about the type of medicines covered by the plan and how much they cost.
How is Tradjenta dosed?
Tradjenta comes in one strength of 5 milligrams (mg). The typical dosage of Tradjenta is one 5-mg tablet taken once daily and can be taken with or without food.
If you have type 2 diabetes, your doctor will determine how much Tradjenta can prescribe based on your body weight and lifestyle factors affecting blood sugar levels.
It's essential to take Tradjenta as prescribed. If you miss a dose, follow your doctor's instructions on what to do. This may mean skipping the missed dose and taking your next one at the usual time.
Can Tradjenta be used alone or with other medications?
Tradjenta may be used alone or with other medications that help lower blood sugar.
Your doctor may tell you to take Tradjenta with another type of diabetes medicine called an insulin secretagogue, which stimulates the pancreas to release more insulin. The following drugs are examples of this type:
● Sulfonylureas (gliclazide; glipizide; glyburide)
● Meglitinides (meglitinide)
● Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors (acarbose; miglitol)
In clinical trials, the addition of Tradjenta was associated with a higher incidence of hypoglycemia compared with placebo when used as monotherapy in combination with other antihyperglycemic agents. You should not use Tradjenta if you have severe liver impairment or kidney disease. Your doctor may recommend that you avoid alcohol while taking Tradjenta because alcohol could increase your risk for low blood sugar levels due to its effect on your liver's ability to metabolize medicines.
What interactions should you avoid when taking Tradjenta?
You should also be aware that Tradjenta can interact with other medications. Before you take Tradjenta, check with your doctor about any medication or supplements you are taking at the moment. They may cause unwelcome side effects if taken with Tradjenta, such as:
● Metformin (Glucophage) -- This diabetes drug can increase your blood sugar and make it harder to control your levels when taken together with linagliptin.
● Amylin -- This is another diabetes medication that should not be combined with Tradjenta due to a risk of low blood sugar levels caused by increased insulin production and decreased glucose levels.
● Alogliptin (Nesina) -- Taking this type 2 diabetes medicine along with linagliptin could result in an adverse reaction that causes stomach pains and diarrhea.
In addition, you should avoid taking Tradjenta if you're using some antibiotics, antifungals (such as itraconazole), or HIV/AIDS medications like atazanavir because they may decrease the amount of linagliptin your body absorbs.
Tell your doctor about any other drugs you take before starting on Tradjenta. Please ask your doctor or pharmacist if they have more questions about whether certain medications could interact with linagliptin.
What are the side effects of Tradjenta?
Side effects are the most common reason people stop taking Tradjenta. Your doctor can help you manage your side effects by adjusting the dose and/or switching to another diabetes medication.
Call your doctor immediately if you have any side effects that bother you or last longer than two weeks. It's also important to call if these signs of a serious allergic reaction occur: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
People with type 1 diabetes should not use Tradjenta. It's also not for people with diabetic ketoacidosis (increased ketones in the blood or urine). Tradjenta is a prescription medicine used along with diet and exercise to lower blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes. Tradjenta has been shown to lower A1C by an average of 0.7% in clinical studies.
What happens when I stop taking Tradjenta?
If you stop taking Tradjenta, your diabetes may get worse. Stopping the medicine is not recommended without consulting with your doctor first.
If you stop taking Tradjenta because of severe side effects, talk to your doctor about another diabetes medicine that may work for you. There are many different types of diabetes medicines.
How much does Tradjenta cost?
The cost for Tradjenta oral tablet 5 mg is around $541 for a supply of 30 tablets, depending on the pharmacy you visit. The average retail price is $928.69, and the average manufacturer price (best estimate) is $566.13.
79% of Medicare prescription drug plans cover this drug in 2018 with a copayment and/or coinsurance up to $250 or less per month as part of their tier-based formulary system.
Some Medicare plans may also cover this drug if their coverage is not subject to any limitations. However, patients will usually have a copayment and/or coinsurance up to $250 or less per month as part of the formulary system to receive full coverage.
What are the pros and cons of Tradjenta?
There are a few pros and cons to Tradjenta. First, Tradjenta is a medication that is used to treat type 2 diabetes. It can help to lower blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. However, there are a few potential side effects of Tradjenta. These include weight gain, low blood sugar levels, and gastrointestinal issues.
Cons: Tradjenta isn't a cure for type 2 diabetes—it just helps you to manage it better. If you're taking this drug, you'll still have to watch what you eat and how much exercise you get every day. If these things aren't part of your daily routine, then Tradjenta won't work as well as it should.
Some people who use Tradjenta develop side effects like nausea or diarrhea, but these usually go away after the first few months of treatment (if they don't go away entirely). Other possible side effects include muscle aches or weakness, headaches; vision problems such as blurred vision or eye pain; and swelling under the skin near the eyes (called periorbital edema). A few patients have reported heart attacks while using Tradjenta, but this is extremely rare: according to clinical trials published in 2012 by Lilly Research Laboratories (the company that makes Tradjenta), only 3 out of every 10,000 patients had heart attacks while taking this drug!
How to know if Tradjenta is right for you?
Before deciding whether or not you should take Tradjenta, there are a few things to consider. If you have type 2 diabetes and your blood glucose is not well controlled with diet and exercise alone, it might be right for you. If you have type 2 diabetes and your blood glucose is not well controlled with other diabetes medications, it might be right for you. And if you have type 2 diabetes and your blood glucose is not well controlled with insulin, but it's been difficult for doctors to get the dose just right—you're either taking too much or too little—then Tradjenta could also be an option for treatment.
Conclusion
So there you have it. Tradjenta can be a valuable tool for controlling your blood sugar levels, but it is essential to consider the risks and side effects before starting treatment with this drug. If you have any questions about your diabetes or how to manage your treatment, please speak to your doctor or healthcare provider.
