Jardiance Withdrawal: What Symptoms to Expect after Stopping Jardiance?

Jardiance (Empagliflozin) is a diabetes medicine. It belongs to the class of medicines called SGLT2 Inhibitors. Data on “Jardiance Withdrawal” is minimal. Withdrawal symptoms usually occur after a person suddenly stops a medication or a habit.

Withdrawal symptoms commonly occur after a person stops addictive medicines like benzodiazepines, SSRIs, antipsychotics, and opioid analgesics.

The most common withdrawal symptoms that a person may experience are:

• headache
• nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or constipation
• anxiety and anger
• lack of concentration
• palpitations, and
• sleep disturbances

What can happen after sudden Jardiance Withdrawal?

Jardiance is commonly used to treat:

• Diabetes
• Heart failure

Jardiance has recently been approved for preventing CKD progression.

Symptoms of high blood glucose (hyperglycemia):

If you have been using Jardiance for controlling your blood sugars, you are definitely going to note some rise in your blood sugars.

Once your blood sugars are uncontrolled, you may experience the following symptoms:

• Excessive urination and thirst:

  • Excessive urination, thirst, and dry mouth are symptoms of high blood sugars, these symptoms might temporarily improve since Jardiance itself causes polyuria.
  • Some patients may notice an improvement in the symptoms of excessive urination, thirst, and dry mouth.

• Blurred vision:

  • Uncontrolled blood sugars may cause blurring of vision as the lens swells

• Tingling and Numbness of hands and feet:

  • Uncontrolled blood sugars and especially, fluctuating blood sugars damage the peripheral nerves.
  • Patients may notice tingling, numbness, and paraesthesias when the blood sugars rise above the target ranges.

Symptoms of Heart Failure following Jardiance Withdrawal:

If you have been prescribed Jardiance for the treatment of heart failure, you may experience the following symptoms after sudden Jardiance withdrawal:

• Swelling around the eyes and legs: 

  • Jardiance causes osmotic diuresis. As more and more blood glucose goes into the urine, water goes with it resulting in urination.
  • Abrupt discontinuation of Jardiance will result in water retention and may cause swelling around the eyes and legs.

• Shortness of breath

  • Water retention may also occur in the lungs, resulting in shortness of breath.

• Weight gain:

  • Jardiance causes the loss of calories via urine as glucose reabsorption is inhibited. This is associated with weight loss.
  • Jardiance withdrawal may cause a rebound in weight gain. Weight gain may also result because of fluid accumulation in the body.

• Chest pain and apprehension:

  • Jardiance is associated with an improvement in cardiovascular health. Abrupt withdrawal may lead to hospitalization and myocardial infarction.
  • Patients may initially develop chest pain and apprehension with excessive sweating and later become hypotensive.

Other symptoms of Jardiance withdrawal:

Jardiance withdrawal may also be associated with some of the following symptoms:

• Hypertension:

  • Jardiance also lowers blood pressure. In clinical trials, Jardiance use has been associated with lowering blood pressure.
  • This effect is primarily due to the diuretic effects of Jardiance.

• Hyperuricemia:

  • Jardiance lowers serum uric acid levels. Abrupt withdrawal may result in a rise in uric acid levels.
  • Patients may develop attacks of gouty arthritis and body pains specifically involving the joints.

• Weight gain:

  • Some patients lose significant weight using Jardiance. Jardiance withdrawal may be associated with a rebound weight gain.

In one study, although very few patients reported adverse symptoms following Jardiance withdrawal, most patients developed abnormal gait and body pains.

Other symptoms included neuropsychiatric symptoms such as cognitive impairment, difficulty concentrating, headache, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and emotional distress.

Since data is very limited, we have created this poll. If you have observed adverse symptoms after Jardiance withdrawal, please report them.

To report Jardiance withdrawal symptoms, please answer the questions at the end.