Jardiance, made simple.
Jardiance is one small pill a day that helps with blood sugar, protects the heart, and protects the kidneys. It works much like Farxiga. This guide explains how it works, how to take it safely, and the few warning signs that matter. A Mississippi pharmacist who fills Jardiance every day wrote it for you.
This guide is here to teach you. It is not medical advice, and it does not replace your doctor or pharmacist. Always do what your doctor tells you, and ask a pharmacist before you change how you take any medicine.
Print this guide for your fridgeWhat Jardiance is and why your doctor gave it to you
Jardiance is a once a day pill. Its other name is empagliflozin. It is the same medicine.
Doctors give Jardiance for one or more of these reasons.
- Type 2 diabetes. Jardiance helps lower blood sugar, used along with healthy eating and activity.
- Heart failure. Jardiance lowers the chance of being in the hospital for heart failure and helps protect the heart.
- Chronic kidney disease. Jardiance can slow down kidney disease and help protect kidney function over time.
The simple version: Jardiance is in the same family as Farxiga. They work the same way and do the same three jobs. Your doctor may have a reason for picking one over the other, and that is a good question to ask.
How Jardiance works
Normally your kidneys catch sugar and put it back into your blood, so none is wasted.
Jardiance blocks that catching step. Extra sugar leaves your body in your urine instead.
That lowers your blood sugar. The same action removes a little extra salt and water, which takes strain off your heart and your kidneys. That is how one pill helps with three different things. Because the medicine moves sugar into the urine, you will probably urinate a little more, and that is expected.
Your dose
Jardiance is a small pill taken once a day, usually in the morning. You can take it with or without food. Your doctor picks your dose and your pharmacist checks it.
Your doctor decides your dose based on what they are treating and how well your kidneys work. This page will not tell you what dose to take. If you are not sure your dose is right, ask your pharmacist. That is exactly the kind of question we answer at Fairview.
Timing, and what to do if you miss a dose
Take Jardiance once a day, in the morning for most people. Pick a time that is easy to remember and stay with it.
There is one situation that is not a normal missed dose, and it matters: surgery. Before a major surgery, or any procedure where you will not be able to eat for a while, Jardiance usually needs to be stopped about 3 days beforehand. Always tell your surgeon you take Jardiance, and ask your own doctor when to stop and start.
If you miss a dose:
- If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember that day.
- If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the one you missed. Just take the next one.
- Never take two doses at once to catch up.
- If you are not sure what to do, call your pharmacist.
Side effects, what is normal and what is not
Normal. This is the medicine working.
- You urinate a little more than before.
- A positive urine sugar test. Jardiance sends sugar into the urine on purpose, so a urine sugar strip will read positive. That is expected and harmless.
Call your doctor if you see:
- A yeast infection in the genital area. This is common on Jardiance and can affect both women and men. It is treatable, so tell your doctor or pharmacist.
- A urinary tract infection, with burning, urgency, or needing to go often.
- Feeling dizzy or lightheaded when you stand up, which can mean you need more fluids.
- Any sore, cut, or infection on your feet that is slow to heal. Good foot care matters on this medicine.
Go to the emergency room right away if:
- You have nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, and trouble breathing, even if your blood sugar looks normal. A dangerous condition called ketoacidosis can happen on this medicine even when sugar is not high. Do not wait it out.
- You have pain, tenderness, redness, or swelling in the genital or rear area, with fever or feeling very unwell. This is a rare but serious infection that needs care right away.
- You have signs of a severe allergic reaction, like swelling of the face or throat or trouble breathing.
What to be careful with
The biggest thing to be careful with on Jardiance is staying hydrated, and being thoughtful about water pills.
If you take a water pill, also called a diuretic, Jardiance adds to its fluid-lowering effect. Together they can drop your blood pressure or stress your kidneys. That does not mean you cannot take both. It means your doctor should know, and you should watch for feeling dizzy or lightheaded.
Getting dehydrated for any reason, a stomach bug, a hot day, hard exercise, raises your risk on Jardiance. On sick days, when you cannot keep fluids down, call your pharmacist or doctor and ask whether to hold the medicine for a day or two.
The simple rule: before you start or stop any medicine, especially a water pill, and any time you are sick or dehydrated, tell your pharmacist you take Jardiance. Every single time.
What it costs
The cost is different for every person, because every insurance plan is different.
Here is the honest way to find your price. If you pay cash, call Fairview and we will give you a price for your situation. If you have private insurance, there may be a coupon or a savings program from the maker of the drug that helps lower your cost, and we will check if one is available for you. The best step is to let a pharmacist look at your plan. We do this for every patient.
Do not let cost make you skip doses. Call us first. There is almost always something we can do.
There is also a generic version of many medicines. The generic is the same medicine. Ask your pharmacist if a generic is a good fit for you.
What should be checked
Jardiance does not need a special blood test of its own, but a few things should be watched while you take it.
Your doctor should check, now and then:
- How well your kidneys work.
- Your blood pressure and whether you feel lightheaded, especially if you take a water pill.
- Your blood sugar and your A1C, if you have diabetes.
- Your feet, for any slow-healing sores.
Your pharmacist should, now and then:
- Check your other medicines, especially water pills.
- Remind you of the warning signs of ketoacidosis.
- Remind you to hold Jardiance before surgery and on bad sick days.
- Make sure your dose still fits your kidney function.
At Fairview, we keep an eye on our Jardiance patients. If a refill is late, we call you. If you are starting a water pill or heading into surgery, we make sure the plan around your Jardiance makes sense.
Special situations
Before surgery.
Jardiance usually needs to be stopped about 3 days before a major surgery, or any procedure where you will not be able to eat normally. This lowers the risk of ketoacidosis. Tell your surgeon you take Jardiance, and ask your own doctor exactly when to stop and restart.
Sick days.
When you are sick and cannot keep food or fluids down, the risk of dehydration and ketoacidosis goes up. Call your pharmacist or doctor and ask whether to hold Jardiance for a day or two until you are eating and drinking normally again.
Foot care.
With this kind of medicine it is wise to look after your feet. Check them regularly for cuts, sores, or redness, especially if you have diabetes or poor circulation, and tell your doctor about anything slow to heal.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Jardiance is generally not used in the later part of pregnancy or while breastfeeding. If you are pregnant, planning to be, or breastfeeding, tell your doctor so your care can be planned safely.
Older adults.
Older adults are more likely to feel the fluid-lowering effect of Jardiance, especially alongside a water pill. Watch for dizziness when standing, keep up with fluids, and let the pharmacy know if you feel unsteady.
How Fairview helps Jardiance patients
When you fill Jardiance at Fairview, here is what you get. This is normal care for us, not something extra.
At your first fill:
- We explain the warning signs of ketoacidosis in plain words.
- We tell you about the surgery hold and sick day rule.
- We check all your other medicines, especially water pills.
- We let you know the urine sugar test will read positive, so it does not worry you.
At every refill:
- We check your file for any new medicines.
- We check that you are refilling on time.
- We answer any new questions before you leave.
On our own, without being asked:
- If a refill is late, we call you.
- If we see a problem, we call your doctor.
- If there is important news about Jardiance, we tell you.
- We check your cost at every fill to make sure you are paying the best price for your plan.
Questions people ask about Jardiance
They are in the same family and work the same way, sending extra sugar out in the urine and easing strain on the heart and kidneys. They have mostly similar uses and side effects. Your doctor may pick one based on your specific situation. It is a fair question to ask them.
Related guides
Have a question about your Jardiance? Ask a pharmacist who knows it well.
Jardiance is a simple once a day pill that quietly protects your blood sugar, your heart, and your kidneys. Knowing the few warning signs lets you take it with confidence. If something made you wonder, ask us. And if you want a pharmacy that takes the time to explain your medicine, Fairview is here. Moving your prescription to us takes one phone call.