Janumet (sitagliptin and metformin): Buying diabetes medicine online in the UK

Janumet is a prescription medicine used for the management of diabetes. It is a tabled, developed and marketed by Merck Sharp and Dohme (or MSD for short) pharmaceutical company. Similarly to other popular and highly efficient diabetes medicines, Janumet too is a combined treatment, meaning it relies not on one, but two active ingredients. Its mechanism of action involves numerous processes that aim to make the body’s cells more receptive to insulin and limit the amount of glucose produced by the liver. The standard course of the treatment is one tablet, taken two times per day over a set period of time.

Janumet is a very effective diabetes treatment produced by a successful and reliable pharmaceutical company. With just two tablets per day, this medicine can help you get your blood sugar levels under control.

What’s on this page?

What exactly is diabetes?

According to the statistical studies and recent surveys, roughly 90% of all registered diabetes cases in the UK (around 3 million people) are classified as diabetes type 2. This condition is marked by the inability of the organism to create and utilise insulin in the body the way it is synthesised and used in otherwise healthy individuals. Insulin is a type of hormone that is produced in the pancreas. It plays a crucial role in the distribution of energy throughout the body while simultaneously controlling the levels of glucose (sugar) in the blood, keeping them in normal levels.

One of the core differences between type 1 and type 2 diabetes is the time when it manifests. So, while type 1 diabetes tends to develop early in a person’s life due to the immune system mistakenly attacking the cells tasked with insulin synthesis, type 2 diabetes usually develops at a later stage in person’s life, with the risk of developing the condition rising with age. But, in the case of type 2 diabetes, the body will continue to produce insulin, as opposed to type 1 where insulin production will stop permanently, but the produced quantity will be far lower from the quantity that would suit the body’s needs. In addition to this, the body’s cells can also lose the ability to use the available insulin properly.

Type 2 diabetes symptoms

People affected by diabetes commonly report

• Persistent thirst
• Fatigue
• Blurred vision
• Dry eyes
• Dramatic and unexplained drops in weight
• Increased frequency of urination

In addition to these very common symptoms, diabetes type 2 is marked by an array of other symptoms which can vary significantly among individuals, remaining in a way specific for each person affected.

There are numerous risk factors which might serve as additional indicators that you might be at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. These include the family history of diabetes, age (people older than 40 are at significantly greater risk), or if you are of south Asian, Chinese, African or Caribbean descent. Finally, and as is familiar to most, obesity and being overweight are also seen as very prominent contributing factors when it comes to development of diabetes type 2.

How is diabetes treated and managed?

When it comes to diabetes treatment, one of the first things that need to be noted is that, as of now, there is no known cure for this condition. This means that diabetes can only be managed, but not completely cured. However, this doesn’t make treatment efforts any less important. In fact, diabetes is a progressive condition, meaning that it will cause more severe complications when left untreated, eventually leading to potentially life threatening conditions such as kidney failure or serious heart disease. This is why it is imperative to commence treatment as soon as possible.

Usually, when diabetes is first diagnosed, the doctor will first try to address patient’s lifestyle and rely on non-medicinal approaches. These include adjusting the patient’s diet, introducing regular exercise, reducing alcohol consumption, quitting smoking or losing weight if needed.

However, in a significant percentage of patients, these methods will not be enough to slow down the progress of the condition or keep the blood sugar levels in the acceptable range. When this happens, prescription medication will be utilized to achieve what lifestyle changes have not.

How does Janumet help with diabetes?

The active ingredients of Janumet, sitagliptin and metformin hydrochloride are the secret to the exceptional success rates of this medicine. Metformin is classified as a biguanide and it works by inhibiting the production of sugar in the liver, increasing the uptake of sugars from the blood by muscle cells and finally, decelerating the intake of sugars in the digestive tract. On the other hand, sitagliptin is a protein inhibitor that prevents the breakdown of certain enzymes – substances that play a vital role in stimulating the pancreas to produce insulin. At the same time, this compound will limit the output of sugar by liver cells to a certain extent.

How is Janumet used?

In order to facilitate optimal results while simultaneously decreasing the chances of experiencing any side effects, you should always precisely follow the instructions provided by your prescriber. In addition to consultations with your doctor or pharmacist, you can also get relevant information regarding Janumet use from the official patient information leaflet that is issued within every pack of the medicine.

Without going into too much detail, here we will provide you with just the most general guidelines so you can get the idea of how Janumet treatment looks like.

• Always use as prescribed – never change anything regarding your treatment prior to getting doctor’s approval to do so
• Usually, the dose will be one tablet, two times per day
• Take the tablets whole and with water
• In order to ensure optimal results, try to take tablet with a meal
• Maintain the diet specified by your doctor throughout the course of the treatment
• If you are due to have tests or surgery, inform your doctor since this will require adjustments to your treatment
• Never exceed the prescribed amount
• Do not compensate for the forgotten doses by doubling up the next one – if you miss a tablet, just continue the treatment as usual

What are Janumet side effects?

As is the case with all prescription medicines, Janumet too comes with a potential for certain side effects. It is important to get familiar with them prior to commencing the treatment so you can act accordingly if you notice any. You should immediately contact your doctor or local emergency service if you notice any of the following:

• Pancreatitis
• Severe stomach pain
• Lactic acidosis
• Muscular cramps
• Unexplained weight loss
• Rapid breathing pace
• Symptoms of allergic reaction

In addition to these, the documented side effects of Janumet include:

Janumet contraindications

As is always the case with prescription medicines, Janumet isn’t safe for everybody and there are some scenarios when the use of this medicine will be contraindicated. This can be the case if you had or currently have any of the following health issues:

• Diabetic ketoacidosis
• Diabetic coma
• Kidney diseases
• Severe infections
• Heart attack
• Severe circulatory problems
• Liver disease
• Alcoholism

In addition to this, it is important to note than Janumet shouldn’t be used by people who are at the same time also using any of the following medicines:

• Corticosteroids
• ACE inhibitors
• Diuretics
• Beta-sympathomimetics
• Iodinated contrast agents
• Alcohol-containing medicines
• Cimetidine
• Digoxin