Common Nausea, Frequent urge to urinate, Increased thirst, Urinary tract infection, Hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar level) in combination with insulin or sulphonylurea, Genital fungal infection.

Expert advice for Motivyst Tablet
Motivyst is used together with other diabetes medicines to control blood sugar and avoids long-term complications. You should continue to exercise regularly, eat a healthy diet, and take your other diabetes medicines along with Motivyst. Motivyst also helps reduce weight and blood pressure. Motivyst may cause you to urinate more often, so make sure you stay hydrated. Can cause genital fungal and/or urinary tract infections (UTIs) in both females and males. Can cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar level) when used with other antidiabetic medicines, alcohol or if you delay or miss a meal.

Q. What makes Motivyst better than glimepiride?
Both are effective in lowering blood glucose levels, however, they work in different ways and have different side effect profile. Glimepiride commonly causes hypoglycemia and weight gain while Motivyst causes hypoglycemia when taken with insulins or sulfonylureas and helps in loosing weight. Motivyst commonly causes urinary tract and genital infections.

Q. How is Motivyst different from dapagliflozin?
Both belong to the same class drugs and work by removing glucose from urine. However, Motivyst is more effective in removing a higher amount of glucose through urine in 24 hours than dapagliflozin. Also, the use of dapagliflozin is to be avoided in patients with bladder cancer.

Q. Is Motivyst better than sitagliptin for the control of my blood sugar?
Both Motivyst and sitagliptin lower blood sugar levels but work in different ways. Motivyst removes glucose from the body through urine while sitagliptin increases the release of insulin which lowers blood glucose levels. Motivyst causes urinary and genital tract infection while sitagliptin causes nausea and increases the risk of pancreatitis. Motivyst may cause weight loss while sitagliptin does not show any effect on weight.

Q. What is the benefit of using Motivyst with metformin?
The combination of Motivyst and metformin helps in a significant improvement of blood glucose levels and glycosylated hemoglobin as compared to when they are taken alone.

Q. Does Motivyst increase low-density lipoprotein (LDL) level?
Motivyst is seen to increase low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels in some patients. Get LDL levels checked regularly. However, the increase is not seen to be clinically significant and Motivyst can also increase the triglyceride (TG) and high-density lipoprotein levels (HDL). However, the exact mechanism for this effect is not known but is related to urinary glucose excretion.

Q. Can Motivyst help me in losing weight?
Motivyst along with well-balanced diet and exercise works effectively in lowering blood glucose levels and weight loss in type 2 diabetes patients. Motivyst works by removing glucose through urine, so, calories are lost resulting in weight loss according to some clinical studies.

Q. Can Motivyst be stopped immediately or slowly over a period of time?
Do not stop taking Motivyst immediately or over a period of time without consulting your doctor as the change in your treatment would depend on your blood glucose levels and other associated side effects or complications if any.

Q. Can Motivyst be a cause for amputation?
Motivyst can increase the risk of leg and foot amputation. Inform your doctor if you have a history of diabetic foot ulcer, peripheral vascular disease, neuropathy or amputation. In case you notice tenderness, pain, numbness, tingling sensation, discoloration, sores or ulcers in the lower limb if you are taking Motivyst, immediately contact your doctor.

Q. How long does Motivyst take to show its effect?
Motivyst starts to show its effect from the first dose itself but the complete effect is noticed after 1 week of starting the medicine.

Q. In what condition the use of Motivyst should be avoided or contraindicated?
Motivyst is not advised in patients with type 1 Diabetes, severe liver or kidney disease or on dialysis, diabetic ketoacidosis (elevated blood or urine ketone levels), patients planning for pregnancy or pregnant or nursing mother, patients with a history of allergy to this medicine, have low or high blood pressure or high cholesterol levels.

Q. Is Motivyst better than metformin?
Yes, Motivyst can be taken with metformin. A combined use of the two medicines can significantly improve blood glucose levels and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and help in weight loss as compared to when either of the medicine is taken alone. No change in side effect profile has been reported compared to when they are used alone.

Q. Can I use Motivyst for type 1 diabetes?
Motivyst is not indicated for use in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus as these patients tend to pass more urine. Motivyst works by removing glucose through the urine and also increases the urine frequency. So, a combined effect may worsen dehydration. There have been reports of diabetic ketoacidosis with Motivyst, a complication seen in type 1 diabetic patients and which may also get worsened in these patients.

Q. Can Motivyst be used as an add-on to insulin?
Motivyst can be used as an add-on to insulin. However, it is known to cause hypoglycemia (low blood glucose levels) when used with insulin or sulfonylurea group of anti-diabetics. So, a regular monitoring of blood sugar is important when they are used together.

Q. How is Motivyst different from liraglutide?
Both are anti-diabetic medicines and lower blood glucose levels effectively and can cause weight loss. Motivyst is to be taken by mouth and works by removing glucose from the body through urine and can cause urinary and genital tract infection. While liraglutide is an injectable which increases the release of insulin which lowers blood glucose levels and commonly causes nausea and increases the risk of pancreatitis.

Q. Does Motivyst cause low blood sugar level (hypoglycemia)?
Motivyst can cause low blood sugar level (hypoglycemia) but this is not very common. However, the risk of hypoglycemia may increase significantly when used along with insulins and sulfonylureas especially in patients with underlying chronic kidney disease and in elderly patients.

Q. How does Motivyst cause hyperkalemia?
Motivyst lowers blood glucose levels by removing glucose through urine and patient passes increased amount of urine which may lead to dehydration and increase potassium levels in the blood (hyperkalemia). It is more common in patients with chronic kidney disease and elderly patients.

Q. How does Motivyst increase low-density lipoprotein (LDL)?
Motivyst is known to cause a small increase in low-density lipoprotein (LDL). However, the exact mechanism for this effect is not known.