Trulicity Uses & Side Effects

Trulicity is an injectable prescription medicine approved to control blood glucose along with lifestyle changes for patients with type 2 diabetes. It is a brand name drug and contains the generic medication dulaglutide. Please continue reading to learn more about Trulicity, including its uses and side effects.

What exactly does Trulicity do?

Trulicity (dulaglutide) belongs to a group of drugs called incretin mimetics or glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists. It works, along with diet and exercise, to control high blood glucose levels. Trulicity is prescribed to adults and children 10 years of age and above with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Type 2 diabetes is a condition in which the body doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t use it as well as it should, resulting in high blood sugar levels.

Incretins are the hormones that the digestive tract secretes in the presence of food. A glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) are the two main incretins. Incretin hormones hold many important roles in facilitating digestion and controlling blood sugar. By mimicking the mechanism of GLP-1, Trulicity works to regulate blood sugar in patients with type 2 diabetes. Specifically, Trulicity binds to the GLP receptors, which are located in different body organs such as the brain, liver, stomach, and pancreas; in turn, Trulicity stimulates insulin secretion while reducing glucagon production; glucagon is a hormone that keeps the blood sugar from getting low. This is the overall mechanism of how Trulicity works to improve glycemic control.

Trulicity is used to reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events such as heart attack, stroke, and cardiac-related death in people with heart disease or multiple cardiovascular risk factors and diabetes.

Trulicity is not for type 1 diabetes, a condition in which the body does not make enough insulin hormone.

Is Trulicity the same as Ozempic?

Both Trulicity (dulaglutide) and Ozempic (semaglutide) belong to the same class of drugs called incretin mimetics or GLP-1 agonists. There are many similarities between them, but also some differences.

Both are injectable medications and are taken, along with diet and exercise, to control blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes.

Trulicity comes as a 0.5 mL single-dose pen with 4 dosing options, such as 0.75 mg, 1.5 mg, 3 mg, and 4.5 mg/0.5 mL. Ozempic comes as a multiple-dose injectable pen with 4 different dosing regimens, including 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1 mg, and 2 mg/0.5.

Trulicity is approved to reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in people with diabetes who also have heart disease or heart disease risk factors such as smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and obesity. On the other hand, Ozempic is approved to lower the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in diabetic patients with established heart diseases only and not for those with risk factors for heart disease.

Your healthcare provider may recommend Trulicity vs Ozempic based on your preferences, medical history, and insurance coverage.

Is Trulicity taken for weight loss?

No, Trulicity is not FDA-approved as a weight loss drug, even though it may cause you to lose weight by decreasing your appetite.

Note that another GLP-1 agonist, semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic, is sold under the brand name Wegovy. This drug is FDA-approved to help with weight loss in obese or overweight adults and children aged 12 years and older.

Wegovy works by slowing the passage of food through the stomach, helping you feel fuller for longer, thus, aiding weight loss.

It’s worth noting that Wegovy (semaglutide) works best with a reduced-calorie diet and consistent exercise program. To qualify for Wegovy, you need to be overweight (BMI 27 or higher) or obese (BMI 30 or higher) and have weight-related medical problems.

What are the common side effects of Trulicity?

Common side effects of Trulicity (dulaglutide) include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, gastroesophageal reflux disease (heartburn), indigestion, decreased appetite, and fatigue. Talk with your doctor if these side effects are severe or persist after a few days once your body has had time to adjust to the medication.

What are the worst side effects of Trulicity?

Some of the side effects of Trulicity are more serious. You should seek medical advice promptly if you develop:

Serious allergic reaction — skin rash, hives, itching, difficulty breathing, swelling of the face, throat, or tongue.
Signs and symptoms of pancreatitis — persistent severe abdominal pain in the left upper area that may spread to the back, nausea, and vomiting --
Signs and symptoms of a thyroid tumor -- shortness of breath, a new lump in your neck, hoarseness
Signs and symptoms of low blood sugar: hunger, increased sweating, anxiety, feeling jittery, dizziness, headache, and fast heart rate.

What is the drug-associated risk of taking Trulicity?

THYROID TUMORS

Trulicity has a boxed warning for thyroid cancer. Experiments in laboratory animals (rats) have shown that Trulicity causes thyroid tumors, including thyroid C cell tumors and medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). Thyroid tumors are more likely when you take the medicine at higher doses or for a long time. It is unclear whether Trulicity increases the risk of thyroid tumors at the maximum recommended human dose. However, because there is a potential risk, people who have a personal or family history of multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2) or medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) should not take Trulicity. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you notice a lump in your neck, hoarseness, or difficulty breathing or swallowing while on this medication.

PANCREATITIS

Rarely, taking Trulicity can lead to inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis). Talk with your doctor right away if you develop severe pain in the stomach, back pain, or vomiting.

SEVERE HYPOGLYCEMIA

Taking Trulicity along with insulin treatment or concomitantly administered insulin secretagogues (oral medications that increase insulin secretion) for additional glycemic control can put you at risk of having severe hypoglycemia (dangerously low blood sugar levels). Tell your healthcare provider if you notice low blood sugar levels on home checks. Your provider may want to adjust the doses of your other diabetes medications. Make sure you know how to recognize the signs and symptoms of low blood sugar and what to do if it happens.

ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY

Trulicity can cause or worsen kidney problems. The risk of this happening is higher in people who are dehydrated, for example, from vomiting or diarrhea. Drink plenty of fluids and stay well-hydrated while on Trulicity. Before starting this diabetes medication, tell your doctor if you have a history of kidney disease or chronic renal failure. Also, tell your doctor if you notice any problems with urination during treatment. Keep all appropriate clinical follow up, as your doctor may want to order lab tests periodically to keep an eye on your kidney function.

DIABETIC RETINOPATHY

A small number of patients treated with Trulicity develop eye problems (diabetic retinopathy). Tell your provider if you have diabetic retinopathy complications already. Your doctor will check your eyes regularly to make sure they are not getting worse. Call your doctor without delay if you develop any eye pain or vision changes.

GALLBLADDER PROBLEMS

Very rarely, people taking Trulicity can develop gallstones and other gallbladder problems. Get immediate medical help if you develop fever, upper stomach pain, yellowing of the skin or eyes, or light-colored stools.

How to use Trulicity?

Precautions

Tell your doctor if you have ever had allergic reactions to Trulicity (dulaglutide), other GLP agonists, or any other medications.

Give your doctor and pharmacist a complete list of your concomitant medications, including prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines, dietary supplements, and herbal products. This will help avoid drug interactions.

Before starting Trulicity, tell your doctor if you have ever had a major cardiovascular event, pancreatitis, diabetic retinopathy, or a severe gastrointestinal disease such as severe gastroparesis, kidney disease, liver disease, or gallbladder disease. Trulicity may not be right for you.

Injecting Trulicity

Trulicity (dulaglutide) comes as an injectable solution in a prefilled single-dose pen. Use the Trulicity pen to inject the medicine under the skin of your upper arm, stomach, or thigh. Change the injection sites with each dose.

You can inject Trulicity at any time of the day, with or without meals. This medication is usually injected once a week. You should inject it on the same day of the week. If you want to change the day of the week when you take your dulaglutide injection, make sure it has been at least 3 days since your last dose.

Never mix other medications in the prefilled Trulicity pen. Before you inject the medicine, check that the liquid is clear, colorless, and does not contain any floating particles. Do not share your Trulicity pens with others or use someone else’s pens. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain how to discard medical supplies safely.

Dosing

Read the prescription label carefully and follow your doctor’s instructions carefully. Stick to the medication treatment plan developed by your provider. After 4 weeks of being on the 3 mg dose, your doctor may instruct you to go to the maximum dose of 4.5 mg per week if your blood sugar is still not well-controlled.

Missed Dose

If you miss a dose of Trulicity, take it as soon as you remember. However, if less than 3 days remain until your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the next dose according to your regular schedule. Do not take a double dose of Trulicity to make up for a missed dose.

Stopping Treatment

Remember, Trulicity will help to control your diabetes but will not cure the condition. Continue using the medicine even if you don’t have any symptoms. Do not stop it without talking to your doctor first.

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