Januvia
Januvia tablets are generic sitagliptin phosphate, a once-daily DPP-4 inhibitor for type 2 diabetes, stocked in 50mg and 100mg strengths in packs from 10 to 90 tablets.
All strengths and pack prices
| Strength | Pack | Price | Per tablet |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50mg | 10 tablets | $38.20 | $3.82 |
| 50mg | 20 tablets | $73.00 | $3.65 |
| 50mg | 30 tablets | $107.10 | $3.57 |
| 50mg | 40 tablets | $136.00 | $3.40 |
| 50mg | 60 tablets | $189.00 | $3.15 |
| 50mg | 90 tablets | $273.60 | $3.04 |
| 100mg | 10 tablets | $42.50 | $4.25 |
| 100mg | 20 tablets | $80.80 | $4.04 |
| 100mg | 30 tablets | $114.60 | $3.82 |
| 100mg | 40 tablets | $146.80 | $3.67 |
| 100mg | 60 tablets | $211.80 | $3.53 |
| 100mg | 90 tablets | $306.00 | $3.40 |
- Category
- Diabetes Management
- Active ingredient
- Sitagliptin
- Route
- Oral
- Form
- Tablet
- Strengths
- 50/100mg
You will receive a quality generic equivalent, depending on stock.
Shipped in a discreet, unmarked envelope.
Details
- Conditions
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Therapeutic Class
- Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 Inhibitor
- Pharmacological Class
- DPP-4 Inhibitor
- Minor Side Effects
- Upper respiratory infection
- Moderate Side Effects
- Headache
- Dosage Forms
- Tablet
- Administration Route
- Oral
- Originator
- Merck
- Onset Time
- 1–4 hours
- Duration
- 24 hours
- Storage Instructions
- Room temperature.
- Drug Interactions
- Insulin
What you will receive
Januvia is the originator brand name, made by Merck. We use it to identify the medicine; the pack you receive is a generic equivalent, not the original Januvia.
- The same active ingredient (Sitagliptin) at the same strength.
- The exact brand supplied depends on what is in stock when your order ships.
FAQ
Which strengths and pack sizes of generic Januvia can I order?
Generic Januvia tablets come in 50mg and 100mg strengths. You can order packs of 10, 20, 30, 40, 60 or 90 tablets. The pack contains generic sitagliptin phosphate, not the original Januvia. Larger packs cost less per tablet.
How is Januvia delivered to Hong Kong?
For Januvia, every order ships in plain, unbranded packaging with nothing on the outside about the contents. If a parcel does not arrive within its delivery window, or arrives damaged, it is sent again free; if that is not possible, the order is refunded. Support answers 24/7 in English and Cantonese by live chat.
Does Januvia have other names?
Januvia is a brand name of sitagliptin, which is also sold as Sitaglo, Sitazit, Xelevia and Zituvio. Here, sitagliptin can be bought online as generic Januvia, and also as sitagliptin tablets. These are generics, not the original brand.
Can I drink alcohol with Januvia?
Alcohol does not interact with sitagliptin directly, but drinking can push blood sugar up or down and can blur the signs of a hypo. Keep to moderate amounts and eat something while you drink. If you also take insulin or a sulfonylurea, the effect on your blood sugar is easier to miss.
Can I take Januvia with metformin?
Yes. Metformin and sitagliptin are one of the commonest pairings in type 2 diabetes, because they act in different places: metformin mainly reduces the glucose the liver puts out, and sitagliptin acts on meal-time hormones. The pair rarely causes low blood sugar; that risk rises once insulin or a sulfonylurea joins them.
Does Januvia cause weight gain?
Sitagliptin is weight-neutral for most people: it is not linked with the weight gain seen with sulfonylureas and insulin. If your weight shifts after starting it, the change is more likely to come from appetite, diet or another medicine you take.
Is Januvia the same as insulin?
No. Januvia is a tablet and contains no insulin. It helps your own pancreas release insulin around meals and reduces the glucose your liver releases, but anyone who needs insulin still injects it. Sitagliptin is not used for type 1 diabetes, where insulin is the main treatment.
How long does Januvia take to work?
Sitagliptin starts to bring blood sugar down within the first week or two, and the full effect on HbA1c — the two-to-three-month average of your blood sugar that clinics track — builds over about three months of steady use. It is a gradual medicine rather than a quick one.
About Januvia
What these tablets do
Sitagliptin, the ingredient in Januvia, is a once-a-day tablet for adults with type 2 diabetes whose blood sugar stays high despite diet and exercise. Eating sets off gut hormones that tell the pancreas to release insulin and the liver to ease off glucose, but an enzyme called DPP-4 breaks those hormones down within minutes. Sitagliptin blocks that enzyme. The signal lasts longer, and blood sugar rises less after meals. It is not insulin, and it is not used for type 1 diabetes.
How to take it
Most adults take 100mg once a day. The 50mg strength is there for people whose kidneys clear medicines more slowly, which is why both are stocked. Choose a time you will not forget — breakfast is the usual anchor — and keep to it. Food is not a factor: swallow the tablet with a glass of water before, with or after a meal. Keep the foil strips in a cool spot indoors, clear of damp and direct heat.
What to watch for
Headache, a blocked nose, a sore throat and an unsettled stomach are what people report most, and these usually ease within a few weeks. Taken alone, sitagliptin seldom drops blood sugar far enough to cause a hypo (low blood sugar). Add insulin or an older sulfonylurea tablet such as gliclazide or glimepiride, and hypos become a real possibility; shakiness, sweating, sudden hunger and a pounding heartbeat are the signs to know. Two rare problems matter more: pancreatitis, where the upper belly aches badly and the pain bores through towards the spine, and an allergic reaction — swelling of the lips, face or tongue. Both need urgent treatment. Some people get joint pain bad enough to notice, and it clears up when the tablets are stopped.
Januvia or plain sitagliptin?
Searching for "sitagliptin 100mg" and searching for "Januvia 100mg" bring you to the same medicine. The tablets here are generic sitagliptin phosphate in 50mg and 100mg; Januvia is the trade name the ingredient is known by. What differs is the box, not the strength, the tablet form or the once-daily routine.