Diabetes &
Medication

The first treatment for type 2 diabetes blood glucose (sugar) control is often meal planning, weight loss, and exercising.

Sometimes these measures are not enough to bring blood glucose levels down near the normal range. The next step is taking a medicine that lowers blood glucose levels.

Only people with type 2 diabetes can use pills to manage their diabetes, people with type 1 diabetes must use insulin.

These pills work best when used with meal planning and exercise. This way you have three therapies working together to lower your blood glucose levels.

Diabetes pills don't work for everyone. Although most people find that their blood glucose levels go down when they begin taking pills, their blood glucose levels may not go near the normal range. Start by considering your options and see what might work best for you.

All diabetes pills can interact with other medicines. Because of the chance of medication interactions, you need to tell your doctor about all medicines you are taking. While you're taking diabetes pills, you should check with your doctor before starting anything new — even over-the-counter items.

Checklist of Knowledge and Skills:

• Amount of medication to take, best times to take it and how often to take it
• Whether you need to take it with food or on an empty stomach
• How the medication works and how to monitor to see if it is effective
• Any side effects to report
• What to do if you experience a problem
• What to do if you miss a dose of medication or are delayed in taking it
• How to store the medication so it keeps its effectiveness over time

Next Article: Diabetes Complications & Prevention