Diabetes Treatment: Guide to Oral Diabetes Medications

Know Your Meds

When you have type 2 diabetes, two problems are occurring:

1. The beta cells in your pancreas that make insulin are dwindling. It's likely you have fewer than half of them left when you were diagnosed.

2. You have insulin resistance; the insulin you do make isn't effectively lowering your blood glucose.

Most people who have type 2 diabetes need a progression of blood-glucose-lowering medications over the years to keep your blood glucose levels in the target range. And that's what's important to stay healthy. Read on for the latest on the blood-glucose- lowering medications for type 2 that are approved for use in the U.S. today.

It's important to understand how each medication works and to follow instructions for taking it.

1. Stay informed and query your health-care providers or pharmacist when you don't understand something.

2. Ask about how long it will be before you see a new medication lower your blood glucose.

3. Ask about how much you can expect a new medication to lower your blood glucose when it is maximally effective.

4. Know what the best time to take your pills is and try to take them as directed.

5. Know what side effects you might experience, how to deal with them, and when to alert your health-care provider with problems.

6. Realize that your doctor prescribes medications based on your health history, so don't try to copy another patient's plan or stop or start taking drugs on your own.

7. Test your blood glucose as directed and note how prescribed medication changes may affect it.