When looking for the best way to control your blood sugar, you’ll be surprised at the number of options available. Insulin and other medications (both injectables and oral medications) can help keep you healthy. So, which treatments are better for you?
Here are some things that patients and doctors consider when choosing a treatment.
Type of diabetes
Do you have type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes? People with type 1 diabetes need to use insulin to control their blood sugar because their bodies do not produce enough insulin. On the other hand, some people with type 2 diabetes may also need insulin, but some people can lower their blood sugar by eating a healthy diet, getting more exercise, and taking different types of diabetes treatment medications.
Glucose levels
If blood sugar is high for a long time, patients are at risk for complications from diabetes, such as eye disease or kidney disease. If blood glucose is higher than it should be, your doctor will add another medication to treatment or increase the dose of the medication to bring blood glucose levels into the normal range.
Time to develop diabetes
If a person has had diabetes for more than 10 years, some diabetes medications may no longer work. However, if you are newly diagnosed with diabetes, your doctor will not use insulin as your first choice of treatment. In addition, treatment plans can change over time because some medications become less effective the longer they are used.
Other health problems
Other health problems that may affect the extent to which patients take medications to control their blood sugar include:
- obesity;
- hypertension;
- high cholesterol;
- heart disease;
- Kidney disease;
- Sleep apnea or other sleep problems;
- Depression.
In addition, some diabetes treatment medications can help treat other health problems, or reduce the chance of developing other health problems. For example, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists can help create a feeling of fullness after eating. This can help shed excess weight if the patient is overweight.
However, diabetes and some drugs can increase or decrease the chance of developing certain types of cancer, including liver, pancreatic, or colon cancer. Scientists are not sure of the connection, but if the risk of developing a certain type of cancer is high, then doctors may weigh it carefully before choosing a treatment option.
To exercise or not
Exercise can lower blood sugar levels, which is a good thing, but patients need to include it in their treatment plan. It may be a good idea to discuss the amount of daily exercise with your doctor. If more exercise will be done in daily life or at work, the dose of certain diabetes medications will need to be changed.
Whether to drink alcohol
Alcohol lowers blood glucose levels within a few hours, so it can affect the effectiveness of insulin or diabetes medications. If you want to have a glass of beer or white wine from time to time, you need to tell your doctor how much alcohol you usually drink. Your doctor will advise you to take extra steps to make sure that alcohol does not interfere with the diabetes treatment medications working.
Is there a fear of injections
If you cannot tolerate injections to give your medication, you are less likely to do them yourself, and insulin injections are key to blood glucose control. Therefore, if you are afraid of needles or are not confident about injecting yourself, tell your doctor.
Some diabetes medications are designed as pen-like devices that are easier to use than syringes, and your doctor or nurse will show you how to use it. In addition, you can also inhale insulin through your nose.