Finding the Right Diabetes Treatment
Finding the Right Diabetes Treatment
When you and your doctor are thinking about the best way to control your blood sugar, you've got a lot of options to choose from.Insulin and other medicines, including shots and pills, can help keep your levels in a healthy range. So which ones are right for you?
Here are some of the things you and your doctor will consider when you’re deciding on a treatment.
Is There a Diabetes Cure?
With all the research on diabetes and advances in diabetes treatments, it's tempting to think someone has surely found a diabetes cure by now. But the reality is that there is no cure for diabetes -- neither type 1 diabetes nor type 2 diabetes.However, there are treatments, including simple things you can do daily, that make a big difference.
Read the Is There a Diabetes Cure? article > >
Your type of diabetes. Are you type 1 or type 2? That affects which drugs you should take and the dosage you need. People with type 1 need to take insulin to control blood sugar because their bodies don’t make enough of it. On the other hand, some people with type 2 may need insulin, but others can get their blood sugar down with things like a better diet, more exercise, and different types of diabetes drugs.
Your blood sugar levels. If they stay too high for too long, you’re at risk for complications of diabetes, like eye problems or kidney disease. If your blood sugar is above where it should be, your doctor may add another drug to your treatment plan or increase your dose to get you to a healthy range.
How long you’ve had diabetes. If you’ve had the condition for more than 10 years, some diabetes pills may not help you. But if you’ve just been diagnosed, your doctor might not make insulin the first treatment you try. Also, your treatment plan may change over time, because some medications get less effective the longer you take them.
Other health problems. Some conditions you might have along with diabetes can affect how well your drugs control your blood sugar, including:
Some medications that treat diabetes also may help you treat other health problems or lower your risk for them. For example, GLP-1 agonist drugs help you feel fuller longer after you eat. This may help you lose extra pounds if you're overweight.
Here are some of the things you and your doctor will consider when you’re deciding on a treatment.
Recommended Related to Diabetes
Is There a Diabetes Cure?
With all the research on diabetes and advances in diabetes treatments, it's tempting to think someone has surely found a diabetes cure by now. But the reality is that there is no cure for diabetes -- neither type 1 diabetes nor type 2 diabetes.However, there are treatments, including simple things you can do daily, that make a big difference.
Read the Is There a Diabetes Cure? article > >
Your type of diabetes. Are you type 1 or type 2? That affects which drugs you should take and the dosage you need. People with type 1 need to take insulin to control blood sugar because their bodies don’t make enough of it. On the other hand, some people with type 2 may need insulin, but others can get their blood sugar down with things like a better diet, more exercise, and different types of diabetes drugs.
Your blood sugar levels. If they stay too high for too long, you’re at risk for complications of diabetes, like eye problems or kidney disease. If your blood sugar is above where it should be, your doctor may add another drug to your treatment plan or increase your dose to get you to a healthy range.
How long you’ve had diabetes. If you’ve had the condition for more than 10 years, some diabetes pills may not help you. But if you’ve just been diagnosed, your doctor might not make insulin the first treatment you try. Also, your treatment plan may change over time, because some medications get less effective the longer you take them.
Other health problems. Some conditions you might have along with diabetes can affect how well your drugs control your blood sugar, including:
- Obesity
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Heart diseases
- Kidney disease
- Sleep apnea or other sleep problems
- Depression
Some medications that treat diabetes also may help you treat other health problems or lower your risk for them. For example, GLP-1 agonist drugs help you feel fuller longer after you eat. This may help you lose extra pounds if you're overweight.
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