Do I need to take diabetes medicine?
What if I have type 1 diabetes?
Type 1 is the type of diabetes that people most often get before 30 years of age. All people with type 1 diabetes need to take insulin (IN-suh-lin) because their bodies do not make enough of it. Insulin helps turn food into energy for the body to work.
What if I have type 2 diabetes?
Healthy eating may help you lower
your blood glucose.
Type 2 is the type of diabetes most people get as adults after the age of 40. But you can also get this kind of diabetes at a younger age.
Healthy eating, exercise, and losing weight may help you lower your blood glucose (also called blood sugar) when you find out you have type 2 diabetes. If these treatments do not work, you may need one or more types of diabetes pills to lower your blood glucose. After a few more years, you may need to take insulin shots because your body is not making enough insulin.
You, your doctor, and your diabetes teacher should always find the best diabetes plan for you.
Why do I need medicines for type 1 diabetes?
The pancreas is where your body makes insulin.
Most people make insulin in their pancreas. If you have type 1 diabetes, your body does not make insulin. Insulin helps glucose from the foods you eat get to all parts of your body and be used for energy.
Because your body no longer makes insulin, you need to take insulin in shots. Take your insulin as your doctor tells you. The section What do I need to know about insulin? provides more information on insulin.
Also see: Specific Insulins
Why do I need medicines for type 2 diabetes?
If you have type 2 diabetes, your pancreas usually makes plenty of insulin. But your body cannot correctly use the insulin you make. You might get this type of diabetes if members of your family have or had diabetes. You might also get type 2 diabetes if you weigh too much or do not exercise enough.
After you have had type 2 diabetes for a few years, your body may stop making enough insulin. Then you will need to take diabetes pills or insulin.
You need to know:
Diabetes medicines that lower blood glucose never take the place of healthy eating and exercise.
If your blood glucose gets too low more than a few times in a few days, call your doctor.
Take your diabetes pills or insulin even if you are sick. If you cannot eat much, call your doctor.
What do I need to know about diabetes pills?
Many types of diabetes pills can help people with type 2 diabetes lower their blood glucose. Each type of pill helps lower blood glucose in a different way. The diabetes pill (or pills) you take is from one of these groups. You might know your pill (or pills) by a different name.
Sulfonylureas (SUL-fah-nil-YOO-ree-ahs) stimulate your pancreas to make more insulin.
Biguanides (by-GWAN-ides) decrease the amount of glucose made by your liver.
Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors (AL-fa gloo-KOS-ih-dayss in-HIB-it-ers) slow the absorption of the starches you eat.
Thiazolidinediones (THIGH-ah-ZO-li-deen-DYE-owns) make you more sensitive to insulin.
Meglitinides (meh-GLIT-in-ides) stimulate your pancreas to make more insulin.
D-phenylalanine (dee-fen-nel-AL-ah-neen) derivatives help your pancreas make more insulin quickly.
Combination oral medicines put together different kinds of pills.
Also see: Specific Pills
Your doctor might prescribe one pill. If the pill does not lower your blood glucose, your doctor may
ask you to take more of the same pills, or
add a new pill or insulin, or
ask you to change to another pill or insulin.
Fill out a medicine
planning form.
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