Monitoring Your Blood Glucose > Pills and Monitoring
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If you have type 2 diabetes, you may be required to take diabetes pills or diabetes medication. The longer you have diabetes, the more likely it is that you will require more diabetes medication or insulin to manage your diabetes. This does not mean that you are not doing a good job managing your diabetes. It is the nature of the condition, and taking the new medication helps to keep you healthy and prevent complications related to diabetes.
Pills are not insulin, but work with the body's insulin to control glucose. Some pills help your body make more insulin, while others help it better use the insulin you make. Diabetes pills interact with food, exercise, and your body's own insulin to control your blood glucose levels. For best results, information about blood glucose levels, medicines, exercise, and food should be reviewed together with your health care team.
Taking diabetes pills and testing regularly will help you avoid blood glucose (BG) levels that are too high or too low. Your medication plan is working well if you reach your target goals most of the time and your A1C results are within an acceptable range.
How Will I Know if My Medicine Plan is Working?
Your blood glucose monitoring results, the frequency of high and low blood sugars, and your A1C results help tell you how well your plan is working. The recommended goals shown in the table are blood glucose values that help most people feel their best every day and protect your long-term health. These values may have to be adjusted for certain individuals so it is best to work with your health care team to develop goals that are right for you. Your medicine plan is working well if you reach your goals most of the time and seldom have low blood glucose reactions.
Levels of Glucose Control for People With Diabetes (Adults and Adolescents)
| Target for most patients | Normal range if it can safely be achieved | "My target range" (ask your doctor) | | Glucose before meals | 4.0 - 7.0 mmol/L | 4.0 - 6.0 mmol/L |
| | Glucose 2 hours after eating | 5.0 - 10.0 mmol/L | 5.0 – 8.0 mmol/L |
| | A1C | < 7.0% | < 6.0% |
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This information serves only as a guide. You need to know what your own blood glucose target ranges are, so be certain to discuss this with your doctor.
How Can Monitoring Help Improve My Medication Regimen
Blood glucose testing shows the effects of: - Food choices and the amounts eaten
- Medication taken and number of times taken
- Other changes in your daily routine
You and your diabetes team need the information from blood glucose monitoring. Without it, you may not know if you are using the right kinds and amounts of diabetes medicines, or you may not know when changes are needed.
Do My Pills Have Any Side Effects?
All diabetes pills can have side effects. If you have any unusual symptoms, tell your doctor or educator as side effects can almost always be controlled by changing: - The dose of your medicine
- The time it is given
- The type of medicine you are taking
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The health information on this Web site is for general background purposes and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for specific conditions. Seek prompt medical attention for health care questions you have. Consult your physician before making changes to your medication, diet, fitness program or blood glucose testing schedules.