People with Type 2 diabetes are often able to manage their blood glucose through a diet and exercise plan. However, some people may also need medication to help control their blood glucose. In fact, several different medications may be needed because each works a different way. Contact your healthcare professional to learn what is appropriate for your specific diabetes management programme.
Types of Oral Medication
You may get some tablets to take for your Type 2 diabetes. These work alongside the insulin that your body makes, to lower your blood glucose. Different types of tablets work in different ways. You may need to have insulin injections too as your diabetes progresses. The table tells you a little about each type of medicine.
Taking your medication
Your GP or nurse will explain exactly how to take your medication. It’s important that you do this as advised.
Tablets
You should take your tablets at the same times every day, before and after your meals as instructed.
| Tablet medicines |
How they help you |
| Metformin |
This is commonly used to treat type 2 diabetes. It stops your liver releasing too much glucose into your blood, so bringing your blood glucose down. It also makes the cells in your body respond better to the insulin you are making. Remember insulin is your body's natural response to bring glucose levels in the blood down. |
| Sulphonylureas e.g. Glicizide |
If you are not overweight, you may be given one of these medicines. They work by stimulating your pancreas to make more insulin. That does mean that you have more insulin in your body and this may send your blood glucose too low (hypoglycaemia). That is when using your meter to check your blood glucose is so important.
Sometimes they can cause you to put on a little weight. It is most important to get your glucose levels under control. Increasing your exercise and reducing your portion size should help with any small weight gain. |
| Glitazone Pioglitizone |
This medication makes your cells more sensitive to insulin, so making your body take more glucose from your blood. It is often used in combination with Sulphonylureas and Metformin. |
| Gliptins (DPP-4 inhibitors) |
These are a new group of medicines. They work by increasing levels of something called GLP-1. This is a protein that helps the body produce insulin. |
Injections
| Injectable medicines |
How they help you |
| Exenatide/Liraglutide |
This is a new injectable medicine that acts a bit like Gliptins above. It helps to reduce blood glucose and weight without the risk of hypoglycaemic episodes if the glicizide is reduced or stopped. |
| Insulin |
Insulin can be used alongside tablets for your diabetes. There are various types of insulin and you will be given the one that best suits you. Some are long-acting (lasting up to a whole day), some are short-acting (lasting up to eight hours), and some are rapid-acting (work quickly but do not last very long). Your treatment may include a combination of these. Most people inject themselves 2-4 times daily. |
There are different ways of injecting and your nurse will discuss with you the best way to suit your needs. You can use a syringe, or there are various different disposable and reusable pen devices. Your diabetes nurse will show you how and where to inject. It is more comfortable when it is done into the fatty parts of your body, e.g. upper arms, tummy, thighs and buttocks. You should rotate the place you inject so that you don’t get sore.
Your diabetes nurse will advise you about the best way to store your insulin. Don’t worry about disposing of your needles, you’ll receive a sharps container from your healthcare team to safely do this. These are available on prescription.
Remember, you need to test your blood glucose regularly and work with your healthcare team to make sure your medication is working the way it should. Bayer’s blood glucose testing meters can help you make this a simple step in your diabetes management.