How do I Choose the Best Blood Sugar Medication?

When choosing the best blood sugar medication, it's important to get the advice of qualified doctors. Both your family doctor and diabetes specialist, or endocrinologist, can help you find the best medication to control your blood sugar. You may need to try several types of blood sugar medication before discovering the one that works for you without too many side effects or problems.

For some people with a blood sugar disorder such as diabetes, more than one type of medication may produce unwanted side effects. The most common side effect of blood sugar medication is an over-lowering result. Your blood sugar may become too low to be considered safe and the danger could be coma or death if it goes untreated. Having glucose tablets or other sources of quick sugar can be lifesaving in these situations. You should regularly monitor your blood sugar levels, especially when trying a new medication.

Keeping a record of your blood sugar levels, especially when starting a new medication, can alert your doctor to perhaps prescribing another drug if problems occur. In general, the best medication for you is the one that keeps your blood sugar at as normal a level as possible. If you try different medicines and get the same positive result, then choosing the best blood sugar medication based on price or other factors may be satisfactory. For example, some people on a pharmacy care plan as part of their medical insurance may have restrictions as to which blood sugar medications are covered.

It's a good idea to keep in mind that sometimes it's not the blood sugar medication itself that isn't working correctly, but rather the dosage. The prescribing doctor may want you to try different dosages before ruling out a particular medication. He or she may also prescribe two or more blood sugar medications to be taken at the same time. For some people, combinations of different medicines work better than a single one.

Researching different blood sugar medications can help you better understand how they work in your body and the side effects each may have. Be sure to use reliable sources when researching possible medications to treat your blood sugar issues. It's advisable to write down questions to ask your doctor or endocrinologist so you can have accurate, up-to-date information based on what is best for you as an individual patient. What type of medication will work best to properly control blood sugar levels can vary greatly between individuals.