For many people with diabetes, medications are
an essential part of controlling the disease. Taking
medications at the right time, dose, and frequency
that your doctor has prescribed is key to managing
daily blood sugar levels. Try a few of the tips below
to stay on track with taking your medications:
Know your medications.
Understanding how your
medications work can help
you to understand the
importance of taking
them at the right
time. Know the names, doses,
and instructions for the medications you're taking.
It’s all about timing. Find the best times to take
your medications. Ask your diabetes care team about
the best time of day, spacing between doses, pairing
medication times with your daily schedule, and
grouping medications that may be taken together.
Create a routine. Use what you know about the
timing of your medications to create a daily medication
routine to help you stay on track. A pill box with AM
and PM can help you stay organized during each day.
Link your medications with an activity. Keep
your medication containers at your favorite breakfast
spot or keep your pill box next to your toothbrush.
Use reminders. Schedule a reminder on your
phone. Use an app like Glucose Buddy to create daily
alerts and track each medication. Place a sticky
note on the refrigerator or pantry door.
Check your success. See if your medication
plan is working by maintaining a blood sugar log and
tracking patterns in your blood sugar values and
noting your A1C. Compare your new A1C to the
previous one. Seeing blood sugar values and A1C
improve will help to motivate you to keep up with
your day-to-day treatment plan.
For more diabetes tips and resources, search
"Spectrum Health Lakeland Diabetes Support"
on Facebook or call 269.556.2868.