How Do I Know My Diabetes Medication Is Working?
Learn to test your blood glucose. Ask your doctor or
diabetes teacher about the best testing tools for you and how often to test. After you test your blood glucose, write down your blood glucose test results. Then ask your doctor or diabetes teacher if your diabetes medication is working. A good blood glucose reading before meals is between 70 and 140 mg/dL.
Ask your doctor or diabetes teacher about how low or how high your blood glucose should get before you take action. For many people, blood glucose is too low below 70 mg/dL and too high above 240 mg/dL.
One other number to know is the result of a blood test your doctor does called the A1c. It shows your blood glucose control during the past two to three months. For most people, the target for A1c is less than 7 percent.
Potential Side Effects of Diabetes Medication
Side effects are changes that may happen in your body when you take a medicine. When your doctor gives you a new diabetes medication, ask what the side effects might be. Here are some things to remember about side effects of diabetes medication:
- Some side effects occur just when you start to take the diabetes medication. Then they go away.
- Some side effects happen only once in a while. You may get used to them or learn how to manage them.
- Some side effects will cause you to stop taking the medicine. Your doctor may try another one that doesn't cause you side effects.
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