Helpful Strategies To Cultivate Healthy Habits For Diabetes Medications

Helpful Strategies To Cultivate Healthy Habits For Diabetes Medications

Medications are extremely important to manage diabetes. Some of these medications help manage high blood sugar levels in your body, whereas others are responsible for treating and preventing diabetes complications. As diabetes is a progressive disease, having regular medications is crucial to prevent diabetes from getting worse and prevent the development of diabetes-related diseases in the body. Therefore, diabetes patients must never miss their medications.

However, remembering medicines and taking them on time is an arduous job. Your healthcare provider is responsible for prescribing you the medications but it is your job to take the right medicines at the right time. There are some highly beneficial tips and strategies to help you manage diabetes medications and remind you to take your medicines on time. 

Healthy Tips To Manage Diabetes Medications

Know Everything About Your Medications

Why are you taking each medicine? How is it going to help you? What are the possible complications if you miss this medicine? Knowing the answers to all these questions and many more that may come to your mind is very important. It helps you adhere to your diabetes medications and not forget them. Therefore, you must ask your doctor all these queries and doubts to stay consistent with your medications.

Keep A List Of Your Medications With All Details

Make a chart of all your medications along with details such as the time to take the medicine, the use of the medicine, possible side effects, etc. You may also include non-prescription medicines such as herbal remedies and vitamins in the same chart. Paste the chart somewhere noticeable in your room and inform your caregiver of the same. It will help you keep a track of your medications and in case of any emergency, it will help your caregiver with all the required information.     

Keep Enough Prescription At Home

Keep prescriptions in adequate quantity at your homes, such as for a week or a month. You must buy another stock of medications before finishing up the first. It will make sure that you never run out of your medicines as well as help you know if you have taken all the medications for the week or the month. 

Keep A Schedule For Taking Medications

Set a schedule for taking medicines. Try to take your medications at the same time. You may also make a chart of the schedule and paste it on your refrigerator or next to your computer. It will help you become more adherent to taking medications as well as create a mental reminder to take medicines at set timings.

Keep Your Medicines At Highly Visible Spots

Always keep your medicines at highly visible spots such as the top of your refrigerator, your bedside table, beside your computer, etc. It will make sure that you will end up looking at your medicines frequently and remember to take them.

Make A Mental Connection With Daily Activities

Schedule your medicines with the time of your daily activities such as feeding the dog, taking showers, taking your meals, getting into your pyjamas, etc. Making medical connections with daily habits is very important for two reasons. Firstly, it helps to remind you to take your medicines whenever you are doing those activities. Secondly, it will make the monotonous job of taking medicines slightly enjoyable.   

Use Sticky Notes As Reminders

Using sticky notes with a reminder to take medicines is an effective strategy to remember diabetes medications. You may paste the sticky notes on your refrigerator or on anything you use often. 

Use A Compartmentalized Pillbox

Many drug stores sell compartmentalized pillboxes. In these boxes, there are different compartments for each day. You may fill your pillbox for a week. It will not only make you manage your diabetes medications better but also aid you in keeping a track of your medicines. 

Use A Reminder App On The Phone

You may find many reminder apps on your phones. Install the one that seems easy and flexible to you. You may put reminders on your phone for the whole week at once. It will make your task easier, while also making sure that you don’t miss your medications. 

Take Support From Your Caregiver

Your friends and your family are the most important people on this journey. Whoever your caregivers might be, don’t hesitate to take help from them. Tell them your medication schedule and ask them to help you remind those. Many support groups also help you in this process. Even drug stores offer help in reminding medications. Seek help to manage diabetes better.   

Reference Links:

1. https://www.diabetescarecommunity.ca/living-well-with-diabetes-articles/medication-articles/oral-diabetes-medications/top-10-tips-for-remembering-diabetes-medications/
2. https://www.diabeteseducator.org/living-with-diabetes/aade7-self-care-behaviors/taking-medication
3. https://www.healthline.com/health/type-2-diabetes/small-habits-manage-t2d#add-steps