Portrait of a woman using continuous glucose monitoring to manage her diabetes at home.

Diabetes and Medication Management

What is diabetes? 

Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects the body’s ability to convert food into energy using a hormone called insulin. Diabetes occurs when the body does not make enough insulin to turn sugar from food into the energy the body needs. As a result, sugar (glucose) remains in the body at high levels.

Living with diabetes 

Diabetes management can require important changes to your lifestyle. This often includes regular blood sugar monitoring, taking prescribed medications, diet, and exercise.  This might feel overwhelming in the beginning, but over time, managing your diabetes can become routine. 

Adopting a healthy lifestyle, by making small changes, can result in a big and lasting impact. Avoiding these changes, on the other hand, can lead to serious damage to your vision, feet (sometimes leading to infection and amputation), as well as heart and kidney disease.

How the medications work in the body 

There are several medications that work in different ways to lower high blood glucose levels and manage diabetes. It is important to take your medications as prescribed, even if you are not having symptoms of high blood sugar and your diabetes is controlled. Here are a few ways the medications work in your body: 

  • Preventing your body from making too much sugar 
  • Making the body get rid of excess glucose through your urine 
  • Slowing down the breakdown of food into sugar 
  • Making your body more responsive to insulin 
  • Prompting your body to make more insulin

Always practice medication adherence by:

  • Taking your medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor
  • Check to see if your medication should be taken with or without food
  • Organize your medication in a pill box to help you remember the time and dose it should be taken.
  • Make a list of your medications and take it with you to appointments
  • Ask your pharmacy if they can provide your medications in single-dose packaging.
  • Do not share medications with others or ration your medications
  • Use only one pharmacy
  • Refill your prescriptions before they run out. Or ask your doctor for a 90-day prescription.
  • Always talk to your doctor and pharmacist before traveling to ensure you have enough medication. 
  • Take advantage of Elderplan programs, like mail order delivery, so that you can have your prescriptions automatically refilled and delivered right to your home 

Your team at Elderplan/HomeFirst looks forward to working with you to improve your health. We have even developed a Diabetes Disease Management Program, designed specifically for members living with diabetes and their caregivers to help manage this condition. We are here to support you along the way. 

If you are an Elderplan Member and need help, contact the Elderplan Wellness Team at 718-759-4413 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. We can assist in scheduling your screening or recommend other care options through one of our programs.

If you are not a Member, please explore our health plan options to see if there is a plan that may suit your needs. 

Source: Elderplan/HomeFirst Diabetes Disease Management Guide.

Additional Resources

Diabetes and You

Learn about diabetes and how to manage it before it becomes a serious health problem.

All Resources
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