How to know what diabetes supplies you need

Learning that you have diabetes is often a traumatic event. Immediately you start thinking of the many items you will need to buy and the imagined expense and testing procedures causes further distress. The actual list of diabetic supplies is fairly short and is usually covered by health insurance. All of the items require a prescription from your health care provider.

Blood Glucose Monitor are small devices that measure the amount of glucose in your blood. In order to use the monitor you prick your fingertip with a lancet and catch a drop of blood on a testing strip. Once the strip is inside the unit it will measure your glucose in a matter of seconds. The finger prick is not painful if done correctly. Use an area on the side of your finger near the fleshy part of the pad. There are fewer nerve endings there. A diabetes educator, referred by your doctor, will show you how to use the device properly.

C. Molina editor of several diabetes websites like http://www.mydiabetessupply.com, said:

“…There are many monitoring device kits available today and most are compact and easy to carry. They range in price from free to over sixty dollars. In fact, the device itself is the least expensive item you will need to purchase. The true expense in the blood glucose monitoring system is the test strips. All strips can only be used once and then must be thrown away. Further strips range in price from over a hundred dollars per prescription to as much as a thousand dollars…”

There are several medications available for the treatment of diabetes. The most commonly known is, of course, insulin. However, many diabetics do not require insulin injections to manage their diabetes. Type II patients can manage their illness easily with oral medication. The most commonly prescribed oral medication is Metformin. Oral medications work by stabilizing your metabolism. They act to keep your body from metabolizing the sugars in your diet. Insulin works to replace the insulin your body is not producing in adequate amounts. Type I diabetics use insulin. After determining the amount of blood glucose in their bloodstream, they use a pre-measured and filled syringe to inject insulin into their system to stabilize their sugar.

“…The first professional you will encounter in your diabetes care is your physician. He or she will order the blood tests to determine how much medication you need. The blood tests include an A1C test which measures how much blood glucose has been in your system over the last three months. This test is performed in a lab. Other tests include thyroid and cholesterol tests as diabetes is often related to other conditions. Your doctor should refer you to a diabetes educator. This person will help you learn to use your monitor and adjust your diet to reduce your sugar. They will also work with you on an exercise plan…”

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