Only people with type 2 diabetes can use medications other than insulin to manage their diabetes, people with type 1 diabetes must use insulin.
Type 2 diabetes treatment plans usually include meal planning and physical activity along with your diabetes medication. This way you have three therapies working together to manage your blood glucose levels. Start by considering your options and see what might work best for you.
Diabetes is a progressive disease and medications sometimes stop working as well over time. When this happens adjustments to your medication or combination therapy can help, which may include adding insulin to your treatment plan. This doesn't mean you're doing something wrong.
Even if diabetes other medications do bring your blood glucose levels near the normal range, you may need to take insulin if you have a severe infection or need surgery. Other medications may not be able to keep your blood glucose levels in your target range during these stressful times that affect your blood glucose.
Also, if you're not taking insulin but plan to or become pregnant, you may need insulin to manage your diabetes.
Is There a Danger of Interactions?
In general, diabetes medications are safe and work well. But like any other medication, they must be used with care.
Diabetes medications can interact with other medications. Because of the chance of these interactions, you need to tell your doctor about everything you are taking, including over-the-counter medications and vitamins and other supplements. While you're taking diabetes medications, you should also check with your doctor before starting anything new—even over-the-counter items.
There are different types, or classes, of medications that work in different ways to lower blood glucose (also known as blood sugar) levels. Some options are taken by mouth and others are injected. Some of the commonly used classes of non-insulin medications include:
Metformin
Dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4) inhibitors
Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) and dual GLP-1/gastric inhibitory peptide (GIP) receptor agonists
Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors
Sulfonylureas
Thiazolidinediones (TZDs)
Metformin
Metformin (Glucophage) is classified as a biguanide medication and is the only available medication in this class. Metformin lowers blood glucose levels primarily by decreasing the amount of glucose produced by the liver. Metformin also helps lower blood glucose levels by making muscle tissue more sensitive to insulin so blood glucose can be used for energy.
It is usually taken two times a day. A side effect of metformin may be diarrhea, but this is improved when the drug is taken with food.
by the FDA to lower blood glucose in people with type 2 diabetes. Bromocriptine is taken once daily in the morning. A common side effect is nausea.
Meglitinides
Meglitinides are drugs that also stimulate beta cells to release insulin. Nateglinide (Starlix) and repaglinide (Prandin) are both meglitinides. They are taken before each meal to help lower glucose after you eat. Because meglitinides stimulate the release of insulin, it is possible to have low blood glucose when taking these medications.
Combination Therapy
Because the drugs listed above act in different ways to lower blood glucose levels, they may be used together to help meet your individualized diabetes goals. For example, metformin and a DPP-4 inhibitor may be used together shortly after being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes to help keep blood glucose levels at goal. That said, many combinations can be used. Work with your health care provider to find the combination of medicines that work best for you and your lifestyle and help you meet your health goals.