Want to Get off Diabetes Medication? Start Doing This Today

Medication plays a big role in diabetes treatment for many women and men. But did you know you can reduce your dose or even eliminate medication? Here’s what to do — and how we can help.

Nearly 30 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes. Of those, almost 90% use medication to manage their disease.

Medication is essential for maintaining healthy blood sugar (glucose) levels and managing other aspects of diabetes, but most people undoubtedly would leave their medicines behind if they could.

At I & B Medical Associates, our team offers patient-centered, comprehensive diabetes treatment at our Miami, Florida, practice, including lifestyle tips that could help some women and men reduce their medication use or even stop medication altogether.

Type 1 vs. Type 2 diabetes

Diabetes has two primary types: Type 1 and Type 2. (A third type, gestational diabetes, occurs in some women during pregnancy.)

Type 1

Type 1 is an autoimmune disease that causes your immune system to attack the cells that make insulin. People with Type 1 diabetes must take medication for the rest of their lives to make up for the insulin their bodies can no longer produce.

Type 2

Type 2 is a metabolic disorder that occurs when your body doesn’t make sufficient insulin or use insulin how it should.

People with Type 2 diabetes frequently need to use medication to balance their glucose levels. There’s a chance these patients could avoid medication by adopting — and sticking with — certain lifestyle changes.

Reducing medication use

If you’re taking medication for Type 2 diabetes, the best thing you can do to reduce or eliminate your need for medication is to lead a healthy lifestyle. That means:

Eating a healthy diet
Getting plenty of exercise
Learning to manage your stress
Making sleep a priority
Losing extra pounds
Monitoring glucose levels regularly

Diabetes is never fully cured — even if you stop taking medication, you still need to follow those healthy lifestyle tips to avoid medication in the future.

It’s also worth noting that while reducing reliance on medication is commendable, the focus here should be on leading a healthy lifestyle. There’s nothing wrong with taking medication that helps you manage your diabetes.

Even if you still need to take your diabetes medication, a healthy lifestyle can reduce your risks of diabetes-related complications, including heart disease, while improving your quality of life.

Optimize your diabetes management plan

Diabetes is a chronic condition requiring ongoing management, and you should never adjust your medication use on your own. If you want to reduce your reliance on diabetes medication and lower your risks of complications, we can tailor a plan that helps you meet your goals.

To learn more, call 786-321-2399 or book an appointment online at I & B Medical Associates today.