Affordable Diabetes Solutions: Exploring Medication Options for Blood Sugar Management

01/07/2025

 

Affordable diabetes medications for blood sugar management

Empagliflozin

Brand name: Jardiance
Group/class: SGLT-2 inhibitors
Diabetes type: Type 2 diabetes

How to take Empagliflozin?

• Follow the patient leaflet and take it exactly as your doctor says.

• Take it every day at the same time with or without food until your doctor advises otherwise.

• Consuming alcohol increases the chances of side effects, so avoiding/limiting it helps.

• When you start taking Empagliflozin, you may pee more, which gets better over a few weeks. Drink enough water in these weeks so that you do not get thirsty. Talk to your healthcare provider if you have been told to limit your water intake.

• Empagliflozin works best when taken long-term. Do not miss appointments with your doctor to measure its effectiveness and safety.

Side effects

Common side effects

• Most common side effects are usually mild and go away independently with time.

• Passing urine more often or feeling an urgent need to pass urine, urine infections.

• Yeast infection in the genitals.

• Read or itchy skin, skin rashes.

Severe side effects

• Contact your healthcare team or any other help immediately if you notice these symptoms.

• Feeling shaky or anxious, hungry, confused, or unusually tired, that the heart is pounding, dizzy, or looking pale.

• Vomiting, dehydration, fever, headache, blurred vision

• Severe swelling, pain, or redness in the anal area and the genitals (vagina and penis).

Metformin

Brand name: Fortamet, Glucophage, Glucophage XR, Glumetza, Riomet
Group/class: biguanides/Non-sulfonylureas
Diabetes type: Type 2 diabetes

How to take Metformin?

• It is an oral/suspension medication and is usually taken with meals 1-3 times daily.

• Drinking a lot of water while taking the medication is usually recommended.

• The dose of the medication depends on one's medical conditions, intake of other drugs, response to the doses, etc.

• If you are taking any other medications (herbal, homeopathic, prescription, non-prescription, etc.), discuss them with your doctor. They will decide whether you should keep taking those medications or stop.

• To keep track of your body's glucose level, your doctor may need to monitor your body's blood sugar levels regularly.

• A gradual increase in dosage is possible, starting with a low dose. Your dose may be adjusted during treatment based on the treatment response and requirements.

Side effects

Common side effects

• Side effects of Metformin are rare. About 99% of those taking Metformin do not experience any side effects.

• Nausea, weakness, upset stomach, painful urination, metallic taste, hoarseness, diarrhea, fever, and chills are common side effects of Metformin. Some other common side effects of Metformin include cool, painful skin, muscle pain, cramps, anxiety, headache, etc.

Severe side effects

• Although quite rare, shallow breathing, a slower heartbeat, coldness, and yellowish eyes are some of the serious side effects of Metformin. Contact your doctor or any other help immediately if you experience severe side effects.

• If you get allergic reactions to Metformin, talk to your doctor immediately.

linagliptin + metformin

Brand name: Jentadueto, Jentadueto XR
Group/class: Antidiabetic combinations
Diabetes type: Type 2 diabetes

Jentadueto is one of the most popular diabetes medications. Many diabetes patients buy the Jentadueto generic 2.5mg/850mg pill.

How to use Jentadueto?

• The medication is usually taken twice daily with meals to minimize side effects.

• Your appropriate dosage will be determined by your doctor based on your body weight, the severity of the condition, how you react to the medicine and other medical problems.

• Jentadueto does not replace diet and exercise. It is most effective when taken regularly alongside a proper diet and exercise.

• If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is too close to the next dose, skip it and take the next dose at the scheduled time.

• This medication is not for type 1 diabetes, so do not take this medicine if you have type 1 diabetes.

Side effects

Common side effects

• Gas, Bloating, Diarrhea, bloating, constipation, loss of appetite.

• Cough, Runny and stuffy nose, sore throat,

• Mouth ulcers, metallic taste in the mouth

• Increased sensitivity of sunlight

Severe side effects

Although rare, these side effects can lead to serious problems if left untreated.

• Decreased coordination, decreased thyroid function

• Hives or rash, severe joint pain

• Signs of anemia ( low red blood cells, shortness of breath, dizziness, pale skin, unusual tiredness or weakness, etc.)

• Signs of infection (fever and chills, severe diarrhea, prolonged dizziness, weight loss, stiff neck, etc.)

• Signs of muscle damage (unexplained muscle pain, brown or discolored urine, tenderness or weakness, etc.)

• Symptoms of low blood sugar (fast heartbeat, vision change, headache, shaking, etc.)

• Tingling of numbness in hand.

Where to buy diabetes medications?

Diabetes medications are available in brand and generic form. Brand-name medications are patented medications and are usually expensive. Generic medications save a lot of money and have the same active ingredient, effectiveness, and safety as the brand name medications. The benefits of generic diabetic drugs are coming to light, and more and more people are starting to buy them.

Conclusion

Due to the rising cost of medication, affordable diabetes solutions are more needed now than ever. Several options, such as lifestyle changes, exercise, diet, etc., do not require much investment and can help manage diabetes. That being said, medicines become an absolute necessity for adequately managing diabetes. These medications are usually very costly. Although some options, such as herbal medications, are available, their effectiveness in managing diabetes has always been a topic of debate. Currently, generic medications are the best option to save money and get the same results with the same safety as the brand-name medications.