Type 2 Diabetes Treatments and How They Progress

Medically Reviewed By Kelly Wood, MD

There are many ways to manage type 2 diabetes. Your doctor may begin by recommending some lifestyle and dietary modifications. If further treatment is necessary, they will likely prescribe oral or injectable non-insulin medications before turning to insulin. Everyone’s path is different, and finding the right treatment for you might take a few tries. Your care team can help you every step of the way to find a treatment plan that works.

Read on to learn more about type 2 diabetes treatment methods and how they may progress.

Lifestyle changes

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Not everyone diagnosed with type 2 diabetes needs medication at first. According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), many people may be able to manage their conditions with some lifestyle changes. Your doctor will likely connect you with a certified diabetes educator who can work with you to make these changes.

This may mean an overhaul of your typical diet, making sure you get plenty of high fiber, low fat foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Your care team may also recommend Trusted Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Governmental authority Go to source limiting refined carbohydrates like white bread and rice, consuming leaner proteins, and eating fewer sweets.

They can also help you develop a fitness routine to get you more active and maintain a moderate weight. Some people may benefit from stress relief techniques, like yoga or meditation, to keep blood pressure down and promote good overall health.

Oral medications

Lifestyle changes may not be enough to help you manage type 2 diabetes. In these cases, your doctor may turn to oral medications.

These pills work in different ways to get your blood sugar levels balanced. Keep in mind, though, that the combination of oral medications and lifestyle changes is the most effective way to manage your diabetes. It’s still beneficial to get regular exercise and monitor what you eat.

There are several types of oral diabetes medications your doctor can prescribe. One of the most common Trusted Source PubMed Central Highly respected database from the National Institutes of Health Go to source medications is metformin, and it limits how much sugar your liver releases into your bloodstream.

Other diabetes pills stimulate your pancreas to release more insulin to regulate blood sugar levels. And some medications manage your blood sugar levels by limiting the amount of glucose your body makes and stimulating insulin production.

Combination therapy

For some people, more than one oral medication is needed to manage type 2 diabetes. This is called combination therapy.

Sometimes, diabetes pills stop working — they may stop being effective after just a few months or a few years. The ADA notes that it’s often not clear why they don’t work anymore, but it doesn’t mean your diabetes has gotten worse.

In the past, when this happened, doctors may have prescribed insulin right away. However, there are many more options to try before insulin. Some medications, such as sitagliptin and metformin (Janumet), combine two oral drugs into one pill, so you’re not taking many pills daily.

Many people take two or three kinds of oral diabetes medications to manage their condition, and some even take pills and insulin or non-insulin injections together. It all depends on your specific case, and your doctor will work to find the right fit for you.

Non-insulin injectable medications

If oral medications aren’t enough to manage your type 2 diabetes, your doctor might prescribe a non-insulin injectable medication. These medications increase the amount of insulin your body makes and decreases the amount of sugar your body sends into your bloodstream.

If remembering to take your pills several times a day is difficult, non-insulin injectables can be a good option. It depends on the specific medication, but some are injected once a week, once a day, or twice a day.

These injectable drugs, such as exenatide (Byetta) or dulaglutide (Trulicity), may have some benefits in addition to lowering blood sugar levels. They have the potential Trusted Source PubMed Central Highly respected database from the National Institutes of Health Go to source to reduce blood pressure, and some can even help you maintain a moderate weight.

Insulin

Eventually, some people with diabetes find that pills or non-insulin injectables aren’t enough to keep the body functioning well. Therefore, your doctor will prescribe the right dosage and type of insulin for you.

You might need short-acting or long-acting insulins to manage your blood sugar levels and stay healthy. It’s important to remember that needing to take insulin doesn’t mean you’ve failed — your body just needs manufactured insulin since its natural process isn’t working anymore.

Summary

No matter what medication you take for your type 2 diabetes, it’s crucial to commit to an exercise plan, a balanced diet, and a low-stress lifestyle as recommended by your doctor. Living a healthy life and taking your medications as prescribed are key to managing diabetes.

Talk with your doctor to develop a treatment plan for you.

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Medical Reviewer: Kelly Wood, MD
Last Review Date: 2023 Apr 6
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