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TORONTO – Learning that you have diabetes can be extremely overwhelming.
Whether it is Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, a patient often needs to make rapid lifestyle changes to manage the chronic disease and its subsequent symptoms.
Fortunately, your pharmacist is at your disposal every step of the way.
“It takes many lifestyle changes and patient commitment, and your pharmacy can help you on this journey,” said John Papastergiou, pharmacist at Shoppers Drug Mart in Toronto. “Patients get a lot of information, but our pharmacists are very good at managing that information.”
From learning to measure your blood sugar levels to administering your own insulin, your local pharmacist can teach you useful techniques, introduce you to new technology, and much more.
“Many of our pharmacies now offer things like A1C tests, which are a measure of how well your diabetes is being managed over a period of time,” said Papastergiou. “Patients have become used to coming to us to really promote their health cycle and get them to achieve their goals.”
When it comes to maintaining a normal, healthy lifestyle for people with diabetes, education is key.
“There is a lot of equipment and a lot of training (required) on how to use these equipment safely and effectively. We want to minimize the pain but maximize the value, ”said Zubin Austin, academic director at the Center for Practice Excellence at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy in Toronto.
From blood glucose meters to a variety of insulin pumps, learning which methods will work for you can take some practice.
“For example, if you don’t rotate the injection sites for your insulin over time, scar tissue can form,” Austin said. “A pharmacist can work with a patient to manage these seemingly small things, but they are really important if you are to get the best benefit from your medication.”
Papastergiou wants patients with diabetes to know that the diagnosis is not the end of the road.
“Many people with diabetes get used to the disease and feel that they have no options. I think we should be proactive and not reactive, ”said Papastergiou.
“We know that if you are proactive (and) you escalate therapies faster … they are much better down the line. […] The pharmacist is very important to this proactive approach. “
If you live with diabetes don’t be afraid to visit your local pharmacist and see if there are any other measures that can be taken to manage your symptoms.
