Dr. Sridevi Paladugu, Consultant, Endocrinologist, Apollo Sugar Clinics- Pic's
Diabetes – as much as it is considered to be a life-long vagary – doesn’t necessarily have to take a life-threatening shape. Keeping diabetes under control is a collaborative effort. A diabetes specialist plays a very important role in maintaining your health life-long. Listed below are a few questions that you must ask your specialist. Prepare these questions before stepping inside the clinic.
How frequently should I check my blood sugar?
This is one of the questions very commonly asked by diabetic patients. Don’t be afraid if you end up discovering that your friend has been advised more frequent checks than what you have been told to do. Patients with different needs are advised different frequencies of monitoring. You should ask this question at every session you are attending and find out whether you should increase or decrease your monitoring level.
Can I resort to a generic medication schedule?
This is the real concern among patients who find it difficult to afford the expensive diabetes medicines.
There are times when patients assume that they have to continue with the expensive drugs prescribed by their specialists. In some cases, it’s true that you have no other option but to rely on them- but there also are few instances when you can afford to make the switch – as has been mentioned above. So, it is important to ask your specialists before assuming things too quickly.
How do I take my medications and when do I take them?
As obvious as it may sound- there are many patients who are not as meticulous in their approach as they should be. Your medication might be different from that of other diabetic patients who you know. Make sure you are not relying on half-baked information from the doctors – thinking that you will ask other diabetic friends about their dosages and take them in accordance. If you think that your specialist has not offered you complete information make sure you are proactively asking questions, taking down notes and acting in accordance.
Taking these steps will definitely help you take the most of visiting your consultant. So keep them in mind without fail