Stay Healthy

It’s very important for you to take your diabetes medicines exactly as directed. Not taking medications correctly may lower the level of glucose and cause the insulin your body to go up. The medicines then become less effective when taken. Some people report not feeling well as a reason for stopping their medication or not taking it as prescribed. Tell your doctor if your medicines are making you sick. He or she may be able to help you deal with side effects so you can feel better. Don’t just stop taking your medicines, because your health depends on it.

This section provides information about staying healthy with your diabetes.

Your doctors should—

  • Measure your blood pressure at every visit.
  • Check your feet for sores at every visit, and give a thorough foot exam at least once a year.
  • Give you a hemoglobin A1C test at least twice a year to determine what your average blood glucose level was for the past 2 to 3 months.
  • Test your urine and blood to check your kidney function at least once a year.
  • Test your blood lipids (fats)—total cholesterol; LDL, or low-density lipoprotein (“bad” cholesterol); HDL, or high-density lipoprotein (“good” cholesterol); and triglycerides at least once a year.

You should also get a dental checkup twice a year, a dilated eye exam once a year, an annual flu shot, and a pneumonia shot.

For more information, see Tests and Goals for Each Visit and Tests and Goals for Each Year from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) publication, Take Charge of Your Diabetes.

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  • Page last reviewed: September 27, 2016
  • Page last updated: September 27, 2016
  • Content source:
  • Maintained By:
    • National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Diabetes Translation
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