ASK THE PHARMACIST

QiS TheRe a best time to take my diabetes medication? AYES,

and this depends on the medication you’ve been prescribed and the dosing regimen the doctor has recommended.

The timing is important as it ensures you get the optimum dose and reduces potential side- effects. For example, people on insulin must inject themselves up to 15 minutes

before a meal — if they do it too early, there’s a risk of hypoglycemia — low blood sugar, which causes sweating, fatigue and dizziness.

However, other drugs, such as metformin, need to be taken

with meals, while acarbose must be taken with the first bite of a meal.

The number of doses you take a day will also depend on the drug prescribed (metformin is normally taken three times a day, pioglitazone is taken once daily) and the disease progression — your doctor will advise the best option for you. Q Why am i always hungry? is it my diabetes? A INCREASED appetite — the medical term is polyphagia — is a common symptom of diabetes. Other symptoms include increased thirst and frequent urination.

People with diabetes can feel hungry even if they’re eating properly because their bodies aren’t processing food properly; instead of the glucose from food going into the body’s cells to be used as energy, it remains in the bloodstream.

The low energy stores in the cells mean the body ‘feels’ empty and sends a message to the brain that it needs to take on more food to make energy — making you hungry.

If you’re hungry all the time, it may be a sign your diabetes is not well controlled and you should talk to your doctor.