What Medicines in Aurora Can Raise Your Glucose Levels?

We have a question for you as a compounding pharmacy in Aurora: Do we think about medicine before taking it? Do we think about the interaction it might have with another drug? What about the dosage? Also, do we ever think about what it could do to our blood glucose level? Yes, that’s right. Many medications treat common conditions but raise your blood glucose level.

We all know that blood glucose is the amount of sugar found in our bloodstream. Our endocrine system and our pancreas are tasked with managing the sugar levels and keeping them in check. For this purpose, we mainly have insulin and glucagon. Insulin handles the excess glucose in our blood and stores it to use it as energy later on. It is stored in the form of glycogen. Glucagon gives our liver the signal that the stored glycogen has to be converted back to glucose to be used.

Symptoms of High Blood Sugar Levels

There are various symptoms of high blood sugar levels. You don’t need to have all the signs. However, even if you have one or two, you should get your blood glucose levels checked. One of the main signs of high blood sugar is the need to drink lots of liquids and the frequent need to urinate. Apart from these, the other signs are:

• Dry mouth
• Fruity-smelling breath
• Nausea
• Stomach pain
• Unexpected weight change
• Fatigue
• Blurred vision
• Frequent headaches
• A numbing sensation in your hands or feet
• Sores that don’t heal
• Rashes or dry patches, and more

Things in Aurora That Cause Blood Sugar to Rise

As far as foods and drinks are concerned, we know what things can raise our blood sugar levels. Foods high in carbohydrates, processed foods, unnatural sweeteners, sugary drinks, and more are the widely known culprits.

Other lesser known factors end in high blood glucose like skipping breakfast, a sedentary lifestyle, poor dental health, and hormonal changes. Stress is another culprit that changes the blood sugar levels as well as inflammation in the body. Both these things result in a surge in cortisol which makes our bodies sensitive to insulin.

But the one thing that most people don’t know about is the everyday medicines that we take. Yes, many drugs affect our blood sugar levels. In addition, people who have diabetes often take medications for other problems in Aurora like heart disease, high blood pressure, and more. Although these medications are essential to maintain our health, they also affect our blood glucose levels adversely.

Blood Pressure Medications

High blood pressure is not uncommon in people who have type 2 diabetes. Almost 67% of people who have type 2 diabetes suffer from high blood pressure as well. Therefore, they take all kinds of medications to keep their blood pressure in check. Otherwise, it can lead to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. The problem arises because some of the common blood pressure medicines increase blood sugar levels.

Beta-Blockers

Beta-blockers are also called beta-adrenergic blocking agents. They help reduce blood pressure by blocking the effects of the hormone epinephrine. Epinephrine is also called adrenaline. They cause our hearts to beat slower and with less force. They also help open up our veins and arteries to improve the flow of blood. Although they are great at lowering our blood pressures, some beta blockers increase our blood sugar levels. They reduce our body’s ability to produce insulin. This might cause some people to take insulin injections. Those who are already taking them might have to increase the dosage.

Cholesterol-Lowering Medications

Cholesterol managing medications also have the same effects as beta-blockers. They decrease our body’s capability to produce insulin. This makes it harder for our bodies to handle the excess sugar in our bloodstreams. They can also increase insulin resistance. This further aggravates the sugar problem.

Niacin

Another medicine that many people take almost every day is Niacin. It is Vitamin B, and our body uses Niacin to turn food into energy. It also affects our nervous system, skin, and our digestive system. Mostly, people get enough Niacin from their daily food intake and don’t need additional supplements. But for those who do need it, it affects glucose tolerance in their bodies. High doses of Niacin are known to increase blood glucose levels. You can even talk to your compounding pharmacist in a compounding pharmacy in Aurora, who can help you with the dosage and formulations.

Antibiotics

Infections are common in people who suffer from type 2 diabetes. They have to deal with infection frequently. Some of the antibiotics that doctors may prescribe can cause increased blood glucose levels and sugar fluctuations. Out of the many antibiotics available in the market, some like fluoroquinolones severely increase blood sugar levels. This leads to hyper or hypoglycemia in diabetic patients. Your doctor could prescribe you fluoroquinolones for urinary tract infections or more.

Steroids

Another drug that is commonly prescribed to patients suffering from type 2 diabetics is steroids. These are anti-inflammatory meds that are used to treat asthma, skin conditions, arthritis, and more. Unfortunately, they are known to increase blood sugar levels. In addition, they increase the liver’s resistance to insulin, making it hard for the liver to utilize glucose.

Caffeine Pills

Don’t worry. We are not going to stop you from having that regular cup of coffee or tea. That is okay. They won’t have a significant effect on your blood sugar. But increased amounts of caffeine can affect your blood glucose levels. Some weight and diet supplements use caffeine to help a person lose weight and improve their energy level. Just make sure that you choose the ones that don’t have an excessive amount of caffeine.

Antidepressants

Many people use antidepressants. These medicines are essential for people who are dealing with emotional trauma. People who are suffering from diabetes also need antidepressants from time to time. But they might end up increasing their blood glucose level. There is lots of data that indicates that antidepressants might increase the chances of developing type 2 diabetes.

Final Word

There are many medications available that might help you with your ailments but end up raising your blood glucose levels. What you need to do is to talk to a reliable pharmacist so they can help you and guide you through the entire process. You can also talk to your doctor about compounding medications that a compounding pharmacy in Aurora specializes in creating so your dosage and formulation could be changed. Ask for advice. They can give you tips and tricks like combining multiple ingredients into one dosage or changing the time of day when you have to take your medication. This can help you avoid interactions.

Also Read: How To Make Children’s Medicine Better With Compounding In Hamilton?