When your blood glucose---a type of sugar---levels are not regulated correctly by your body, you have either Type I or Type II diabetes. Type I diabetes requires you to take injections of insulin to control blood sugar levels. Insulin is produced normally in people without diabetes to balance the glucose levels. In Type II diabetes, this balance may be maintained by diet and exercise along with medications.
Insulin
When your body doesn't produce enough insulin to regulate your blood sugar, you may need to take intravenous doses of it on a regular basis. This is true of Type I diabetes, but also may occur with Type II diabetes if it is not controlled otherwise. Insulin is administered either with a hypodermic needle or with an insulin pump, a device that sends the drug through a tube into your body when it is needed. Insulin may produce such serious side effects as anxiety, changes in mood, a cough, vision blurring, an irregular heartbeat, depression, mental confusion, a heartbeat that is too fast, dizziness, convulsions and even a coma. Any of these requires medical attention.
Metformin
Metformin, marketed under such names as Glucophage, Riomet, Fortamet and Glumetza, is a common drug designed to help lower glucose levels. Physicians often prescribe this first as soon as the Type II diabetes diagnosis has been made. It also can be combined with other similar drugs when it is not working well enough by itself. Serious side effects may include blood sugar levels that are too low, decreases in bodily strength and lactic acidosis. The onset of lactic acidosis may happen suddenly and may be severe. Symptoms may include abnormal drowsiness, abnormal tiredness, diarrhea, shallow and rapid breathing and abnormal weakness. Consult your doctor for any of these.
Sitagliptin
Sitagliptin is sold as Januvia in the U.S. It also may be combined with metformin to treat high glucose levels in your blood, or it may be used alone to induce the pancreas to produce more insulin. This lowers glucose levels. Serious side effects include many of the same as other similar medications including seizures, anxiety, nausea, depression and tachycardia. It also may cause nightmares, nervousness, speech slurring, confusion, chills and cold sweats and unconsciousness.
Glyburide
Diabeta, Micronase, Glycron and Glynase Pres-Tab are the brand names of glyburide in the United States. This medicine also is used to decrease the glucose levels in your blood. It may be combined with metformin. Serious side effects include tachycardia which is a rapid heartbeat, itching, shortness of breath or wheezing, facial swelling, weakness or tiredness, diarrhea, headaches, a fever, vomiting, halitosis, agitation and visual focusing difficulties. Very serious side effects include confusion, depression, convulsions and coma.
