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November–National Diabetes Awareness Month. By Our Student Pharmacist, Andy Myers.

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Excessive thirst, frequent urination, cracked feet, and tingling in the hands and feet are just a few signs and symptoms of diabetes. Diabetes has become so prevalent in our society that we often forget just how serious of a disease it is.

Diabetes is ranked in the top ten leading causes of death in the United States; it costs $327 billion dollars in medical expenses in 2017; and roughly 100 million U.S. adults now live with diabetes or prediabetes. Despite all of these statistics, significant strides have been taken to lessen the burden of diabetes on individuals.

Pharmacists can help

Pharmacists are the most accessible healthcare provider. On most days, you can find a pharmacy near you where you can talk to someone who has studied medicine for 6-8 years, and sometimes more. Pharmacists are the medication experts, but more than that they are members of your community. Diabetes is about connecting you with the support you need to make the lifestyle changes that are important to YOU, and pharmacists are more than happy to assist you in your journey.

Dietary changes

A key step in any diabetics path to living a happier, healthier life is considering how their eating habits may have impacted their disease.  While people suffering from diabetes come in all shapes and sizes, diabetes will have an impact on how they move forward with their diet.  Pharmacists are not dieticians, but they have studied healthy eating habits and how to implement changes. Feel free to ask your pharmacist how to live healthier in just a few small steps.

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Testing

An important aspect for all patients with diabetes is going to be using diabetes testing supplies to monitor blood sugar throughout the day. These tests can be daunting and hard to interpret.  Pharmacists are trained to read these results and, oftentimes in physician offices, a pharmacist will meet with patients to help with their insulin doses based on these readings.  That’s right, a pharmacist in some practices is scheduling appointments with patients to monitor their test results and adjust their medicines.

Pharmacists are diabetes experts too!

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Immunizations

Did you know that being a diabetic increases your likelihood of contracting other diseases that can be prevented by vaccinations? Since diabetes affects almost every part of the body, there is a higher chance of getting sick in patients with diabetes than without. If you are a patient with diabetes, check with your pharmacist or doctor to make sure you are up to date on your vaccinations. All patients should get their annual flu shot, but this is even more important for diabetic patients. Additionally, patients suffering from diabetes should make sure they are up to date with their vaccinations for pneumonia, hepatitis B, shingles, and Tdap.

Come by Happy Druggist Pharmacy

Diabetes can be a scary diagnosis. At Happy Druggist Pharmacy, we want to help you conquer diabetes. We offer free blood glucose screenings and support groups that will allow you to get the testing supplies you need to monitor your diabetes.  We would love to help you on your journey to healthiness.

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