diabetes supplies

Necessary Supplies for Diabetics

If you received a diagnosis of diabetes, there are several supplies you always need to have on hand. Many of these supplies can be found in local pharmacies or at online stores. Often, insurance companies or Medicare covers supplies that are necessary for diabetics. If you're unsure of your coverage call your insurance representative and have your benefits explained. To properly manage and control diabetes, you will need to be stocked with the following supplies.

Diabetic Supply Kit

Diabetic supply kits may come with slightly different items, but there will be several essential things always included. Since managing this disease involves careful monitoring of your blood sugar level, alcohol swabs, a lancet and a glucometer will be present. Alcohol swabs will clean your skin thoroughly before taking a blood sample. This step may seem small, but it drastically lowers your chance of infection. The lancet is simply a sharp little tool that pierces the skin to produce a droplet of blood. Sometimes the kit offers lancets that prick the arm or the finger, depending on which area of the body is easier for the patient. The drop of blood is then placed on a strip that will be inserted into the glucometer. This device will determine the amount of sugar in the blood and display a number for the patient to see. Most glucometers have a built-in memory, which will better generate a daily, weekly or monthly view of average blood sugar readings. These readings will enable a diabetic to correcltly evaluate the amount of insulin needed to maintain optimum health.

Insulin, of course, is a necessary supply for diabetics, but this must be obtained from a doctor's prescription. There are several ways to take insulin and if you need to inject it, your diabetes supply kit must contain syringes, needles or an insulin pump. It may be a good idea to ask your doctor or pharmacist about your individual needs.

Another way to monitor the sugar level in the body is by checking your urine. Therefore, urine test tablets and strips should be in the diabetes supply kit. Another condition that is common among diabetics is foot trouble, especially sores that don't heal well and are prone to infection. Although diabetic shoes or shoe inserts may not be included in a supply kit for diabetes, if these items are important to you, they should be readily available. Perhaps the best supplies for diabetics include resources, which explain this disease and how to correctly monitor the blood sugar level. The glucometer should have clear instructions with target levels for "normal" blood sugar readings. There should also be directions on how to use the lancet and load the paper strip into the glucometer. While all of these steps may seem small, together they are vital in helping you manage diabetes.