Taking Your Diabetes Medicines Consistently: Getting Over the Hurdles

5 min readType 2 Diabetes BasicsPart 10 of 18

In brief

Around half of people with long-term conditions do not take medicines exactly as prescribed. It is common, human and fixable.
The usual hurdles are cost, side effects, forgetting, too many pills, fear of injections, and not feeling any different.
Tell your care team honestly what is getting in the way. There is almost always a simpler, cheaper or better-tolerated option.

A medicine can only work if it is taken. Yet studies of long-term conditions, including diabetes, consistently find that many people take fewer doses than prescribed, stop early, or never fill the prescription at all. The World Health Organization estimates that adherence to long-term therapy averages only about 50% in high-income countries, and lower elsewhere.

This is not about willpower or being a “good patient”. It is usually about practical barriers. Naming yours is the first step to solving it.

Why missed doses matter

Diabetes medicines work quietly. Missing them rarely makes you feel ill that day, but over months it shows up as a higher A1C, higher blood pressure or cholesterol, and a higher risk of complications. Some medicines, such as SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP-1 medicines, also protect the heart and kidneys. That protection only lasts while you take them.

The common hurdles, and how to get over them

“It costs too much.”

Ask about generic options, combination tablets, 90-day supplies, and pharmacy or manufacturer assistance programs. Metformin, sulfonylureas and some insulins are low cost. Say so if price is a problem; prescribers often do not know.

“It upsets my stomach.”

Many side effects ease with time, with food, with a slower dose increase, or with a different formulation, such as extended-release metformin. Do not quietly stop; ask for alternatives.

“I just forget.”

Link doses to a daily habit, such as brushing your teeth or breakfast. Use a weekly pill organizer, phone alarms or a medication app. Once-weekly options exist for some medicines.

“Too many pills.”

Ask whether any can be combined into one tablet, taken once daily, or stopped. A yearly medicine review with your pharmacist can simplify your list.

“I’m scared of injections.”

Modern pen needles are very thin and short, and many people find them far easier than expected. Ask for a demonstration before deciding.

“I feel fine, so why bother?”

Diabetes damage develops silently. Feeling fine is often a sign the medicine is working, not that you no longer need it.

Writing down your routine and questions makes appointments more productive.

Build a routine that sticks

A simple weekly system

Sunday refillFill a 7-day organizer for the week

Anchor habitTake doses with a daily routine

ReminderAlarm or app as a backup

Quick checkAn empty slot means the dose is done

Keep medicines where you will see them, but safely away from children, heat and damp. Store insulin as directed.
Plan for refills. Set a reminder a week before you run out, or ask about automatic refills.
Plan for travel and busy days. Carry a spare day’s supply in your bag. See Travelling With Diabetes.
Know what to do if you miss a dose. The answer differs by medicine. Ask your pharmacist and write it down. Never double up unless told to.

Talk openly with your care team

Many people worry about being judged, so they say everything is fine. But your doctor can only adjust your plan if they know what is really happening. Studies show that when patients and clinicians decide together, people are more likely to stick with treatment.

Useful things to say at your next appointment:

“I’ve been missing some doses because…”
“This medicine gives me… Is there an alternative?”
“I’m finding the cost difficult. Are there cheaper options?”
“Can we simplify my medicines?”

Beliefs that get in the way

MythNeeding more medicine means I have failed.

FactType 2 diabetes naturally changes over time, so treatment often needs to be stepped up. Read When Your Type 2 Diabetes Changes.

MythNatural supplements can replace my medicine.

FactNo supplement has been shown to match prescribed diabetes medicines, and some interact with them. Discuss any supplement with your pharmacist first.

Family and friends can help too, with reminders, company at appointments, or just encouragement. See Caring for Someone With Type 2 Diabetes.

Common questions

What should I do if I miss a dose?

It depends on the medicine and how late you are. For many once-daily tablets, you take it when you remember unless it is nearly time for the next dose, but some medicines have different rules. Ask your pharmacist for written instructions for each of your medicines, and never take a double dose unless told to.

Is it safe to take diabetes medicines with herbal remedies?

Some herbal products can lower blood sugar further, interact with other medicines or affect the liver or kidneys. Always tell your pharmacist and doctor about any supplement or traditional remedy you use, even if you think it is harmless.

Can a pharmacist help me?

Yes. Pharmacists can review all your medicines, check for interactions, suggest simpler regimens, explain side effects and help you find lower-cost options. Many offer free medicine reviews.

Key takeaways

Missing doses is common and usually has a practical cause.
Cost, side effects, forgetting and complexity can nearly always be fixed.
A weekly organizer plus a daily anchor habit is a simple, reliable system.
Next: When your type 2 diabetes changes.

Type 2 Diabetes Basics: all 18 articles

Sources

World Health Organization. Adherence to Long-Term Therapies: Evidence for Action. Geneva: WHO; 2003.
Polonsky WH, Henry RR. Poor medication adherence in type 2 diabetes: recognizing the scope of the problem and its key contributors. Patient Prefer Adherence. 2016;10:1299–1307.
American Diabetes Association Professional Practice Committee. 1. Improving Care and Promoting Health in Populations, and 5. Facilitating Positive Health Behaviors: Standards of Care in Diabetes—2026. Diabetes Care. 2026;49(Suppl 1).
Khunti K, Seidu S, Kunutsor S, Davies M. Association between adherence to pharmacotherapy and outcomes in type 2 diabetes: a meta-analysis. Diabetes Care. 2017;40(11):1588–1596.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Insulin, Medicines, & Other Diabetes Treatments.

This article is for general education and is not a substitute for advice from your own doctor, diabetes educator or pharmacist.

How we review: Every Vitablizz article is checked against the sources it cites and updated when guidance changes. This article is for education and is not a substitute for personal medical advice. Read our Editorial Policy.