Taking diabetes medications can help you manage your blood sugar levels and your Type 2 diabetes generally.
But, like all medications, they do come with side effects.
Learn more about side effects of diabetes medications so you'll be aware of the effects you may experience, and make sure they don't outweigh the benefits of taking the medications...
1.
Diarrhea, gas, and constipation.
Diarrhea can be caused by metformin and other biguanides that lower blood sugar by:

• decreasing the amount of sugar produced by the liver,
• increasing the amount of sugar absorbed by muscle cells, and
• decreasing the body's need for insulin.
  

Diarrhea is less likely when you take the medication with food.
Alpha-gulcosidase inhibitors like Precose and Glyset can cause diarrhea and gas.
And Welchol, a bile acid sequestrant, can cause gas and constipation.
2.
Liver problems.
In the past, a drug in the thiazolidinedione group was found to cause serious liver problems.
This drug, Rezulin, was removed from the market.
The new drugs in this class aren't known to cause liver problems but if you take them you should be monitored for liver problems just to be sure.
3.
Heart attacks and heart failure.
The current thiazolidinedione drugs, Avandia and Actos, can increase the risk of heart failure.
Avandia also may increase the risk of heart attacks.
4.
Urinary tract infections and yeast infections.
SGLT2 Inhibitors like Invokana and Farxiga can cause side effects of urinary tract infections and yeast infections.
This is because these drugs work by making it so sugar is eliminated in the urine instead of being reabsorbed by the kidneys.
5.
Hypoglycemia.
Any drugs causing lower blood sugar can result in hypoglycemia if blood sugar levels become very low.
This can happen with insulin injections or medications like sulfonylureas or meglitinides.
6.
Weight gain.
Injectable insulin causes some people to gain weight.
Insulin makes it so the calories from carbohydrates you eat are transferred to your cells for energy.
But if you take in more calories than you need, the extra calories will be stored as fat and will cause you to gain weight.
Some diabetes medications interact with other drugs, so it's important to check with your doctor or pharmacist to make sure your drugs won't interact.
Some diabetes drugs interact with alcohol, so you may need to avoid alcohol while you're taking them.
Insulin injections interact with several medications.
They include...

• beta blockers,
• estrogens, and
• thyroid hormones.
  

Your doctor will be able to advise you if you can take them while on insulin.
For people with uncontrolled blood sugar, these medications may be worth the side effects.
But if you can manage your blood sugar through a healthy diet, exercise and weight loss, you can avoid taking medications and the side effects that comes with them.