How to choose the right blood sugar monitor?

There are many different blood sugar monitors on the market. Most pharmacies may only carry two or three types of the most common brands. For those of you (like me) who likes to consider all options before selecting one to bring home, it is important to go to a pharmacy that has a large selection of blood sugar monitors for you to try before making your decision. Here are some practical tips on how to choose a blood sugar monitor that is right for you:

1. Are you comfortable with “High tech” gadgets like smart phones or do you prefer using simple, no-fuss machines?

Blood sugar monitors, such as One Touch Verio IQ, Contour USB or the Freestyle Insulinx can transfer your blood sugar results onto your computer, where you can chart your results and print out a history of your blood sugar results.

One touch verio IQ has colour screen &

before-or-after-meal indicator for each test result, however,

a fully charged battery only lasts 1-2 weeks

The freestyle Insulinx has a touch screen and a meal time insulin dose calculator

The Contour USB has a Rapid Charge feature
where you can run a blood sugar test after only 1 min of charge
even when battery is very low

Custom Care Pharmacy have all of these blood glucose monitors in stock and we can help you get one for FREE!! 

2. Do you prefer your blood sugar monitor to look sleek and discreet?

One Touch Ultra Mini comes in various bright colours
and small enough to fit in your clutch.

The Accu-Chek Nano comes in a small, glossy black frame

Make sure the monitors fit comfortably and firmly in your grip. If you find that they drop out of your grip easily, it is probably best to choose a larger size monitor, like the One Touch Ultra 2 or Accu-Chek Aviva.  These blood sugar monitors have an easy-to-grip shape and a large display screen with back light.

One Touch Ultra 2 

Accu-Chek Aviva

3. Having trouble drawing enough blood for testing?

There are some monitors that require a smaller drop of blood to get results, like the Freestyle Freedom Lyte.

It also allows you to draw blood from various locations like your arm or your thigh vs. just your finger tips.

4. Do you travel frequently to Asia?

Not all monitors will accept test strips bought in a different country.

The Breeze 2 and FreeStyle monitors purchase from North America are compatible with the Breeze 2 and FreeStyle test strips available in Asia.

The Breeze 2 test strips are inside a disc of 10 strips, which means you don't need to manually insert a strip for each test.    

No matter which monitor you choose to test your blood sugar with, it is important to understand what the test results mean and how to manage high or low blood sugar level.

 

Custom Care Pharmacy have pharmacists that are trained to provide diabetes consultation to help you manage your blood sugar successfully. Come and visit us today!   Custom Care Pharmacy 905-305-0111

What to do if you have red, itchy skin, but don't like to use steroid?

What to do if you have red, itchy skin, but don’t like to use steroid?

Many people will have dry, itchy skin in the winter. Some may even develop redness and rash. Although topical steroid can be very effective to relieve inflammation, many patients ask us what they can do to treat their symptoms without using topical steroids. Here are some practical tips:

Use a moisturizer – make sure you use a non-fragranced cream such as:

Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream 453g, member price $16.39 at Custom Care Pharmacy

Cerave moisturizing cream 453g, member price $15.99 at Custom Care Pharmacy

 

Avoid using fragranced lotion as some contains an alcohol base which leads to dry skin and the fragrance can cause irritation. Lactic acid lotion, such as Lac-Hydrin, or Uric Acid cream, such as Uremol moisturizing cream, can relieve skin dryness by increasing the amount of water in the skin. However, if the skin is broken (i.e. open wound from scratching), there could be some stinging upon application.

Uremol 10 moisturizing cream 100g, member price $7.99 at Custom Care Pharmacy

 

 

 

Lac-hydrin 225mL, member price $7.69 at Custom Care Pharmacy

 

 

 

 

At Custom Care Pharmacy, we can custom make preservative-free and fragrance-free moisturizer for severe dry skin. We use a combination of effective and natural ingredients such as Shea butter and Glycerin to help your skin retain moisture. You can also choose to add vitamin E to your moisturizer. Prices start at $8.99! call us at 905-305-0111

Use a mild cleanser – most bar soaps will make the skin dry and itchy after a shower. Choose bar soaps that are made for sensitive skin or use a gentle cleanser (body wash).

Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser 500mL, member price $12.09 at Custom Care Pharmacy

 

 

 

 

 

Cetaphil Gentle Cleansing bar, member price $3.89 at Custom Care Pharmacy

 

 

 

Aveeno Eczema Care Body Wash 295mL, member price $8.58 at Custom Care Pharmacy

Use a dye-free and perfume-free detergent – the perfume and dye residues in clothing can sometimes irritate skin and lead to redness, itchiness and rash. This is especially important for people with sensitive skin and children. 

Use a humidifier in the room – This can help reduce the loss of moisture from your skin and reduce itchiness from dry skin.

In some cases, you may still need to use topical steroid as prescribed by your doctor.  You can minimize the side effects of topical steroid (such as thinning of the skin) by applying just a thin layer on the skin and using it no more than 2-3 times daily or as indicated. Once the inflammatory symptoms are relieved, stop using the topical steroid and use a non-medicated moisturizer instead. 

如果你有皮膚紅和癢的癥狀, 但不喜歡使用類固醇，怎麼辦？

如果你有皮膚紅和癢的癥狀，但不喜歡使用類固醇，怎麼辦？

          很多人在冬季都會皮膚乾燥發癢，有些人甚至可能會發展到發紅和皮疹。雖然外用類固醇軟膏可以非常有效地緩解皮膚發紅，發癢症狀，但是很多病人問我們能做些什麼來對待自己的症狀，而無需使用外用類固醇。這裡有一些實用的技巧：

使用保濕霜劑 - 確保您使用非香味的霜劑，如：

Cetaphil保濕霜劑453g, 美健藥房會員價 $16.39  

 

 

 

Cerave保濕霜劑453g, 美健藥房會員價$15.99

 

 

 

 

 

避免使用有香味的保濕霜劑，因為有些含有酒精，會導致皮膚乾燥，而且香味帶有刺激性。另外，乳酸乳液，如Lac-Hydrin，或尿酸類霜劑如Uremol保濕霜可以通過在皮膚上增加適量的水份來緩解皮膚乾燥。但是，如果皮膚破裂了（如刮傷引起的傷口），使用了這些產品后有可能會有些刺痛感。

Uremol 10保濕霜100克, 美健藥房
會員價$7.99

 

 

 

 

 

 

 LAC- hydrin乳液 225毫升,
美健藥房會員價$7.69

 

 

 

 

在美健藥房，我們可以根據你的需要為你訂做無防腐劑，無香味的保濕霜劑。我們使用有效的天然成分如乳木果油，甘油來幫助您的皮膚保持水分。您也可以選擇將維生素E加入到你的保濕霜劑里，$8.99起價。

使用溫和的清潔劑 - 大多數肥皂會令人洗澡後的皮膚乾燥，發癢。在選擇肥皂類產品時，應選適用于敏感皮膚的肥皂，或使用溫和的清潔劑（沐浴露）。

Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser 500mL 美健藥房
會員價$12.09

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cetaphil溫和潔膚皂，美健藥房會員價$ 3.89

 

 

 

 

Aveeno Eczema Care Body Wash 295mL, 美健藥房會員價$8.58

 

 

 

 

使用無染料和無香水的洗滌劑 -殘留在衣服的香料和染料有時會刺激皮膚，導致皮膚發紅，瘙癢和皮疹。對於人皮膚敏感的人和兒童這點特別重要的。

在房間裡使用加濕器- 這樣可以幫助你減少皮膚水分的流失。

在某些情況下，您可能仍然需要由醫生開處方使用外用類固醇。爲了減少外用類固醇的副作用（如皮膚變薄）你只需在皮膚上薄薄地涂一層藥膏，而且每天不超過2-3次。一旦發炎症狀緩解，停止使用外用類固醇軟膏，只使用非藥物保濕治療。

Managing Cold & Flu Symptoms for Diabetic & Pre-Diabetic Patients

Managing Cold & Flu Symptoms for Diabetic & Pre-Diabetic Patients

Cold and flu, by itself, can affect blood sugar control. For example, infections can make your blood sugar level rise.  Furthermore, some cold and flu drugs, such as cough syrups, may contain sugar. All of these factors can make it harder to manage diabetes during illness.

 

For cough control, diabetic and pre-diabetic patients can consider:

Robitussin Cough Control For people with diabetes, only $5.79+tax @ Custom Care Pharmacy

 

 

 

                            For sore throat, diabetic and pre-diabetic patients can consider:

                                           Cepacol sugar free lozenges, only $2.89 +tax @ Custom Care Pharmacy

 

For stuffy nose, diabetic and pre-diabetic patients can consider:

 Salinex nasal mist, only $4.09+tax @ Custom Care Pharmacy




 

Glucometer
If you are using a home glucose monitor, diabetic and pre-diabetic patients should test their blood sugar more frequently during illness.  Consider checking every 2-4 hours, depending on the severity of the illness.  

Target for most patients with diabetes:

Fasting blood glucose/ blood glucose before meals (mmol/L) = 4.0 to 7.0

Blood glucose two hours after eating (mmol/L) = 5.0 to 10

At Custom Care Pharmacy, we have a variety of different blood glucose monitors. Talk to us to see which one  is the right one for you.

Home Blood Glucose Monitors, FREE @ Custom Care Pharmacy

                      

 

 Come join us at our FREE patient seminar on Sunday, Feb 24^th, 2013 from 1-4pm.

Receive a free glucose monitor. Listen to presentation on how to manage blood glucose using common diabetes drugs, home glucose monitor, diet and exercise control.  Optometrists will also discuss diabetes related eye disease.  RSVP by calling us at 905-305-0111. There are limited seats so register today!

糖尿病人感冒怎樣護理?

一般來說，平時血糖控制好的糖尿病患者患了感冒，病情一般不會加深。假如平時糖尿病治療不規範，血糖波動很大，再感冒就相當於雙重打擊，一方面感冒不容易好，容易繼發細菌感染，另一方面血糖會波動更大。

首先，糖尿病人一旦感冒，要增加血糖監測次數，因為當您生病時，血糖可能很不穩定，難以預測。這時您應每隔2至4小時測試血糖一次。您仍須繼續服用治療糖尿病的藥物¸這一點非常重要。

糖尿病患者宜保持的血糖水平目標

 

怎樣測試血糖水平﹖

血糖測量儀是用來在家裏測試您的血糖水平，可以在一般藥房買到。您應與糖尿病教育工作者或藥劑師商討哪個型號適合您。購買以後，確保您在使用以前獲得適當的訓練。市面上，有各種各樣的血糖測量儀，而每個人都有不同的需要。你可在美健藥房免費獲取下列血糖測量儀:

 



美健藥房將於2013年2月24日舉行一個糖尿病座談會，屆時本藥房邀請到相關醫護人員，將會對糖尿病進行詳盡的講解以及註冊藥劑師將會對市面各款血糖測量儀進行詳細的分析，讓每位有需要的人士都可以增加關於糖尿病的認識以及獲得更多關於血糖測量儀的諮詢，更好地控制血糖和選擇適當的血糖測量儀。關於對本次座談會的諮詢，請致電本藥房瞭解詳情（電話號碼：905-305-0111）。 

其次，糖尿病人患了傷風感冒應積極治療，可根據不同癥狀及選藥：

• 如出現傷風咳嗽，痰多，可選擇無糖型化痰止咳藥水

Robitussin止咳藥水 美健藥房 特惠價為$ 5.79加稅

• 如有喉嚨痛，可選擇無糖型潤喉糖                          

 

Cepacol sugar free潤喉糖 美健藥房 特惠價為$ 2.89加稅

• 如有鼻塞，可選擇鹽水噴霧劑

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Salinex噴霧劑 美健藥房 特惠價為$ 4.09加稅 





糖尿病患者預防感冒的具體措施如下：

• 平時多參加體育鍛煉，增強機體的抵抗力

• 多洗手

• 打流感疫苗，肺炎疫苗

• 感冒流行季節少到公共場所，出門應戴口罩。

 

 

*本文章由美健藥房註冊藥劑師林佩蓉（RPh.Linda, Lin）提供。

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