Diabetes is manageable and support is available

Before Jo Paxinos downloaded MedAdvisor, she would phone her Melbourne pharmacy to order prescription repeats and hope that all of the details were taken down correctly.

“I have always kept my scripts at my pharmacy as it is easier, so I would phone the staff and ask them to put the script in,” she says.

“Sometimes the staff may not have heard you correctly, or the pharmacist was being extra careful, and they would wait for you to come in before dispensing the script.

“Nowadays (with MedAdvisor), I can tap to refill the script during my own time on a Sunday night and then it’s ready for me to collect on a Monday morning.

“There is no confusion and it’s a lot easier.”

Jo, 40, was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes when she was 20, and she takes eight different drugs to manage her condition.

“I am what I would call a sprightly and young person, and the last thing I want to do is wait around at a pharmacy all day long, so MedAdvisor has been great,” Jo says.

“Often, I would not know what scripts I needed as the pharmacist had them, and I couldn’t see them, so when I went to the endocrinologist I would not be aware of how much medication I had left and then I would end up calling the doctor a week later to renew the script.

“I already had a great relationship with my pharmacy team but the introduction of MedAdvisor brought my interaction with the pharmacy into the 21 century.”

MedAdvisor also plays a crucial role in helping Jo to manage her diabetes so it doesn’t negatively impact her life.

National Diabetes Week, runs from July 14-20, and is focused on raising awareness of the seriousness of the condition and the importance of managing it on a day-to-day basis.

According to Diabetes Australia, around 1.7 million Australians have diabetes, and this includes all types of diagnosed diabetes (1.2 million known and registered) as well as silent, undiagnosed Type 2 diabetes (up to 500,000 estimated).

Diabetes is the fastest-growing chronic condition in Australia. Some 280 Australians develop diabetes every day, which is estimated to be one person every five minutes.

More than 100,000 Australians have developed diabetes in the past year.

Despite these statistics, it is possible to not only survive but thrive with diabetes, which Jo has done impressively for the past two decades.

“I make sure I exercise a few times a week, and I eat a healthy diet,” Jo says.

“Exercise and lifestyle play a huge role in managing the condition, but unfortunately they are not a cure-all and you do need to stay on top of medication, as well.”

So, committed is Jo to her health and wellbeing that she chose a career that would ensure her diabetes remained in check.

“I am a swim teacher and am in the water with kids, which is great for my health,” she says.

“It keeps my focus on maintaining that healthy lifestyle, which is honestly what we should all be doing regardless of whether or not we have Type 2 diabetes.”

Most importantly, diabetes sufferers need to know that they’re not alone: the condition is manageable and support is available.

“It is 100 per cent manageable and you can enjoy a good quality of life,” Jo says.

“And if you don’t feel like you’re being supported, by your medical team, then go and find the right support.

“You need to feel comfortable with the people you’re working with and that they’re helping you to be as healthy as you can be. “

For more information on support, contact https://www.diabetesaustralia.com.au/

MedAdvisor is committed to playing an important role in helping you to keep track of your medications. Our medication management platform is focused on addressing the gap and burden of medication adherence.