What To Do After a Diabetes Diagnosis: Get Educated

Have you just learned that you have diabetes? You may be feeling overwhelmed at hearing the news and a range of questions may immediately come to mind.  You will want to know about a course of treatment, changes to your lifestyle, potential complications and how to tell others who need to know should you need assistance in dealing with your condition.

Your doctor will be prepared to help you understand what happens after a diabetes diagnosis. One of the first steps after a diabetes diagnosis is finding out who will be your main medical provider for the disease. Depending on your physician and their area of expertise, your doctor may continue to be your main point of contact in treating and managing your disease, whether it is Type 1 or Type 2. Or you may get a referral to a diabetes specialist.

After your diagnosis, the next step is education. Learn as much as you can about the following:

·         The type of diabetes you have

·         Prescribed medications

·         Diet and exercise

·         Support groups

Understand how Type 1 and Type 2 differ

Knowing the difference between the two types of diabetes is important in understanding what types of medications your doctor may prescribe and daily management. Type 1 is a chronic autoimmune disease. The immune system mistakes the body’s own healthy cells as foreign invaders. In response, the immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. With the destruction of these cells, the body is unable to produce insulin. [1]

With Type 2 diabetes, the body cannot use insulin correctly so that sugar builds up in the blood. Type 2 is more common than Type 1, accounting for 90 to 95% of all cases.[2] Type 2 can occur in people of all ages but occurs more often in older individuals. Being overweight and inactive can contribute to the disease.

Once you understand the type of diabetes you have, you may want to discuss the following with your medical care provider during your diabetes consultation:

·         How will the disease progress?

·         What do I do if symptoms get worse?

·         What is the risk of complications and other conditions because of diabetes, for example a heart attack or stroke?

Learn about medications and glucose control

As part of your education, talk to your doctor or diabetes care and education specialist about the types of medications you will need to take to keep your blood glucose levels in their target range. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends the following diabetes exam questions to ask about prescribed medications: [3]

• How much do I take?
• How often should I take it, and when?
• Should I take my medication on an empty stomach or with food?
• What to do if I forget to take my medication and remember later?
• What side effects could I have?
• What should I do if I have side effects?
• Will this medication cause a problem with other medications I take?

You may want to ask your doctor if there is financial support for medicines and equipment should you need assistance.

Also, during your diabetes consultation, other diabetes exam questions are:

·         How often should I check my blood sugar and when?

·         What should I do when my blood sugar is too high?

Ask about diet and exercise

Your medical provider will also advise what foods you should eat and can prescribe a healthy meal plan that supports your objectives for managing your diabetes. Also discuss the types of exercises that are safe for your condition during the diabetes consultation.

Healthy eating

The key to healthy eating involves eating a variety of healthy foods from all the food groups - vegetables, fruits, grains, protein, and dairy (nonfat or low fat) - in the amount established in a meal plan tailored to your specific needs. Also eating healthy means eating foods with heart-healthy fats, which come from: [4]

• vegetable oils like olive and canola
• nuts and seeds
• heart-healthy fish such as salmon, tuna, and sardines

Limit fried foods and other foods high in saturated and trans fats, foods high in salt, sweets, and beverages with added sugars.

Exercise

Understanding the value of exercise to help control diabetes raises questions about how much exercise should go into a diabetes exercise plan. While any exercise is better than none, the ADA notes that most health organizations say to exercise a minimum of 150 minutes per week to achieve significant benefits. The exercise does not need to be all at one time, either. ADA says to think of a diabetes exercise plan as a series of mini goals. A goal could be to exercise 50 minutes three times a week, 30 minutes five times a week, or even 25 minutes six times a week.[5]

Even with all the diabetes exercise benefits, take precautions to avoid injury and the possibility of causing other health complications. Before starting an exercise regimen, get a complete medical evaluation. A recommended fitness program may depend on test results – such as a treadmill test to monitor the performance of your heart and blood pressure during exercise – and your medical history. Your healthcare team will base their recommendations on considerations that include whether you are overweight or if your medical history includes heart disease; diabetic neuropathy, which can affect your feet; retinopathy, which affects your vision, or peripheral vascular disease.

Find out about support groups

During your diabetes consultation, ask about support groups. Your medical provider may be able to provide a list of local in-person groups or online organizations. Members of diabetes support groups can suggest resources and offer realistic advice that your healthcare provider may not be able to provide. Participating in a group with others who are in a comparable situation can help to mitigate concerns about how to manage your diabetes on a day-to-day basis or potential complications of the disease. Not only are support groups a source of empowerment for dealing with your disease, but you also benefit from building relationships with others.

Among the benefits of diabetes support groups are:

•          Getting practical information for coping with problems and daily life

•          Sharing emotion without fear of being judged

•          Lightening the stress of living with diabetes

•          Learning about the latest advances in medications, benefits, and side effects

•          Getting on top of the latest research

•          Finding out about the best medical practitioners and treatment centers

The key to managing your diabetes is getting smart. Learn as much as you can and confer as needed with your health team and support groups. Also, medicine and medical technology is constantly evolving so you want to keep up with the latest information available on managing your diabetes.