Receiving a diabetes diagnosis might make you a little anxious. And that’s OK. We’re here to answer some questions you may have about what’s next. The good news is that diabetes is very common, so we know a lot about it. This diagnosis doesn’t have to keep you from being healthy and enjoying the things you love. Here are a few common questions and their answers to help you get started on your journey toward a healthier life.
How does this impact my whole body?
What treatment options do I have?
How long will I be on medication?
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a disease where the body has trouble making or using insulin. This makes it very difficult for your body to keep your blood sugar at healthy levels. There are two major types of diabetes, type 1 and type 2.
In type 1 diabetes, your pancreas doesn’t make insulin. Without insulin, sugar can’t get into your cells. The buildup of sugar in your blood can lead to high blood sugar.
In type 2 diabetes, your cells need more insulin than usual to take in sugar, or your pancreas doesn’t make enough insulin to keep your blood sugar at healthy levels.
Type 2 diabetes is most common, making up 90%-95% of diabetes cases. A person can develop either type of diabetes at any age. Some people are born with diabetes. But type 2 diabetes is most often developed in adulthood.
Check out these useful resources about how diabetes works:
Are there symptoms?
While some people never have noticeable diabetes symptoms, others may experience at least one of the following:
- Frequent urination, especially at night
- Blurred vision
- Unexplained weight loss
- Fatigue
- Extreme thirst
- Tingling in the hands or feet
- Frequent UTIs, vaginal yeast infections or erectile dysfunction
- Confusion and disorientation
If you have any of these symptoms, reach out to your care provider. Many of these symptoms can stem from other unrelated issues. That’s why it’s important to see a care provider for an official diagnosis.
Should I be worried?
Anxiety about having diabetes is normal. The good news is that there are many tools, lifestyle changes and medications to help you keep your blood sugar under control. Stay in touch with your care provider or care team when you have questions. In our Diabetes Management program, your coach can help you navigate the emotional side of receiving a new diagnosis. Our coaches are trained to help you both manage your diabetes and cope with stress surrounding it. Here are some resources about how to handle diabetes distress:
- 10 tips to help you manage coping with diabetes distress
- Emotional wellness for managing multiple chronic conditions
- Ask a coach: I was told I have diabetes. What do I do now?
Managing your blood sugar should be top priority when you live with diabetes. With the right tools and care plan, better health is within reach.
However, it is important to be aware of dangerous situations that may arise when your blood sugar is not under control. Hyperglycemia (dangerously high blood sugar) and hypoglycemia (dangerously low blood sugar) can lead to a diabetic coma. If left untreated, diabetic coma can be a life-threatening condition. With this condition you become unconscious and need immediate medical attention. Monitoring your blood sugar and keeping it within range is the best way to prevent a diabetic coma. Here are some tools to help you manage and recognize high and low blood sugar:
How does this impact my whole body?
Diabetes can impact many parts of the body, including your cardiovascular system, nervous system, eyes, kidneys, feet and reproductive system.
Cardiovascular system
Your cardiovascular system pumps blood to all parts of the body. It includes the heart and blood vessels. High glucose levels in your blood can damage your blood vessels. Over 70% of people with diabetes also have high blood pressure. Both diabetes and high blood pressure can increase your risk of developing heart disease, heart attack and stroke. The good news is that you can manage diabetes and high blood pressure at the same time, often with the same lifestyle changes.
Nervous system
Diabetes can cause neuropathy—nerve damage. Neuropathy can feel like numbness, tingling or pain in your extremities. Luckily, there are ways to prevent and manage neuropathy. Read this article to learn more about what neuropathy feels like and how to manage it.
Eyes
When your blood sugar is high, you may notice that your vision gets blurry or impaired. This usually happens because high blood sugar can cause swelling of the eye lens. Over time, chronically high blood sugar can lead to eye disorders like glaucoma, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy and macular edema. This usually comes from damage to small blood vessels that can develop over the course of years. All of these conditions can lead to vision loss. It’s important to see your eye doctor at least once a year to keep tabs on your vision health.
Kidneys
Over time, diabetes can influence your kidney function. So it’s important to make sure you receive kidney function tests regularly. Asking your primary care provider about getting a kidney function test during your yearly checkups is an easy way to ensure you keep track of your kidney health.
Feet
Neuropathy in your feet can put your feet at serious risk. Notice if the skin on your feet becomes unusually dry. Dry skin is one of the early signs of neuropathy. Here are 10 easy steps to healthier feet.
Reproductive system
Diabetes can impact fertility and sexual health in men and women. In women, diabetes can influence menstrual cycles and hormonal fluctuations. In men, nerve and blood vessel damage may lead to erectile dysfunction. Here are some useful resources about diabetes and the reproductive system:
What treatment options do I have?
Your diabetes care plan is unique to your own needs. Your doctor may prescribe medications, suggest a new health device or suggest lifestyle changes. Most people will have a unique combination of those three treatment options.
Medications
There are many kinds of oral and injectable diabetes medications. Common medications include:
- Metformin
- Glyburide
- Sitagliptin
- Pioglitazone
- SGLT2 inhibitors
- GLP-1 receptor agonists
Each of these medications works in a specific way. Your care provider may prescribe one of these medications based on your medical history. You may recognize GLP-1 receptor agonists as a weight loss medication. GLP-1 receptor agonists have been effectively used to treat diabetes for decades. Here are some more useful resources about how different medications work and how to use them safely:
Insulin
With diabetes, your body isn’t producing or isn’t able to use insulin effectively. So your care provider might prescribe insulin. There are several ways to take insulin:
- Insulin injections—this includes insulin pens and syringes. You inject yourself throughout the day depending on the instructions your care provider gave you.
- Insulin inhaler—when you inhale powdered insulin, you can absorb it more quickly. This is not an appropriate option for people with chronic lung diseases like asthma and COPD.
- Insulin pump—with an insulin pump, you receive insulin every 5 minutes throughout the day based on programmed settings that are recommended by your doctor. When you eat or have high blood sugar, you can use the pump to calculate your dose and give you additional insulin.
- “Artificial pancreas” or closed-loop system—this combines a continuous glucose monitor (CGM), an insulin pump and a software algorithm. The system automatically adjusts how much insulin is delivered based on your predicted blood sugar, and you can deliver additional insulin for meals or high blood sugar.
Read these articles and guides about insulin if you want to know more:
Blood sugar checks
Checking your blood sugar regularly can help you keep your blood sugar within range. In our Diabetes Management program, you can set up alerts for a coach to reach out to you when your blood sugar is out of range. Here are some helpful resources about coaching and how to make checking your blood sugar an effortless habit:
- Blood sugar monitoring (How, when and why?)
- Your guide to meter accuracy
- How to set blood sugar meter reminders
- How to set up diabetes and heart health coaching alerts
- Patterns to look for in your logbook
Changing your diet and exercise routine
One of the best ways to make sure your treatment plan is effective is to adopt a healthier lifestyle. Healthy diet and exercise routines can improve your diabetes management, blood pressure, sleep and mood.
For a healthier diet, avoid highly processed and overly sweetened food. Instead, opt for high fiber, minimally processed or whole foods like whole grains and fresh vegetables. Limit your alcohol consumption and stick to a consistent eating schedule. Check out these resources for healthy eating with diabetes:
- Quick tips for healthy eating with diabetes
- Alcohol and diabetes
- Whole foods vs. processed foods
- 30-day fiber challenge
Boosting your activity can help lower your A1c over time. It can also improve circulation, give you more energy, increase your mobility and help you lose weight. A regular exercise routine can transform your health. But it’s important to start small if you are new to fitness. Taking a walk every day is a great place to start. Here are some helpful beginner workout routines and resources about diabetes and exercise:
- Diabetes and exercise
- The benefits of exercise
- The FITT principle for people with diabetes
- Beginner strength training: Chair exercises weeks 1 & 2
How long will I be on medication?
Your diabetes journey will depend on your unique situation. Some people who are prescribed diabetes medication may eventually no longer need it. Others may need medication for life. Work with your provider to find a care plan that works for you. Always take your medications as directed and don’t stop unless your provider tells you that you can. You can come to your provider with questions about your medications, including why you need them and how they work. Staying on top of your diabetes management routine can help you keep it under control. We’re here to help you do that!