Newly diagnosed or just looking to refresh previous information; this page will provide you with a list of topics that you should be familiar with. Diabetes can be confusing and overwhelming with all the new things you have to learn and understand but the more you know, the more you can help yourself.
What is Diabetes?
Find out about diabetes: the terminology, symptoms, diagnosis and goals of treatment. Learn how the body keeps the blood sugar in balance.
• What is blood sugar
- What is insulin
• Symptoms
• Diagnosis
• Goals: A1C, Fasting Blood sugars, Postprandial blood sugars
• More about the body and blood sugar
Types of Diabetes
There are many types of diabetes. Learn more about your type of diabetes or look at the classification table to see a comprehensive list.
• Type 1
• Type 2
• Other
• Classification table
Causes of Diabetes
Read more about how different types of diabetes develop: what are the risk factors, what is the process that leads to diabetes.
• Type 1 diabetes
• Type 2 diabetes
Complications of diabetes
- Cardiovascular (heart attacks and strokes)
- Eyes (retinopathy)
- Kidneys
- nerves (diabetic neuropathy)
Treatment for type 1 diabetes
Insulin given by injection is the central treatment for type 1 diabetes. There are fast-acting and long acting insulin formulations. It is important to understand when to use these different formulations and the concepts behind choosing the right insulin dose. There is one other injected medication for type 1 diabetes, Symlin, that may be given in addition to insulin
• Insulin
• What is insulin
• Types
• Injecting
• Dosing
• Storage
• Other non-insulin medication
• What are the different types of other medications
Treatment for type 2 diabetes
The treatment for type 2 diabetes may be a simple as lifestyle changes (diet, exercise and weight management) with one or two pills to many different pills and/or insulin or other injected medications. Your medical team will help you decide the best choices for you
• Pills: Metformin, glyburide, glipizide, glimepiride Etc
• Other medications
Insulin
• What is insulin
• Types
• Injecting
• Dosing
• Storage
Find out if the treatment is working
Blood sugar monitoring lets you know if the treatment plan is working and you are achieving the goals of therapy. And keeping a logbook helps everyone review and assess the results
• Blood sugar targets: A1C, Fasting blood sugars, after meal blood sugars
• Blood sugar monitoring
• Ketones
• Logbooks
Changing the diet
Eating a healthy and balanced diet is another important part of living with diabetes. The first think you need to understand is which foods have sugar and starch (carbohydrates).
• What is a carbohydrate?
• Quick carbohydrate counting
When the blood sugar is uncontrolled
When your blood sugar is too high or too low, you need to understand the symptoms and what to do. Some situations require urgent medical attention.
• Low blood sugars
• High blood sugars
When your blood sugar is not controlled…
Read about common reasons for your blood sugar to be out of balance.
• Problem solve high and low blood sugars in type 1 diabetes
• Problem solve high and low blood sugars in type 2 diabetes
Practical part of having diabetes
Every day tips for how to live safely with diabetes.
• Medical Alert
• What to carry with you
• When to check ketones
• Assembling your Medical Team
• Prescriptions
• Sick Days
• Traveling
• Driving and Diabetes
• Avoid common mistakes (when you are taking insulin)
Diabetes FAQs
Everyone who has just been diagnosed with diabetes has some questions.
