Question:
What are the symptoms and signs of diabetes?

Answer:
Common symptoms of high blood sugar in diabetes include being very thirsty, frequent urination, weight loss, blurred vision, fatigue, and infections that don’t go away easily. On the other hand, some people don’t have any symptoms at all. The main sign of diabetes-too much sugar in your blood- is something that your doctor can find. It is the one thing that means you have diabetes.

Question:
Why is it so important to control glucose (blood sugar)

Answer:
Studies have shown that high blood sugar levels, over many years, can seriously hurt the eyes, kidneys, heart and blood vessels, and the feet.
That’s why it’s so important to follow the treatment plan your doctor has given you, including taking your medications regularly, checking your blood sugar levels every day, and making appropriate lifestyle changes.

Question:
What are the possible complications of diabetes.

Answer:
Complications – conditions that you may get a s a result of your diabetes-can occur quickly or after many years. High blood sugar levels can hurt many different parts of the body, causing the following possible problems; Nerve damage–Can cause pain or loss of feeling as the hands and feet, trouble with digestion, loss of bladder or bowel control, and sexual problems.
Kidney disease–A common cause of kidney disease in people with diabetes is high blood pressure. In early stages, kidney disease is more treatable-but later on, dialysis or kidney transplantation may be needed.
Eye damage–May occur after many years with type 2 diabetes and can lead to blindness Cardiovascular disease–Harm to the heart and blood vessels in the leading cause of death in people with type 2 diabetes. You’re more at risk if you are overweight; have high blood levels of glucose, insulin and fats; and have high blood pressure. Losing weight–getting more exercise, and quitting smoking may help you to prevent or delay this problem.
Periodontal (tooth and gum) disease– Poorly controlled diabetes puts you at risk for gum and mouth infections. So it’s important to take good care of your teeth and gums. Remove the plaque (the sticky stuff at your gum line caused by germs) by brushing after meals and using floss or toothpicks. Also, go to your dentist for a cleaning every 6 months.
Infections– High blood glucose levels make it easier for yeast and fungus to cause infections. The skin and gums around your teeth are common places for infection. Also, respiratory infections may be harder to cure in people with diabetes, and gangrene is serious infection that can result in amputation of the leg, toe, or arm that is infected.

Don’t give up hope because of the problems that diabetes can cause. Follow the proper diet, exercise, take your medications, and see your doctor as recommended. If you do start developing one of the problems above, don’t just forget about it – the sooner you start treating the problem, the better off you’ll be.

Question:
What Are HBA1c Levels?

ANSWER:
HbA1c (glycohemoglobin) testing is a way to see how well your blood sugar levels are being controlled over several months’ time. While testing for blood glucose is a way to tell what your blood sugar levels are over a period of a few hours-which is very useful for day –to day control-HbA1c level gives a picture of how well you’ve been controlled over the past 2 to 3 months.
HbA1c testing does this by showing how much blood glucose has been picked up by your red blood cells as they travel throughout your body. Both kinds of tests help your doctor see how well your diabetes is being controlled.
Many doctors can now perform HbA1c tests in their offices, while you wait, using a blood sample taken from your finger. Or, your doctor may send a blood sample to a lab. The American Diabetes Association says that all people with diabetes should have HbA1c tests every 3 months if they’re taking insulin shots.

Question:
What Is the Importance of Lipid (Blood Fat) Levels?

Answer:
People with type 2 diabetes, especially if overweight, often have a problem with high levels of lipids (blood fats). These lipids include cholesterol, both the “good (HDL) and “bad” (LDL) kinds, plus fats called triglycerides. Continued high lipid levels can cause heart disease, so it’s important to have this treated.

Question:
What role does insulin resistance play in type 2 diabetes?

Answer:
Insulin resistance is a major cause of type 2 diabetes. As a person with type 2 diabetes, you know that your body does make insulin, it’s just that you can’t use it properly. And that’s because of insulin resistance.

In a person with type 2 diabetes, the pancreas makes insulin and releases it after a meal is eaten. But, as the diaphragm shows, insulin resistance stops the cells from “opening up” normally to get all the blood sugar they can use. Insulin resistance gets worse with weight gain and age but can also be a problem even if you are not overweight. If you have type 2 diabetes, it may not matter how much insulin your body is given or makes for itself. You still have a hard time controlling your blood sugar levels.

Question:
What can be done to help reduce the risk of liver problems?

Answer:
Your doctor will perform a blood test before you start taking a prescription to check your liver enzyme levels. This same test will be repeated at least every month during the first 12 months of therapy, and at least quarterly thereafter. By repeating this test your doctor can watch for any changes in liver function that might take place. Although blood tests cannot completely eliminate the potential for serious liver problems, they may help reduce the risk. You should tell your doctor if you have any side effects that you think may be associated with taking a prescription for diabetes type 2, even if they seem unimportant. Stop taking the prescription, and call your doctor right away if you have jaundice (yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes) or brown urine. Your doctor will know what to do. Talks to your doctor immediately if you have nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, lack of appetite, or fatigue (feeling extremely tired) as these may be signs or symptoms of a liver problem.

Question:
Will your weight change while you are taking prescriptions?

Answer:
Diet control is a very important part of taking good care of yourself when you have type 2 diabetes. Limiting calories, keeping close watch of your weight, and getting enough exercise will not only help you feel better, they will also help your medications to work. Controlling your weight is especially important when you are taking prescriptions. In some cases, patients taking prescriptions in combination with other diabetes medications have significantly lowered their blood sugar but gained 6 to 13 pounds. Regardless of the medications you are taking, controlling your weight should be a major part of the way you manage your diabetes.

Question:
Can you take multiple medications at the same time?

Answer:
There are many medications that are okay to take together, but there are a few that are not. There are also some birth control pills that women shouldn’t use when taking some prescriptions for diabetes type 2 because they won’t work well. Be sure to talk with your doctor about ALL medications you may be taking for type 2 as well as other diseases and conditions.

Questions:
What about prescriptions for type 2 diabetes and pregnancy?

Answer:
If you are a pre-menopausal woman who is not ovulating, you should know that some prescribed type 2 therapy may result in resumption of ovulation, thus putting you at risk for pregnancy. You should not take some prescription if you are pregnant unless your doctor says it is right for you.