Just Received a Diabetes Diagnosis? 10 Things You Need to Know
It’s a life-changing diagnosis.
You didn’t want to hear the words from your doctor, but after fasting blood sugar tests and other medical evaluations, the evidence couldn’t be denied.
You now have a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis.
It’s not unusual to feel anxious or maybe even a little depressed when you hear this news. But don’t worry—we have worked with hundreds of Raleigh and Triangle area residents who have diabetes. We partner with them so they understand what to expect and how to successfully monitor their blood sugar.
If you’ve recently received a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis, there are some important facts you need to know in order to reduce your risk of developing conditions such as heart disease or neuropathy.
We’ve outlined ten of them below.
10 Things You Need to Know If You’ve Been Recently Received a Diabetes Diagnosis
1. Monitoring Your Blood Sugar is Critical
This is the foundation of managing your illness. If you don’t know your levels, it’s impossible to make any adjustments. Be sure to calibrate your monitor to ensure you’re getting the most accurate readings possible.
How often should you check your blood sugar? The answer leads us to #2 on our list.
2. Speak to Our Internal Medicine Doctors in Raleigh About How Often You Should Test
Those with diabetes may have to check their sugar anywhere from four-to-ten times a day—mostly before meals and before bedtime. How often you should test depends upon many factors, and there is no one blanket answer for everyone.
The most important aspect of testing is to establish a plan with one of our doctors so we can accurately monitor you over time.
3. Create a Healthy Eating Plan after a Diabetes Diagnosis
The key to following through with a good diet is to first have a plan in place. Nutritional eating goes a long way toward keeping your blood sugar at a healthy level.
We’re fortunate to have the services of Nicole Matala, our dietitian, who can create a menu for you that is healthy without sacrificing flavor.
If you’re not sure where to start, just give us a call. We’ll be happy to help.
4. Take Your Medicine as Directed
We understand that it’s not always convenient, but managing your medication is vital to help ensure you won’t be at risk for conditions such as heart disease or strokes. Be sure you know when to take the medication or insulin and the amount needed. We also want to know about any other medications or herbal supplements you’re taking so we can be sure there aren’t any potential interactions.
5. Step Up Your Activity Level
If you’re already involved in an exercise regiment, that’s fantastic! We believe that exercise has extensive health benefits for everyone.
Exercise plays a big role in helping control your blood sugar after a diabetes diagnosis. It can also help you achieve a healthy weight, which can also put you on the path of successfully managing your diabetes.
If you’ve not started an exercise routine, speak with us about starting one. We can give you ideas that can help
6. Take Care of Yourself
It can be overwhelming to discover that you have diabetes. We understand. That’s why it’s so important to take care of yourself—both mentally and physically—at this time.
7. Treat Your Wellness Like You Would a Job
So many times, we dedicate ourselves to our job with more determination and dedication than we do our own health. If it helps you, see your wellness as a “job” that will make you healthier. Remember that caring for yourself enables you to better care for others and perform better in the workplace.
8. Remember That Stress and Anxiety Can Raise Your Blood Sugar
If you’re having a difficult time and are feeling overwhelmed, you can expect to see it reflected in your blood sugar readings. If you’re stressed, we recommend the following methods to provide relief:
- Exercise: This releases “feel good” endorphins into your system.
- Meditation: Research has indicated that meditation can alleviate stress.
- Counseling: Sometimes talking to a licensed therapist or member of the clergy can help.
- Support Network: Surround yourself with friends and family who will support and encourage you.
9. Stop Smoking
If you smoke, this is the perfect time to quit. Smoking has several detrimental effects on your health, placing you at greater risk for cancer and heart disease. If you need more information on how stop smoking, check out these online tools from the Centers for Disease Control.
10. Schedule Regular Appointments With Us
Coping with a chronic illness like Type 2 diabetes is a lifetime venture—and one that you should not take alone.
As internal medicine physicians in Raleigh, we’re uniquely qualified to treat chronic illnesses. Why? Because internal medicine specialists look at the whole body and how one system affects the others. This gives us a more comprehensive overview of your health.
By scheduling regular wellness check-ups, we can monitor your blood sugar and stop any problems before they become serious health issues.
What Causes a Diabetes Diagnosis?
There is no one factor for what causes diabetes—often you’ll find the answer is varied and multifaceted. Typically, it is a combination of several different things.
A type 2 diabetes diagnosis can be caused by these factors:
Being Overweight
If you’re overweight or obese, you’re much more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes. You are particularly at risk if you have excess fat around your belly.
If you’re not sure if you’re overweight or obese, this useful body mass index calculator can help you find the answer.
Insulin Resistance
Extra fat around the abdomen is also linked to insulin resistance. In insulin resistance, a chain reaction begins to result in higher blood sugar. When your body doesn’t respond well to insulin, it can’t use glucose (sugar) from your bloodstream for energy. Therefore, your pancreas has to produce additional insulin. The result is that your blood sugar levels eventually rise over time.
Lack of Physical Activity
Lack of regular exercise or leading a sedentary lifestyle can contribute to developing Type 2 diabetes.
Genetics
Diabetes tends to run in families, and researchers believe there is a strong genetic component. In addition, certain racial and ethnic groups tend to have a higher rate of Type 2 diabetes. These include:
- African Americans
- Native Americans
- Asian Americans
- Pacific Islanders
- Native Alaskans
- Hispanics/Latinos
Can Type 2 Diabetes Be Reversed?
We get asked this question a lot. Many of those newly diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes want to know if there’s anything they can do to reverse the process.
In actuality, the answer is a bit complicated. Research is ongoing, but there is not enough evidence to provide concrete steps to “reverse” a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis.
However, there are some important items you should know:
If you manage your Type 2 diabetes better, you may need less medication and insulin. However, this can’t technically be called “reversing” the disease.
Prediabetes can be reversed, and it’s much easier to intervene at this stage to keep diabetes from developing. If you are prediabetic, we can work with you to create a plan to prevent it from developing into Type 2 diabetes.
Gestational diabetes—the type of diabetes experienced by pregnant women—often can be reversed after the baby is born. Many women are no longer diabetic after giving birth.
Raleigh Adult Medicine Provides Comprehensive Treatment for Those With Diabetes and Other Chronic Diseases
We have been treating patients in the Raleigh area for more than two decades. Many of our patients have chronic diseases like diabetes—and others may have two or more chronic diseases.
We take a comprehensive approach to medicine, taking into account your complete medical history so we can tailor an appropriate treatment plan for you.
And we promise, we’ll always take time to answer all of your questions.
See why we’re the leading specialists in Raleigh and the Triangle area. Scheduling an appointment is easy. We would love to be a partner in your care!
For more than 20 years, Raleigh Adult Medicine has served as the Triangle area’s premier internal medicine provider. We tailor our treatments to provide the finest personalized health care available for each stage of your adult life. Contact us to schedule an appointment.
