I’ve been Diagnosed with Diabetes…Now What?

Being diagnosed with diabetes whether its type 1 or type 2 can be frightening. You’ve probably just completed a bunch of tests (blood, urine, etc.), talked to your doctor about your eating habits, and are taking some new medications (insulin or pills or both). You may have heard or read about people with diabetes who have had various complications—eye disease, kidney disease, nerve damage, etc. Unfortunately, these are real dangers of having uncontrolled diabetes. That’s the bad news. The good news is that diabetes can be controlled and these complications may never be a problem for you. Diabetes management technology is abundant and growing every day. There are new methods of treatment being made available on a consistent basis.

Diabetes management is not easy, but it is simple. With the help of your healthcare team, you can achieve good glucose control. Diabetes is self-managed, meaning it does require some diligence on your part. If you ignore it, your diabetes will not go away—your health will only get worse.

The first step after diagnosis is to find a qualified Diabetes Specialist, who works with a Diabetes Educator or a team of Diabetes Educators the value of Diabetes Education. As you get your blood glucose under control, learning about diabetes will help you to understand what is going on with your body and how to help control your diabetes.

After finding a diabetes management specialist to treat you, it is vitally important that you follow their instructions. It is important that you feel comfortable with your care team. Do not be scared to call if you have questions. If you get home and forget what exactly you are supposed to do, call your doctor or educator. They will be more than happy to help you—they want you healthy, too!