All things that a diabetic patient must know
Diabetes increases the risk of various health complications. Many times without any symptoms, various diseases take root in the body. So diabetic patients need to have regular checkups to detect these health complications.
It is known whether diabetes is under control or not through checkups. As a result, necessary measures can be taken on time. As part of the checkup, a number of tests are done every year to see if diabetes is under control.
This article discusses 14 things that are essential to keeping diabetes under control and reducing the risk of other health complications.
1. Get your blood sugar tested
High blood sugar levels can damage blood vessels. As a result, the risk of various serious health complications increases to a great extent. Keeping blood sugar levels under control is very important.
There is a blood test to measure average blood sugar control. The test is called HbA1c test. The test should be done at least once a year .
This test can be used to determine how diabetes has been controlled for the past three months. That is, how close the blood sugar was to the ideal target could be determined. The HbAUNC test is different from testing blood sugar at home with a 'glucometer' or diabetes measuring machine.
When measuring diabetes at home, the blood sugar level is known only at that moment. Many patients with diabetes need to measure their sugar levels regularly with a glucometer .
Not all patients need regular sugar testing like this. Usually, patients who use insulin or take some special diabetes medications should measure their blood sugar levels at home regularly. Talk to your doctor to find out if you need to measure your blood sugar regularly, or how often and when you should measure it.
Be aware of blood sugar levels. Doctors prescribe blood sugar targets for many patients with diabetes. If you set such a target, be aware that it is changing.
2. Know the blood pressure or blood pressure
High blood pressure puts extra pressure on the blood vessels and heart. As a result, they cannot function properly. High blood pressure can increase the risk of various health complications of diabetes. These complications include various serious problems of heart, kidney and eyesight.
High blood pressure usually has no symptoms. So a patient with high blood pressure may not feel sick.
But this increased blood pressure continues to damage the heart and blood vessels. These problems are usually not detected before health complications become serious. So it is necessary to take proper treatment of high blood pressure quickly. Blood pressure can be controlled by staying active, keeping weight under control, eating healthy foods and taking medication regularly.
Diabetic patients should visit a doctor at least once a year to measure their blood pressure. You can also measure blood pressure regularly at home . Talk to your doctor to find out what your blood pressure should be.
If you measure your blood pressure at home, record the readings in a notebook or diary. Show the readings to the doctor at your next checkup.
3. Know about 'Lipid Profile'
Blood contains a type of fatty substance called cholesterol. Blood cholesterol is mainly of two types—LDL and HDL. LDL is called 'bad' cholesterol. Because it accumulates inside the blood vessels and obstructs the blood flow. In this way, blood flow to various important organs can be stopped. HDL, on the other hand, is called the 'good' cholesterol. Because it helps remove LDL cholesterol from the blood.
A test called a fasting lipid profile is done to measure the levels of cholesterol and other fats in the blood . This blood test is done on an empty stomach (usually 12 hours without any food other than water). Diabetic patients should undergo this test once a year .
Targets for blood sugar and blood pressure, as well as blood fat, can vary from person to person. Ask your doctor what the right target is for you. If the lipid profile results are above target, seek advice from a doctor on ways to lower it.
4. Take care of the eyes
Diabetes can lead to serious eye damage. Blood vessels in the eyes are damaged due to excess sugar in the blood. So diabetes is one of the causes of vision loss. But this blindness can be prevented by keeping sugar under control and having special eye checkups every year.
An eye 'screening test' for diabetes is different from a normal eye test. In this case, an ophthalmologist will take a picture of the back of the patient's eye to see if there are any changes. In this way, the problem can be diagnosed in time and treatment can be started. As a result, various serious vision problems can be prevented. In addition, if any change in vision is observed between two screening tests, a doctor should be consulted immediately.
Note that smoking also increases the risk of various eye diseases. So if you are a smoker you should quit smoking for your own health.
5. Get a foot and ankle checkup
Diabetes can reduce the blood supply to the legs. As a result, the legs may feel paralyzed or numb. Therefore, if there is an injury to the leg, it cannot be felt well. In addition, wounds do not heal easily. So problems like foot ulcers or infections may occur.
If these foot problems are not diagnosed quickly and treated properly, complications may increase. Even legs may have to be amputated. Therefore, it is very important to regularly check the skin of the feet, blood circulation system and sense (nerves). For this, at least once a year, the feet should be examined by a doctor. Apart from this, care should be taken to see if there is any kind of change in the feet. Along with this, the feet of a diabetic patient should be taken care of regularly.
6. Take care of the kidneys
A large proportion of diabetic patients develop various types of kidney disease as they age. Uncontrolled diabetes and high blood pressure damage the blood vessels in the kidneys. As a result, the kidneys cannot function properly.
Kidney problems may have no symptoms at first. This is why it is important to have regular kidney tests. If there is any kidney problem, it can be detected in time and treatment can be started.
Regular checkups help keep the kidneys healthy. For example: HbAUNC, blood pressure and blood cholesterol should be checked regularly. This helps control diabetes and the risk of other health complications. Keeping these levels as close to normal as possible reduces the risk of health complications.
Two tests should be done every year to monitor if the kidneys are working properly—
1. Urine test . The presence of a substance called protein in the urine gives an idea about kidney problems.
2. Blood tests (eg creatinine or eGFR). Through this test it is possible to know how the kidneys are working.
7. Follow a healthy diet
Discuss your personal diet with a doctor or registered dietitian. He can give you the right advice considering your pros and cons. In addition, you should measure your weight regularly. If the weight is increased , necessary measures should be taken to reduce it .
Reducing the amount of salt and fat in your diet will help keep your blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels under control. As a result, the risk of various complications of diabetes will decrease.
Having diabetes doesn't mean you have to give up certain foods altogether. To know more about this you can read the article Diabetic Food List .
8. Get emotional support
Many people become mentally disturbed when diagnosed with diabetes. It's not unusual to find living with such a long-term problem difficult. However, it is possible to live a life without health complications if you follow the doctor's advice and keep diabetes under control and go for regular checkups.
If you suffer from stress due to diabetes, it can make your blood sugar rise even more. So taking care of mental health is important.
If you are concerned about anything, feel free to discuss it with your doctor. Your family and friends may also want to help you. Talk to someone who will listen carefully about your concerns. Communicating your feelings to others can help you feel better.
9. Learn about diabetes
It is important to understand how diabetes affects your body and what steps you can take to control it. A lot of information can be known by discussing with the doctor.
The doctor may give you a pamphlet or booklet on diabetes. Various information including causes, symptoms, complications and control methods of diabetes are discussed in detail there. Besides, if any of your relatives or friends have diabetes and they have a good idea about it, you can also get various information from them.
Read: Answers to Common Questions About Diabetes
10. Get expert advice
Consult a specialist doctor to keep diabetes under control . In this case, a diabetes or endocrine specialist should be consulted.
Apart from this, diabetes can cause diseases in different parts of the body. For example: eyes, feet, kidneys and heart. Therefore, it may be necessary to see a specialist doctor as needed.
Read: Healthy Pregnancy in Diabetic Women
11. Plan ahead if you want to conceive
If you want to get pregnant, you need to be more aware of diabetes control. Diabetic pregnancy can lead to various complications for mother and baby.
Therefore, it is necessary to strictly control blood sugar before having a child. Blood sugar should be closely monitored to control diabetes before and during pregnancy.
From the time of planning pregnancy, one should go to a specialist doctor and take pre-conception advice. Expert advice should be sought at every step, from the time of preparation for conception to post-natal care.
12. Seek specialist care if admitted to hospital
If the patient is hospitalized due to any illness, a specialist should be consulted regarding the overall treatment. In this case it is necessary to consult a diabetes (endocrine) specialist.
Even if the reason for hospitalization is not diabetes, a specialist doctor should be consulted regarding the patient's physical condition and ongoing treatment.
13. Talk about sexual problems
Diabetes increases the risk of sexual problems in both men and women. Sexual problems can have physical, psychological or lifestyle reasons. Apart from this, sexual problems can occur as a side effect of some medicines.
Blood vessels are damaged due to high blood sugar levels. As a result, the genitals do not get proper blood supply. Sexual problems can also be caused by mental stress or poor mood.
Men may experience symptoms such as erectile dysfunction (ie, not being sexually aroused or unable to maintain an erection). Both men and women can have problems like genital or urinary tract infections.
Do not hesitate to tell the doctor about this. Talking about these things can seem difficult. But if you tell the doctor, he can help you with proper treatment.
14. Quit smoking
Diabetes increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. Smoking increases this risk even further. Smoking can cause blockage of blood flow to the heart and other parts of the body.
Besides, smoking also increases blood pressure. As a result, the risk of various complications including vision loss and nerve damage increases.
So you have to decide to quit smoking habit. Consult a doctor to quit smoking. He can make the process easier by suggesting medication and counseling.
Watch our video to learn effective ways to quit smoking without drugs.
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