| The following is a list of questions to ask your doctor about diabetes, as well as tips for preparing for these conversations. |
| 1. Am I at risk for type 2 diabetes? |
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| | There are two types of diabetes. With type 1 diabetes people don't make any insulin—a hormone that allows glucose (sugar) to enter the cells of your body to produce energy-and people with type 2 don't make enough insulin or are unable to utilize it properly (insulin resistance). A third of people with type 2 diabetes don't know they have it, and oftentimes people don't learn they have diabetes until they have eye problems, kidney damage, gum or nerve damage.
Risk factors for type 2 diabetes include:
- Age 45 or older
- Overweight-high body mass index (BMI)
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
- High cholesterol
- A history of diabetes during pregnancy (gestational diabetes)
- Ethnicity-African-American, Hispanic, or Pacific Islander
- A family history of the disease
- Physical inactivity
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| How you can prepare for this discussion |
- Keep a record of any symptoms
- Learn your body mass index, cholesterol and blood pressure numbers
- Ask family members about their health history
- Gather pregnancy records including birth weights of all children
- Let your doctor know if you are of African-American, Hispanic, or Pacific Islander decent
- Log how much activity you have each day
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| 2. What are the symptoms of diabetes? |
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| | Type 2 diabetes develops slowly over a period of many years. In the early stages people may have few or no symptoms.
Symptoms of diabetes may include:
- Excessive thirst
- Increased hunger
- Increased urination
- Fatigue
- Blurred vision
- Weight loss
- Frequent vaginal yeast infection in women
- Gum problems
- Sores that don't heal
- Itching
- Impotence in men
- Unusual sensations, such as tingling or burning, in the extremities
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| How you can prepare for this discussion |
- Gather all medical records and laboratory test results performed in the past
- Make a list of all symptoms and their frequency
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| 3. Should I be tested for diabetes? |
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| | When glucose is not allowed to enter cells it builds up in the blood. A blood sugar test (glucose tolerance test) can measure the amount of sugar circulating in the blood. It is recommended that anyone over the age of 45 be screened for diabetes, particularly if you have any of the above risk factors. Insulin resistance can occur years before diabetes. If you have pre-diabetes, you should be tested every year. |
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| How you can prepare for this discussion |
- Gather all past medical records and laboratory test results
- List all blood glucose values
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| 4. Is there anything I can do to prevent diabetes? |
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| | Although there is no cure for type 2 diabetes, there are many things you can do to prevent the disease. Eating a healthy diet, exercising and maintaining a healthy weight can help prevent the consequences of diabetes. A healthy diet includes eating a variety of foods including high-fiber, low-fat, low-cholesterol foods, and whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Any amount of exercise is beneficial, however, 30 minutes five days a week is recommended. And losing excess weight will help your body better use insulin and lower your blood pressure. Losing just 5% to 7% of body weight can delay or prevent type 2 diabetes. |
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| How you can prepare for this discussion |
- Use a food log to assess your diet and portion size
- Use an exercise log to assess how much exercise you perform each week
- Make a plan to change lifestyle habits by improving diet, weight control and exercise and set daily and weekly goals
- Think about friends and family who might be able to join you
- Consider consulting a dietician and exercise specialist
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| 5. Are there any medications I can take to control blood glucose? |
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| | Sometimes diet and exercise are not enough to normalize blood glucose. You may need to add medications to your program to help control blood sugar. There are several medications that can be used alone and in combination. Each medication works in a different way, and some are taken by mouth and some by injection. |
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| How you can prepare for this discussion |
- List all the prescription, over-the-counter medications and dietary supplements you are taking
- Note any drug allergies, or if you have had trouble taking medications in the past
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| Supported through an educational grant from GlaxoSmithKline |
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