Last Updated on December 11, 2024
Being newly diagnosed with diabetes can be terrifying. You will feel sad, angry, and afraid. The news can make you feel like your world has been turned upside down.
But you aren’t alone. More than 3 million people are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes every year. It’s a big problem with no cure.
Everyone has heard horror stories about diabetes. Stories of blindness and amputations. Stories about injecting insulin three times a day after each meal. Nobody ever tells the success stories of diabetics living normal healthy lives.
Your body needs sugar to function properly. Although we produce a small amount of sugar naturally, most of it comes from what we eat. Our bodies have a system for regulating the amount of sugar that circulates in our blood. The main force that drives the system is insulin produced by the pancreas.
With type 2 diabetes your body either rejects the insulin or does not produce enough insulin. Without the sufficient insulin, your body can’t keep your blood sugar levels in a healthy range.
Hyperglycemia and Hypoglycemia
You need to become familiar with these terms. Hyperglycemia is when there is too much glucose in your blood. Hypoglycemia is the opposite, when there is not enough glucose in your blood. Not only should you know the terms, you should also know the symptoms.
Symptoms of hyperglycemia (high blood sugar):
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Blurred vision
- Increased thirst
- Frequent urination
Symptoms of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar):
- Shaking
- Sweating
- Dizziness
- Lightheadedness
- Weakness
- Hunger
You need to become sensitive to the signals your body sends. Always be aware of how you are feeling. If you start to feel any of these, take a second to see how you are feeling. Maybe you need to go for a quick jog or eat a piece of fruit. Untreated hyper/hypoglycemia can lead to a loss of consciences.
What to do now?
Diabetes can make you feel lost and helpless. While there is no cure for diabetes, there is a lot you can do to control it. Knowing what steps to take next can help you get ahead of your diabetes.
- Find Support
One of the most important factors in your battle with diabetes is going to be your support team. When you feel comfortable, tell your loved ones about your diagnosis. If they don’t understand diabetes, explain it to them. Take this time to tell them how they can help.
In addition to your family and friends, look for support groups or classes for diabetics. This is an excellent way to share your feelings, struggles, and accomplishments with people going through the same thing. If there aren’t any in your area, there are countless online forums to share your diabetes journey with others.
- Be Active
Being active can work wonders on controlling your diabetes. Exercising for 30 minutes a day can lower your glucose levels for 24 hours. Exercise is an excellent tool, but must be used carefully. Test your blood sugar before exercising and bring a snack. If you need extra encouragement, ask a friend to join you.
- Eat Healthy
Just because you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes doesn’t mean you have to eat rice cakes and oats for the rest of your life. Portion control and understanding what you can eat are essential. Ask your doctor for a diabetic meal plan to get you started.
- Medications
You might be able to control your type 2 diabetes with a healthy diet and regular exercise. If not, your doctor might proscribe you an oral medication or insulin injections to maintain your glucose levels. You might try several different types of medication combinations before you find which one works best.
The list of medications to control diabetes is getting longer every day. Don’t automatically think that newer drugs are better. Most studies show that the newer and more expensive drugs are not as effective as their competitors.
The first few weeks can be be difficult. You are going to learn a lot of new and confusing information. Being diagnosed with diabetes isn’t the end of your life, it’s the beginning of a new section. Simply living a healthy lifestyle can maintain your diabetes and let you live a relatively normal life.
After you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, don’t try to make any drastic changes the first day. If you make any radical changes, more than likely you won’t stick to them. You aren’t going to achieve a perfect lifestyle overnight. Living with diabetes is a gradual process. It is a marathon, not a sprint.
More than likely, your doctor will recommend that you lose weight. Start slow. Start by setting achievable goals. Make a goal to spend 2 hours this week exercising or by drinking more water. Setting small goals will keep you from becoming disappointed when you slip up and eat that extra piece of cake.
Diabetes Facts
- Most recommended meal plans for type 2 diabetics are almost identical to meal plans for non-diabetics.
- Controlling type 2 diabetes significantly reduces the risk for having other related complications.
- 1/3 of people with diabetes are undiagnosed.
- India has the highest percent of residents with diabetes.
- Diabetes costs the United States $176 billion in direct medical costs in 2012.
