Coping with diabetes and living with the anxiety an illness can cause can be difficult.
For people with diabetes, anxiety is a constant companion. There are several health issues to worry about, along with issues related to side effects from medication.
Here are five complications that can result from diabetes, and what you can do about them.
Hypoglycemia (Low Blood Sugar) of Hyperglycemia (High Blood Sugar)
A diabetic has to constantly monitor his or her blood sugar. Symptoms of hypoglycemia may include:feeling shaky, sweating, hunger, tiredness, blurred vision, lack of concentration, headaches, feeling tearful, stroppy or moody, going pale. If your blood sugar gets to high, symptoms can include: Passing more urine than usual, especially at night, being very thirsty, headaches, tiredness, and lethargy. High blood sugar can be caused by a missed medication, eating too many carbohydrates, stress, or over-treating for hypoglycemia. Any of these symptoms, you must seek help. Ignoring them can result in diabetic coma and death. Despite the dangers of either of these conditions, they are easy to rectify if you are aware of them.
Small Blood Vessel Complications
Some of the long term complications from this disease can be small blood vessel damage, which can cause eye damage (retinopathy), heart (cardiovascular disease), kidneys (nephropathy), and nerves and feet (neuropathy). Preventative care, routine screenings, and effective treatments can reduce the likelihood of any of these issues occurring. As above, it is important you monitor yourself and get regular check ups.
Large Blood Vessel Complications
Long term complications from large blood vessel damage can include hear attack, stroke, and chronic kidney failure. The best routes for care here, are prevention and this includes, changes to diet and exercise to help bring down or maintain your weight, improving your general health, and regular check ups, thus reducing your risk.
Dietary Changes
You may have to make some dietary changes, but they should be in moderation. You can still eat naughty things, but it’s all a balance. Seeing a nutritionist could help, or monitoring your food and figuring out what works best for you. It’s not about punishment, it’s about making better choices for your health. You can have carbohydrates and sweets, but be aware what is in your food, and be prepared to find substitutions or eating a bit less of that favorite treat. You’d have to pay a little more attention to your sugar and carbohydrate consumption and observe how you feel, but this is a small price to pay for better health.
Medication
With Type 1 Diabetes, you are usually prescribed insulin to help keep your blood sugar down as your body is either deficient, or makes no insulin on its own. With Type 2 Diabetes, you can be prescribed tablets, there are the type of tablets that you take before meals to help you beak down starchy carbs and table sugars, other types of medications are usually variations of medicines that will stimulate insulin production, reduce glucose absorption, and slow stomach emptying to keep your blood sugar levels from dropping too quickly.
Diabetes is a very serious illness, and should be treated as such. Speak with your healthcare professional, watch your diet, and exercise, and remember to monitor and take your medication. With all complications, keeping blood glucose, blood pressure and blood fat levels under control will minimize your risk of developing complications. With these tips, you should be able to live your life to the fullest and with minimum worry if you are diligent about taking care of yourself and recognizing anything that could lead to complications.
