Type 2 Diabetes

Finding out you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes may cause you to feel slightly overwhelmed or lost if you aren’t exactly sure how to manage the condition.  No worries though because the professional healthcare providers at Total Home Health are ready to join in your journey with you.  Our highly-skilled nurses and other professionals will be by your side to educate you and provide you with the best regimen that will help manage your type 2 diabetes to prevent possible complications and promote your health as best as we possibly can.

Type 2 diabetes is sometimes referred to as adult-onset or noninsulin-dependent diabetes; however it is still a chronic condition that affects the way the body metabolizes sugar…which is an important source of fuel for your body.  Type 2 diabetes is much more common than type 1 diabetes.  With type 2 diabetes, the body either resists the effects of insulin or doesn’t produce enough of it in order to maintain a normal blood glucose level.  Remember, insulin is the hormone that regulates the movement of sugar into your cells.  There is no cure for type 2 diabetes; however it can be managed well if you are motivated and eager to follow your treatment plans. 

The symptoms of type 2 diabetes generally develop rather slowly…this means you could have type 2 diabetes for years and not even have the slightest clue!  Some possible symptoms to become familiar with and look for may include:

·      Increased thirst and frequent urination.

·      If there is excess sugar in your bloodstream, it will cause fluids to be pulled away from other tissues…which may leave you thirsty.  Therefore, you’ll probably drink and urinate more than normal.

·      Increased hunger.

·      Due to there not being enough insulin to move sugar into your cells, your muscles and organs will be depleted of energy…which will trigger intense hunger in order to replace energy.

·      Weight loss.

·      Although you may feel like you eat more than usual, you may also be losing weight.  Due to not being able to metabolize glucose, your body may have to turn to alternate areas and use up glucose that has been stored.  Therefore, calories will be lost as the excess glucose is released in the urine.

·      Being tired.

·      If your cells are continually deprived of sugar, you may become tired and irritable more often.

·      Blurred vision.

·      If your blood sugar gets too high, fluid could be pulled from the lenses of your eyes which may result in your ability to focus clearly.

·      Delayed healing.

·      Type 2 diabetes will affect your ability to heal and even resist infections.  Diabetes affects circulation, which if becomes impaired could delay adequate nutrients from getting to compromised skin areas would cause delayed healing.

If you were to notice any of the above symptoms, do not hesitate to contact your medical provider…it’s better to be safe than sorry.  The quicker you start treatment, the less risk you’ll have of developing more complications in the future.  Type 2 diabetes will develop when the body becomes resistant to insulin or when the pancreas stops producing enough insulin.  The cause of exactly why this happens is actually unknown.  However genetics, environmental factors, excessive weight and inactivity all seem to contribute to development of this condition. 

In type 2 diabetes the processes of both glucose and insulin in the body do not correctly work together.  Instead of sugar being captured by insulin and moving into your cells, it just continues to build up in the bloodstream.  The pancreas will notice this and begin to make more insulin to compensate, however eventually with consistently high amounts of blood sugar; the pancreas is unable to keep up and cannot make enough insulin to meet the demands of the body.

There are certain factors that may increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, including the following:

·      Being overweight is a primary risk because the more fatty tissue you have, the more resistant your cells become to insulin.

·      If your body stores fat primarily in your abdominal area, your risk is greater than if your body stores fat elsewhere in places such as your hips and thighs.

·      The less active you are the greater your risk.  This is because physical activity will help to control your weight and use up glucose as energy to make your cells more sensitive to insulin.

·      If your parent or sibling also has a history of type 2 diabetes…your risk increases.

·      The risk of type 2 diabetes increases with age, especially after age 45.

·      For women, having polycystic ovary syndrome will increase the risk; this condition is characterized by irregular menses, excess hair growth on the body and obesity.

Having diabetes can lead to development of many chronic conditions and prove to compromise your health, especially if it is uncontrolled.  Diagnosis will most likely be made from a blood test called hemoglobin A1C, which is a test that indicates your average blood sugar level for the past two to three months…keep in mind normal levels for this blood test are below 5.7%.  Your provider will go into greater detail as to how you may be affected and what treatment plans will be the best for your situation once you are diagnosed. 

Total Home Health and our skilled professionals will go out of our way in order to provide you with the most optimal care related to your type 2 diabetes.  Management of type 2 diabetes will include healthy eating, regular exercise, regular monitoring of your blood sugar and possibly use of diabetes medication or insulin.  Helping you to modify some aspects of your lifestyle will be the first priority of Total Home Health.  This is because making lifestyle improvements may significantly help to manage your blood sugar levels before more risky and invasive treatment, such as medication or insulin, have to be used. 

Enroll today with Total Home Health and you’ll be on your way to a much better journey with your diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.  We will always be attentive to any changes in your condition and continuously educate you.  Diabetes can be a nuisance and our goal is to keep you on the right track to live a happy and healthy life!