Monday, March 13, 2017

LOOKING AFTER YOUR DIABETES



Effective diabetes care can only be achieved through working closely with your diabetes healthcare team – they are there to support you in self-managing your diabetes.
The most important person in the team is you – because the decisions made will affect you.
 Taking responsibility for your diabetes will enable you to manage your diabetes more effectively. Ask questions and request more information if you need to.

Support from other people


Talk about your feelings with your family and friends - they may be concerned and wish to help.

Involve family and friends in your understanding and care for your diabetes – they may be able to help.

Ask someone to go with you to your healthcare team appointment especially if they care for you.

Get to know other people with diabetes.

Join one of Diabetes UK’s voluntary groups, take part in a support weekend ordiscussion forum on the interne

Taking control

 

Get the information you need. The more you know, the more confident you will become and and the easier it will be to manage your diabetes.

 

Recognise your role: take some personal responsibility for managing your diabetes day-to-day

 Be honest: give accurate information about your health and how you are really feeling.

·          Set goals: put into everyday practice the goals you may have agreed in your care plan.
·    
Examine your feet regularly between reviews, or ask someone you know to check them for you.
           Ask for help if you are ill, and know the 'sick day rules'.
·                                  
       Know when, where and how to contact your diabetes healthcare team.
·                                  
·       Attend your appointments or rearrange them as soon as possible.
·                                  
·        Make a list of points to bring up at your appointm


·       Carry some form of medical identification about your diabetes.
·       Discuss with your diabetes healthcare team if you are pregnant or planning to become
      pregnantsothatpre- and post-pregnancy advice can be organised with your obstetric team
·                                  
·       Give feedback to your healthcare team about the treatment and care you have received.
·       Treat NHS staff with respect.



          Source: https://www.diabetes.org.uk

IS THERE A CURE FOR DIABETES?

 

 

How is diabetes treated, and is there a cure?

Currently, there is no cure for Type 1 diabetes, but it can be treated successfully by administering insulin, either by an injection or pump, and by following a healthy,
balanced diet and getting regular physical activity. Looking after diabetes requires planning and attention,
 which may feel over-whelming at times, especially when your child is first diagnosed. However, there’s no reason for it to stop your child living the healthy
, happy and successful life you had hoped for them.

Diabetes UK funded projects

·                                  development of an artificial pancreas, a vaccine (Type 1 diabetes)
·                                  further understanding of genetic mechanisms, very low-calorie diet (Type 2 diabetes)

Research Project Directory

Our research project directory showcases the diverse and exciting array of diabetes research projects that we are supporting all over the UK.
  Everything you see is possible thanks to the continued support of our members, donors and voluntary groups – who help us decide which studies deserve the charity's support and help raise the money that is vital to research.
·                                 Ever since Diabetes UK awarded its first research grant in 1935 (for £50), we have been one of the largest funders of diabetes research in the UK.
·                                 We support a wide range of pioneering initiatives into the causes and prevention of diabetes, improvements in care and treatment and the search for a cure.
·                                  
·                                 A particular focus for 2012-13 has been our targeted research fund, from which we have awarded five new grants that will make a difference to people with diabetes by overcoming barriers to good diabetes care and supported self-management.


Source: https://www.diabetes.org.uk

LIFE WITH DIABETES

Being diagnosed with diabetes, or knowing someone who is diagnosed with the condition, may throw up many questions about how it fits into your daily life, from how it makes you feel, to managing diabetes at work, or while you are driving.
The practicalities of living with diabetes can be stressful, but you needn’t put your life on hold. This section provides information about how diabetes can fit around you.






Free prescriptions

If you use insulin or medicine to manage your diabetes you're entitled to free prescriptions – but those under 60 and living in England must have a medical exemption certificate before you can claim them.

Dealing with illness

It’s important to know how to manage insulin or other diabetes medications, blood or urine tests, and diet during illness.

Travel

Diabetes is no barrier to travelling, as long as you make the right preparations. In this section, you’ll find out about things to check before you go, what to consider when you’re flying, travelling to hot and cold climates, and eating different foods.

Insurance 

Some people with diabetes have found it difficult to arrange insurance – including life assurance, income protection and family income benefit insurance, or travel insurance. This section aims to give you some information that can help.

Employment

Whether you're taking your first step onto the job ladder or looking to change jobs, having diabetes shouldn’t get in the way. This section covers employment equality law, applying for jobs and managing diabetes at work.

Driving

Having diabetes doesn’t mean you have to give up driving, but it’s important to plan in advance before you get behind the wheel.

Sex

Sex is an important part of relationships for adults of all ages, but levels of sexual desire can vary and change over time. Find out more about what to do when you’re experiencing sexual problems, and how to identify, discuss and treat sexual dysfunction.

Pregnancy

Deciding to have children is a big decision and when you have diabetes, it requires a lot more thought and careful planning. In this section, find out all you need to know about planning to have a baby.

Help with giving up smoking

If you smoke, giving up is one of the best things you can do to improve your health and reduce your risk of long-term diabetes complications. Here, we give you information on where to get support.

Your em

otions

Being diagnosed with diabetes and living with the condition can sometimes feel overwhelming – this is quite normal. In this section, find out more about how diabetes may affect your emotions and how you feel.

Diabulimia

Diabulimia is an eating disorder that is thought to affect 40 per cent of all women between the ages of 15-30 with Type 1 diabetes. Find out more about the condition, and where to seek help for yourself or someone you know.

Diabetes burnout

There’s no off-switch with diabetes, so it’s no surprise that people living with the condition, or caring for someone who has it, can experience diabetes burnout. Find out more.

Hypo anxiety

Hypos aren’t nice, and feeling anxious about them is a completely normal reaction. Dr Jen Nash gives some advice on managing hypo anxiety and where to find help. 

Source: https://www.diabetes.org.uk

WHAT IS DIABETES



Diabetes is a lifelong condition that causes a person's blood sugar level to become too high.

There are two main types of diabetes:

type 1 diabetes – where the body's immune system attacks and destroys the cells that produce insulin

type 2 diabetes – where the body doesn't produce enough insulin, or the body's cells don't react to insulin

Type 2 diabetes is far more common than type 1. In the UK, around 90% of all adults with diabetes have type 2.

During pregnancy, some women have such high levels of blood glucose that their body is unable to produce enough insulin to absorb it all. This is known as gestational diabetes.


Pre-diabetes


Many more people have blood sugar levels above the normal range, but not high enough to be diagnosed as having diabetes.
This is sometimes known as pre-diabetes. If your blood sugar level is above the normal range, your risk of developing full-blown diabetes is increased.
It's very important for diabetes to be diagnosed as early as possible because it will get progressively worse if left untreated.

When to see a doctor


Visit your GP as soon as possible if you experience the main symptoms of diabetes, which include:
feeling very thirsty
urinating more frequently than usual, particularly at night
feeling very tired
weight loss and loss of muscle bulk
itching around the penis or vagina, or frequent episodes of thrush
cuts or wounds that heal slowly
blurred vision

Type 1 diabetes can develop quickly over weeks or even days.

Many people have type 2 diabetes for years without realising because the early symptoms tend to be general.

Causes of diabetes


The amount of sugar in the blood is controlled by a hormone called insulin, which is produced by the pancreas (a gland behind the stomach).
When food is digested and enters your bloodstream, insulin moves glucose out of the blood and into cells, where it's broken down to produce energy.
However, if you have diabetes, your body is unable to break down glucose into energy. This is because there's either not enough insulin to move the glucose, or the insulin produced doesn't work properly.

Although there are no lifestyle changes you can make to lower your risk of type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes is often linked to being overweight.
Read about how to reduce your diabetes risk.

Living with diabetes


If you're diagnosed with diabetes, you'll need to eat healthily, take regular exercise and carry out regular blood tests to ensure your blood glucose levels stay balanced.
You can use the BMI healthy weight calculator to check whether you're a healthy weight.
People diagnosed with type 1 diabetes also require regular insulin injections for the rest of their life.

As type 2 diabetes is a progressive condition, medication may eventually be required, usually in the form of tablets.

Diabetic eye screening


Everyone with diabetes aged 12 or over should be invited to have their eyes screened once a year.

If you have diabetes, your eyes are at risk from diabetic retinopathy, a condition that can lead to sight loss if it's not treated.


Screening, which involves a half-hour check to examine the back of the eyes, is a way of detecting the condition early so it can be treated more effectively.


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