Your trusted Alexandria diabetes doctor Gary P. Jones, MD, FACS, notes that adults with diabetes are more likely to die from heart disease than those without. Uncontrolled diabetes can damage your blood vessels, increasing pressure. However, injected insulin, lifestyle modification, and other prescription medications may balance your sugar levels, preventing your blood sugar from shooting up. Diabetes can be fatal due to its effects on your cardiovascular system. As a result, you must learn to control your blood sugar levels.
How many types of diabetes are there?
There are three standard types of diabetes, type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes.
Type 1 Diabetes
In the case of type 1 diabetes, your pancreas does not produce insulin. You are likely to develop type 1 diabetes when your immune system mistakenly attacks your beta cells (the cells in your pancreas responsible for producing insulin). As a result, your body cannot produce enough insulin. Insufficient insulin to push blood glucose to your cells means that your body cannot control the blood sugar levels, resulting in very high levels of sugar in your blood. Though you are likely to develop the condition at any stage in life, type 1 diabetes mainly affects children and young adults.
Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes develops when your cells fail to use the produced insulin in your system effectively. For instance, instead of your cells receiving the insulin, they form a resistance to insulin effects. In turn, your blood sugar levels rise. The type is common with individuals above the age of 30 who are obese or overweight.
Gestational Diabetes
This last type of diabetes occurs mainly in women. You are likely to develop gestational diabetes during pregnancy. The condition results from either insufficient insulin levels or hormones present during pregnancy. Since it is gestational, the condition is likely to resolve with the end of a pregnancy (though it might take longer to resolve). Unfortunately, your child is at a higher risk of developing diabetes years later if you had gestational diabetes during your pregnancy.
How can you suspect you might have diabetes?
Though you might not showcase any signs when you have diabetes type 2, you should contact your doctor for a thorough evaluation when you start having signs like:
- Increased urination
- Feeling hungry
- Increased thirst
- Feeling fatigued
- Unexplained weight loss
How can your doctor help you manage diabetes?
Though diabetes has no cure, modifying your lifestyle, such as increasing your physical activity, maintaining a healthy diet, and effectively managing the ailment, especially type 2 diabetes . Physical exercises are crucial because it is easier for exercised muscles to consume sugar than inactive muscles. Besides lifestyle changes, your doctor may also recommend prescription medication.
You may be forced to depend on insulin injections if you have type 1 diabetes because all or most of your cells are usually damaged by your time of diagnosis. On the other hand, if diet and exercise fail to control your blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetes effectively, your doctor might recommend medication.
You are at a higher risk of developing complications if you have diabetes because of the adverse effects on your blood vessels. However, regular consultations with your doctor can help keep your blood sugar levels close to normal. So book an appointment with your doctor to learn more about diabetes management.
