Preventing complications from Type 2 diabetes

Diabetes affects the whole body, so here are some ways to prevent or delay diabetes-related issues from impacting your body and letting you continue a healthy, full life.

The key to dealing with type 2 diabetes, which affects about 1.8 million Canadians, is to feel a sense of control.

• After all, most diabetes problems can be prevented or delayed with smart living, a measure of diligence and the right medications.
• It's a serious disease, and there’s a big payoff when you become proactive about managing it. You can learn how to minimize or even eliminate the need for drugs, and to dramatically postpone complications.

• Keeping your blood sugar in the normal range and improving your body’s use of insulin are daily goals. Many people aim for "tight glucose control," taking all the steps necessary (diet, drugs, frequent self-testing) to avoid marked fluctuations in their glucose levels.
• And with Type 2 diabetes, lifestyle changes (meal planning, regular exercise, weight loss) can be very effective.

It’s important to see your doctor regularly (at least four times a year, plus visits to specialists) and to develop a health-care team to answer questions and help you implement an overall plan.

Because diabetes affects your entire body, it’s critical to watch for complications and take preventive measures.

• To lessen certain health risks, you may need heart, blood pressure or cholesterol-lowering drugs.
• Eyes, kidneys, nerves and feet will need special care if they are affected.

Diabetes affects various body systems.

• Eyes: Diabetic retinopathy jeopardizes delicate blood vessels in the eye and is the leading cause of blindness in adults. When caught early, problems can be treated with laser surgery. Tight glucose control will lessen your retinopathy risk.
• Kidneys: Damage to the small vessels within the kidneys, termed nephro­pathy, is a leading cause of kidney failure. Again, tight glucose control often prevents problems, but sometimes dialysis or a kidney transplant will be needed.
• Nerves: Diabetic neuropathy occurs when nerves, usually in the legs and the feet, have been damaged by diabetes. Medications used to control neuropathy include antidepressants (Effexor, Serzone, Well­butrin, Zoloft), the anti-seizure drug Neurontin and a painkiller.
• Feet: Infections, injuries and even gangrene (necessitating amputation) can develop in your feet as a result of poor circulation. Don't treat such problems yourself; see a po­dia­­trist. Because of impaired vision and nerve endings that mask pain, people with diabetes often don't detect sores developing on their feet.