Newly Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes
Newly Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes
| Author: Judy Kohn, RN, BSN, CDE |
| Last Updated: Monday, January 23, 2006 |
Q: "I recently found out I have type 2 diabetes and am unclear on what my blood glucose level should be. Also what are the signs I should look out for? I seem to dehydrate myself at times. I get so sick, and it takes days to get over it. I feel fatigue often. How much exercise do I need—my job is very physical—does that count? Do I need to exercise every day and for how long?"
A: I can understand your concerns, as this can all seem overwhelming, especially when you don’t yet feel well. Believe it or not, most of your questions are already answered on our website in the educator archives, although when you are new to this, you may not be sure what to even look for. I will attempt to walk you through how to begin to sort this out through some related questions at the end of this answer—and I hope you will open and read all the links I provide, as I think you will find information that will help you. However, because you do not feel well, first I must urge you to contact your doctor to discuss your symptoms.
- Diabetes Symptoms: It is difficult to know if your symptoms are due to high glucose or some other cause, which is why you should contact your doctor first to discuss how you are feeling.
- Lack of energy: Likewise, your doctor needs to determine the cause for your fatigue. While it can be due to your newly diagnosed diabetes that is perhaps not yet well controlled, it could be from other things, so please discuss this with your doctor.
Education Referral: While you will be able to read answers to many of your questions, it is first extremely important that you ask your doctor for a referral to a diabetes educator and dietitian. Not only will they help you manage your condition, but they are also trained to help you realize that you need to do this in small steps—it takes time to understand this condition, accept the fact that you may need to make some lifestyle changes, and then put this all into practice. Diabetes educators are trained to help you accomplish your individual goals in a realistic fashion. As you sort this all out, I hope you will periodically revisit our site for updates, as well as to search the archives.
Related Questions
Symptoms of Diabetes
Q:
"What are the symptoms of diabetes? I have not been to my doctor yet but I
just needed to know what some of the symptoms are before I go."
Nutrition Advice
Q:
"Can you provide me with some nutrition recommendations for a diabetic
diet? I am newly diagnosed and am afraid to eat anything!"
Glucose Goals
Q:
"What is a good blood glucose reading?"
Why Test if Not on Diabetes Medication?
Q:
"I have Type 2 and am getting high numbers when I test. A type 1 can take
insulin if high. What can I do to lower my number? Almost seems senseless to
test if I cannot take action to remedy the results..."
Postprandial (Post-Meal) Glucose
Q:
"I have type 2 diabetes. In class much emphasis was put on the blood sugar
2 hours after I stop eating. Why is this so crucial?"
Feel Better When I’m High
Q:
"I have read your answer on glucose goals. I am fairly new to diabetes and
am not yet at the target goals, in fact my levels are often still in the
180-250 range. I start to feel terrible whenever my g..."
Exercise Guide
Q:
"I know exercise is good for me but I just can’t get started. Can you give
me some tips?"
When to Call the Doctor
Q:
"I always read about target goals, but they don’t say when to call the
doctor. What is really too low or too high? Although I am often under 130
before meals, sometimes I’m not; yet I can’t imagine tha..."
Staying Current with Diabetes
Q:
"How can I keep up with all the information and research going on in
diabetes?"
Related Links
American Diabetes Association (ADA)
http://www.diabetes.org
Diabetes Self-Management
http://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com
Joslin Diabetes Center
http://www.joslin.org
Important Notice: The responses provided by the team of Diabetes Educators are based on their personal experiences and expertise as practicing diabetes healthcare professionals, and are not to be considered diabetes management advice from Abbott Laboratories. Remember that information provided by the team of Diabetes Educators is for general background purposes and is not intended as a substitute for medical diagnosis or treatment by a trained professional. You should always consult your physician about any healthcare questions you may have, especially before trying a new medication, diet, fitness program, or approach to healthcare issues.
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