Diabetes Treatment

Having been Type I diabetic for over 14 years, I am always looking to improve my diabetes treatment. I have gone through teenage hormonal changes, two pregnancies and general illness all without much incidence, and I would like to keep it that way. Diabetes can be a very scary thing but with the proper diabetes treatment, it is most certainly a manageable disease.

There are two types of diabetes; Type I which is usually diagnosed during childhood, and Type II which is generally diagnosed after the age of 18. Each require a different set of diabetes treatment, mainly because a person with Type I does not produce any insulin on their own while a person with Type II is just extremely insulin resistant or makes very little insulin.

Diabetes Treatment Options.

Type I diabetics basically have to take insulin in some form. There are now several options of diabetes treatment, though, which can make the process much more manageable especially for those weary of needles. The standard treatment is to use insulin by needle self injection as little as once per day and as much as six to eight times per day.

There are both short and long acting insulins and most likely a person with Type I diabetes will need to take a mixture of both. If you are not fond of the idea of needles, there is now an insulin inhaler that has just been introduced to the market. It is not widely used yet, but when discussing your diabetes treatment with your doctor be sure to ask about it.

Diabetes is a disease in which blood glucose levels are above normal. People with diabetes have problems converting food to energy. After a meal, food is broken down into a sugar called glucose, which is carried by the blood to cells throughout the body. Cells use insulin, a hormone made in the pancreas, to help them convert blood glucose into energy.

In addition, the most cutting edge diabetes treatment is the use of an insulin pump. An insulin pump site is inserted once every three days and acts like an external pancreas, giving the patient continuous short acting insulin to keep the constant blood sugar levels in normal ranges. When eating, the patient self administers insulin through the pump rather than giving shots.

Realistically, I have found this to be the best diabetes treatment for myself because I have been able to adjust my insulin rates down to the half hour rather than taking shots and waiting for the insulin to react. While on the pump, I have been able to take my A1C levels (a three month overview of sugar levels) from 7.1 to as low as 4.2 during pregnancy. Normal ranges are 4.0 to 7.0, so my doctors were quite pleased with this as was I.

Be sure to check out all of your options and take an active role in your diabetes treatment. The disease is quite manageable, especially if you take control and ask questions.

Article by G.B. Flintwood an independent writer for Healthy Help Files on Health Issues.

<< Carpel Tunnel Treatment.Diseases Health Dir. Sexually Transmitted Diseases >>

Diabetes Treatment Links....

BBC - Health - Conditions - The symptoms of diabetes
How to check for signs of diabetes and diagnosis. Whenever any of these symptoms arise it's important to test for diabetes.
www.bbc.co.uk/health/ conditions / diabetes symptoms

Diabetes - Diagnosis : NHS Direct Online
Diagnosis. In order to diagnose diabetes, your GP will ask for a urine sample. Your doctor will give you a glucose drink and take blood tests every... www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk

Diabetes overview
You may only need to give one blood sample if you have other symptoms of diabetes. Glucose tolerance test If the diagnosis is still unclear from these tests.
www.netdoctor.co.uk / diseases / facts / diabetes