Diabetes is a chronic progressive condition. This means that diabetes changes over time. The treatment needed to control diabetes also needs to change. This is not a failure on anyone’s part. It’s just the natural course of diabetes. Changing treatment to match diabetes changes gives you the best chance of feeling your best and avoiding diabetes complications.

Diabetes usually begins with insulin resistance. This means that the body can’t use insulin properly. Healthy food choices, exercise,

weight loss and medicines that help insulin work better all may help control blood sugars during this period.

As time goes on, the body’s ability to make insulin declines. In order to maintain healthy blood sugars, different medicines may needed. As insulin supplies decrease, a supplement of insulin injections may help to control diabetes.

Think of diabetes treatment as a tool box, there are more and more tools available to control diabetes. If the tools being used are not doing the job of keeping blood sugars at reasonable levels, then it’s time to see what other tools are available. When blood sugars are too high, a visit to your doctor is a chance to consider new tools that will help contol diabetes and lower the risk of diabetes complications.

Diabetes can’t be cured, but it can be controlled. Each time you visit your doctor, review your diabetes treatment. Ask how your treatment can be adjusted or changed to succeed at controlling diabetes. You deserve no less than the best when it comes to diabetes care.

Louise Witherspoon, RN, CDE

Nurse Educator

8/2009