Overview
Is this topic for you?
This topic provides
information for adults who have been diagnosed with
type 2 diabetes
within the last few
months. If this topic does not answer your questions, see:
If you are looking for information about
type 1 diabetes, see the topic
Type 1 Diabetes.
What is type 2 diabetes?
Type 2 diabetes is a lifelong disease that develops when the
pancreas
can't make enough
insulin or when the body's tissues become
resistant to insulin.
Insulin is a hormone that helps the body’s cells use sugar
(glucose) for energy. It also helps the body store extra sugar in muscle, fat,
and liver cells. Without insulin, this sugar can't get into your cells to do
its work. It stays in your blood instead. Your blood sugar level then gets too
high.
High blood sugar can harm many parts of the body.
It can damage blood vessels and nerves throughout your body. You will have a
bigger chance of getting eye, heart, blood vessel, nerve, and kidney disease.
Your weight, level of physical activity, and family history
affect how your body responds to insulin. People who are overweight, get little
or no exercise, or have diabetes in the family are more likely to get type 2
diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes is usually found in adults, which is
why it used to be called adult-onset diabetes. But now more and more children
and teens are getting it too.
Type 2 diabetes is a disease that you
will always have, but you can live a long and healthy life by learning how to
manage it.
What are the symptoms?
Many people have symptoms
such as increased thirst and urination, weight loss, and blurred vision. Some
people do not have symptoms, especially when diabetes is diagnosed early.
How is type 2 diabetes diagnosed?
Most likely you
found out that you have diabetes when you saw your doctor for a regular checkup
or for some other problem. Your doctor probably diagnosed type 2 diabetes by
examining you, asking about your health history, and looking at the results of
blood sugar tests.
How is it treated?
You play a big role in
your diabetes treatment. A healthy diet helps keep your blood sugar
under control and helps prevent heart disease.
Eating
the right amount of carbohydrate at each meal is very important. Carbohydrate
is found in:
- Sugar and
sweets.
- Bread, rice, and
pasta.
- Fruit.
- Starchy vegetables,
such as potatoes and corn.
- Milk and
yoghourt.
A
dietitian or a
certified diabetes educator can help you plan your
meals.
Losing weight, eating right, and
being more active are enough for some people to control
their blood sugar levels. Others also need to take one or more medicines,
including metformin (Glucophage) or
insulin.
You may need to take
other steps to prevent other problems from diabetes. These problems are called
complications. You may need medicine for high blood pressure or high
cholesterol. If you smoke,
quitting smoking may help you avoid having a
heart attack and stroke.
People with diabetes are more
likely to die from heart and blood vessel problems like
heart attack and
stroke. Talk to your doctor
about whether you should take low-dose ASA each day to help prevent these or other large
blood vessel diseases.
What kind of daily care do you need?
The key to
managing your diabetes is to keep your blood sugar level within your target range. You can do this by:
- Making healthy food choices.
Eat a balanced diet, and try to manage the amount of
carbohydrate you eat by spreading it out over the
day. Lose weight if you need to.
- Being active. Walking is a great way to
start.
- Testing your blood sugar levels. You
have a better chance of keeping your blood sugar in your target range if you know
what it is from day to day.
- Keeping high blood pressure and high cholesterol under control. This can help lower your risk of other
health problems, such as heart disease and stroke.
- Taking medicines, such as metformin (Glucophage) or
insulin, if you need them.
- Not smoking.
Quitting smoking reduces your risk of heart attack and
stroke.
It seems like a lot to do at first. You might start
with one or two changes. First focus on checking your blood sugar regularly and
being active more often. Then work on the other tasks as you can.
It can be hard to accept that you have diabetes,
especially if you don't have any symptoms. It's
normal to feel sad or angry. You may even feel grief. Talking about
your feelings may help. Your doctor or other health professionals can help you
cope with your diagnosis.
Frequently Asked Questions
| Learning about type 2 diabetes: |
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| Being diagnosed: |
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| Getting treatment: |
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| Taking care of yourself: |
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Symptoms
Not everyone has symptoms before they
find out they have
type 2 diabetes. But if you did have symptoms, they
may go away when your blood sugar level returns to your target range.
Symptoms of high blood
sugar
You may not have any symptoms of
type 2 diabetes. That's because your blood sugar
levels can rise so slowly over time that you don't notice that anything is
wrong.
Early symptoms of high blood sugar can include:
- Being very thirsty.
- Urinating a
lot.
- Losing weight without trying.
- Having blurry
vision.
One Woman's Story:
Gloria, 70
About a year ago,
Gloria had trouble reading the numbers on some checks she was filing. She
cleaned her glasses and put them back on, but it didn't help. "My eyes were all
blurry. It was really scary. My doctor tested me for diabetes. He said that the
blurriness means my blood sugar is too high."—Gloria
Read more about Gloria and how she manages her diabetes. |
The higher your
blood sugar rises, the more likely you are to have symptoms. If you
have higher-than-normal blood sugar and don't drink enough
liquids, you can get
dehydrated. This can make you feel dizzy and
weak, and it can lead to an emergency called a
hyperosmolar state.
Symptoms of low blood sugar
When your blood sugar is too low, it can also cause problems.
Low blood sugar can occur suddenly.
Symptoms of low blood sugar include:
- Sweating.
- Shakiness.
- Confusion.
- Loss
of consciousness.
You're not likely to get low blood sugar
unless you take insulin or some kinds of
oral medicines for type 2 diabetes.
Symptoms and signs of complications
Some people already have complications of type 2 diabetes when
they are diagnosed. That can happen because high blood sugar can creep up over
time and cause problems without your knowing it. It's important to know
about possible problems and their symptoms,
such as:
If you have kidney damage, you may not notice symptoms.
Early damage to your kidneys can only be found by urine
tests for protein.
What Happens
Type 2 diabetes is a lifelong disease that
affects the way your body uses food for energy. The key to managing your
diabetes is keeping your blood sugar within your target range. Controlling your blood sugar
will help you prevent or delay other health problems.
Learning the skills you need to manage your diabetes will take time,
but soon they will become part of your daily routine.
Your treatment will involve eating right,
being more active, checking your blood sugar, and possibly taking
pills (oral medicines) or
insulin. If you are overweight, losing
weight may also help you control your blood sugar. For more
information, see the
Treatment Overview and
Medications sections of this
topic.
As time goes on, your pancreas may make less and
less insulin, which can make it harder to control your blood sugar.
It's
important to treat your high blood sugar quickly anytime it rises
above your target range. Doing so can prevent blood sugar emergencies.
For more
information, see the
Prevention section of this topic.
Blood sugar
emergencies
Blood sugar can sometimes change rapidly and cause problems when it is very high or very low. Three of these
problems are described below:
- A hyperosmolar state is
life-threatening and can occur when your blood sugar level is very
high (22 to 28 mmol/L or higher) and
you get
dehydrated.
- Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a life-threatening blood chemical (electrolyte) imbalance that develops when
your body cells do not get the sugar (glucose) they need for energy.
- Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) occurs when the level of sugar (glucose) in your blood has dropped below
what your body needs to function normally. When your blood sugar level drops below 4 mmol/L), you will usually have symptoms of low blood sugar, which can develop quickly.
Diabetes complications
Over time, high blood sugar that is not
controlled can lead to problems with your:
If you had higher-than-normal blood
sugar levels for years, you may already have one or more of these
problems.
What Increases Your Risk
Now that you have
type 2 diabetes, it's important to know what could
increase your risk of complications.
- Your blood sugar
stays high over time. Your risk for complications
increases if your blood sugar gets too high and stays high too long.
- You have
had the disease for a long time. The longer you
have diabetes, the more likely you are to have some related health
problems. This can happen even if your blood sugar levels are
controlled.
- Kidney disease (diabetic nephropathy) occurs in 50
people out of 100 who have type 2 diabetes.1
- Eye disease (diabetic retinopathy) occurs within 20 years after
diagnosis in more than 60
people out of 100 who have type 2 diabetes.2
- Most people with
diabetes start to get some nerve damage (diabetic neuropathy) over the years. But only about half of the people who get neuropathy have noticeable symptoms.3
- You already
have one complication. If you have one diabetes-related
problem, you are at a higher risk for getting another one.
- You have other risk factors,
such as:
For more information, see the
Prevention and
Home
Treatment sections of this topic.
When to Call a Doctor
Call 911 or other emergency services immediately if you are:
- Unconscious or suddenly become very sleepy or confused. You may have low blood sugar, called
hypoglycemia.
- Drowsy, confused, and breathing fast, and
your breath smells fruity. You may have high blood sugar,
called hyperglycemia. A life-threatening condition called
diabetic ketoacidosis could be present.
Call a doctor immediately if
you are vomiting and cannot keep down liquids and:
- Your blood sugar is 17 mmol/L or higher (or if it is higher than the level your doctor has set for you).
Call a doctor if you:
- Are sick and have trouble controlling your blood sugar.
- Have been vomiting or
had diarrhea for more than 6 hours.
- Often have problems with high or low blood sugar levels.
- Are having trouble
knowing when your blood sugar is low (hypoglycemia unawareness).
- Have questions or want to know more about diabetes.
Who to See
Health professionals who may be
involved in your diabetes care include:
If you have signs that a complication of diabetes may be
developing or has developed, you may be referred to a specialist.
Examinations and Tests
Tests to diagnose diabetes
Your diagnosis of
type 2 diabetes was based on the Canadian Diabetes
Association's (CDA)
guidelines.
To help make the diagnosis, your doctor used:
If you are diagnosed as having diabetes but
it's not clear whether it is type 2 or
type 1 diabetes, your doctor may do a
C-peptide level test. The results may
be normal or increased if you have type 2 diabetes.
For more
information on these tests, see the Examinations and Tests section of the topic
Type 2 Diabetes.
Tests to check for complications
High blood sugar can creep up over time and cause problems
without your knowing it. When you find out that you have diabetes, it's a good
idea to check for any complications you may already have. You may need the
following tests:
You may also need an
exercise electrocardiogram (treadmill EKG test) before
you start an exercise program.
Ongoing tests to keep track of diabetes
As part of your treatment, you'll need other
tests to monitor your diabetes and help you avoid complications. These
include:
- Home blood sugar tests. You will need to test your blood sugar regularly at home. You
have a better chance of keeping your blood sugar in your target range if you know
what it is from day to day.
- Hemoglobin A1c blood test. You'll have this test every 3 to 6 months. It shows how steady
your blood sugar levels have been over time. And it can show high blood sugar
at times when you might not normally be checking, such as after meals and
overnight. With this information, your doctor will know how well your treatment
is working.
- Tests for
high blood pressure and
high cholesterol.
- Regular foot examinations by
your doctor. Diabetes can damage the nerve endings and blood vessels in your
feet.
- Routine
eye examinations by an
ophthalmologist or optometrist.
- A yearly urine test for
protein, which can be a sign of kidney problems.
For more information, see the
Treatment Overview section
of this topic.
Treatment Overview
The key to
treating your
type 2 diabetes is keeping your blood sugar as close
to your
target levels as you can with diet, exercise, and
maybe medicines if you need them. This can help you stay healthy and lower
your risk of complications. Try to:
One Woman's Story:
Gloria, 70
Gloria changed her diet and got more active after
she found out she had diabetes. She expected to see results right away, but it
took time. "It took me about 6 months to get into my blood sugar range. And I
was doing everything right. So I guess the biggest message is that you have to
be patient."—Gloria
Read more about Gloria and how she manages her diabetes. |
Tests you will need as part of your
treatment
See your doctor about
every 3 to 6 months to:
- Have a
blood glucose test. Your doctor may
check your blood sugar metre to find out if
your
home blood sugar tests are reliable. He or
she may also check your blood sugar levels to
see if your treatment needs to be changed since your last visit.
- Check your blood pressure and start or adjust treatment if it's
high.
- Check your feet for signs of foot
problems.
- Have a hemoglobin A1c. If your blood sugar levels are stable and your
treatment hasn't changed, this test may be done every 6 months.
Have these examinations and tests
every year:
You can print out a list of
tests to monitor diabetes to help you remember what to do and when.
Why treatment and testing are
important
Untreated type 2 diabetes can lead
to serious health problems. People with diabetes have a
higher risk of dying from heart and blood vessel diseases
than people who don't have the disease.
1 That's why it's important to
take charge of your diabetes as soon as you find out
you have it—even if you feel fine.
With
diabetes, you're in charge. It's up to you to eat right, get active, and keep
your blood sugar levels on target. It seems like a lot to do at first. Start
with one or more changes. Your might first focus on checking your blood sugar
regularly and being active more often. Then work on the other tasks as you can.
For help and how-tos, see the
Home
Treatment section of this topic.
To take charge, you need to test
Rhonda O'Brien, certified diabetes educator
"A lot of people who find out they have type 2 diabetes think, 'Well, at
least it's not the "bad kind" of diabetes [type 1].' But they still need to
test. Type 2 diabetes is just as serious as type 1." —Rhonda
Learn blood sugar testing tips from Rhonda O'Brien. |
Prevention
Prevent complications
You can prevent or delay complications of
type 2 diabetes by controlling your blood sugar
levels. And it's just as important to keep
high blood pressure and
high cholesterol under control.
Managing
your blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure can help prevent
other health problems with your eyes, kidneys, and heart.
To keep blood sugar at your target range and avoid complications:
- Make healthy food choices.
- Be
active.
- Test your blood sugar levels.
- Take medicines,
such as metformin (Glucophage) or
insulin, if you need them.
- Don't smoke.
To manage your blood pressure and cholesterol,
eat a heart-healthy diet, get active, and take medicines if you need
them.
Prevent blood sugar
emergencies
It's also important to
avoid high and low blood sugar problems that can lead to medical
emergencies.
- High blood sugar. A hyperosmolar state is
life-threatening and can occur when your blood sugar level is very
high (22 to 28 mmol/L or higher) and
you get
dehydrated. You are more likely to have
this problem if your blood sugar stays above
11 mmol/L. Your blood sugar may rise when you are ill, so follow the
guidelines for when you are sick to help prevent a
high blood sugar emergency.
- Low blood sugar. It's unlikely that you will have
low blood sugar unless you take insulin or some kinds of
oral medicines for type 2 diabetes that can
cause it. But if you are at risk for low blood sugar,
know your symptoms and how to treat them.
Low blood sugar can lead to a life-threatening emergency if it is not treated
quickly. Don't drive if your blood sugar level is below 4
millimoles per litre (mmol/L). Take
precautions when you are driving.
For more help controlling your blood sugar
and avoiding complications of diabetes, see the
Home Treatment section of this
topic.
Set a Goal to Manage Diabetes
Losing weight, getting active, eating
better, and quitting smoking are all important changes you can make for your
health when you have
type 2 diabetes. But you don't have to do them all at once. Just pick one to start.
Maybe it's losing weight or adding more activity to your life. Three steps can
help you get started.
1. Know your reason.
Before you set a goal, think about why you want to make a change. If your
reason comes from you—and not from someone else—it will be easier for you to
make a healthy change for good.
Maybe you want to prevent your
diabetes from getting worse. Perhaps you know someone who had serious problems
from diabetes, and you want to prevent that from happening to you. You might simply want to
enjoy your life and have more energy for all the things you enjoy doing. Your
reason for wanting to change is important.
2. Set long-term and short-term goals. Start by setting a big, or long-term goal. Maybe you want to lose 10%
of your body weight to reduce your risk of health problems tied to type 2
diabetes. If you weigh 100 kilograms, that means losing 10 kilograms. Break down your
big goal into smaller, short-term ones. These are the steps you'll take to
reach your big goal.
Do what works best for you. It's important to
set goals
you can reach. For example:
- Week 1: Set a goal to walk 15 minutes, 5 days
a week.
- Week 2: Continue to walk 15 minutes, 5 days a week. And
this week, when you reach for a snack, make it carrot or celery sticks instead
of potato chips or crackers.
- Week 3: Gradually increase your walking program to 15 minutes twice a day or 30 minutes per day.
Continue eating healthy snacks. Pay attention to your hunger levels when eating
meals. Stop eating when you feel full.
For help, see:
Fitness: Adding Activity to Your Life.- Fitness: Walking for Wellness.
- Healthy Eating: Starting a Plan for Change.
- Healthy Eating: Recognizing Your Hunger Signals.
3. Prepare for slip-ups and barriers. Plan for setbacks. Use a
personal action plan
(What is a PDF document?)
to write down your goals, any
possible barriers, and your ideas for getting past them. By thinking about
these barriers now, you can plan ahead for how to deal with them if they
happen.
For help, see:
- Quitting Smoking: Preventing Slips and Relapses.
- Healthy Eating: Overcoming Barriers to Change.
Tips for staying on track
- Get support. Tell
family and friends your reasons for wanting to change. Tell them that their
encouragement makes a big difference to you in your goal, whether it's losing
weight or quitting smoking. Your doctor or a professional counsellor can also
provide support.
- Pat yourself on the back.
Don't forget to give yourself some positive feedback. If you slip up, don't
waste energy feeling bad about yourself. Instead, think about how much closer
you are to reaching your goal than when you started.
Home Treatment
You play a major role in managing your
diabetes. The more you know about your disease, the
better you can care for yourself.
For the best chance at a long,
healthy life, you need to set goals for your treatment, including:
Make a healthy eating plan
If
you're overweight, losing 5% to 10% of your weight may
help you reach normal blood sugar levels. For
example, if you weigh 100 kilograms, losing 5 to 10 kilograms may lower your blood
sugar.
Managing the amount of
carbohydrate you eat is an important part of a healthy
diet for diabetes. Carbohydrate is found in:
- Sugar and sweets.
- Bread, rice, and pasta.
- Fruit.
- Starchy vegetables, such as potatoes and corn.
- Milk and yoghourt.
The
best diet is a balanced one. A healthy eating plan doesn't have to be
complicated. Try to:
- Limit how much fat you eat. Eat foods low in
saturated fat and high in
fibre.
- Cut down on foods that are high in
calories but low in nutrition, such as soda.
- Limit sweets.
You may want to work with a
dietitian or
certified diabetes educator to help you plan menus that spread
carbohydrate throughout the day. This will keep your
blood sugar from rising sharply after meals.
It can be
hard to make big changes in the way you eat. And if you don't have any
symptoms, you might not think it's all that important.
It's normal to have some negative feelings about diabetes
and how it's affecting your life, especially the way you eat. But try not to let those feelings get in the
way of taking care of yourself. For help, see:
- Diabetes: Coping With Your Feelings About Your Diet.
For more ideas about healthy eating,
try:
- Quick Tips: Smart Snacking When You Have Diabetes.
- Diabetes: Using a Plate Format for Eating.
- Diabetes: Counting Carbs if You Don't Use Insulin.
- Diabetes: Eating a Low Glycemic Diet
Healthy eating is the key
Rhonda O'Brien, certified diabetes educator
"Healthy eating is the key to your diabetes diet. There's no 'good food'
or 'bad food' for diabetes. But you do need to count your carbohydrates. And
you need to test so that you know the foods that affect your blood sugar."—Rhonda
Learn blood sugar testing tips from Rhonda O'Brien. |
Get active
The
more active you are, the more sugar (glucose) your body uses for energy. This
keeps the sugar from building up in your blood. Being active also:
How to start
Don't
worry. You don't have to sign up for a gym membership or train for a marathon
to get the activity you need to control your blood sugar. Even everyday
activities can help.
Try to do
light activity for 60 minutes every day, or
moderate activity for 30 to 60 minutes every day. Or try to do
vigorous activity for 20 to 30 minutes every day.
4
It's fine
to be active in blocks of 10 minutes or more throughout your day and week.
Light and moderate activities are
safe for most people, but it's always a good idea to talk to your doctor before
you start an exercise program.
Here are some ideas for starting to
get activity into your daily routine:
- Quick Tips: Getting Active at Home
- Fitness: Adding More Activity to Your Life
- Fitness: Walking for Wellness
Try to include
resistance exercises in your program 2 to 4 days a week.
4 These activities can include
things like weight lifting or yard work. See the topic
Fitness for more ideas.
Your blood sugar levels change when you are active.
For some people, the change is the same every time they exercise. For other
people, how their blood levels change will be different each time they
exercise. It's a good idea to check your blood sugar before and after you're
active, and talk to your doctor about it.
Test your blood sugar
Everything in your life can affect your
blood sugar levels, from what you eat, to how you feel, to how much activity
you get. You may not like having to check your blood sugar regularly and keep
track of the results over time. But it can really help you keep your diabetes
under control.
- Checking how your blood sugar rises or falls in
response to certain foods, exercise, and other things can help you reduce
symptoms, prevent blood sugar emergencies, and prevent serious
complications.
- Having a record of your blood sugar over time can
help you and your doctor know how well your treatment is working and whether
you need to make any changes.
For more information, see:
- Diabetes: Checking Your Blood Sugar.
One Man's Story:
Andy, 52
"Probably the biggest
thing I've learned is to test, don't guess. That's something my doctor told me,
and it's really true. You can't know what your numbers are unless you
test."—Andy
Read more about Andy and his diabetes routine. |
Take medicines if you need them
You may need to take medicines, such as
metformin (Glucophage) or
insulin, to help keep your blood sugar levels on
target.
- Diabetes: Dealing With Low Blood Sugar From N\Medicines.
- Diabetes: Giving Yourself an Insulin Shot.
For more information, see the
Medications
section of this topic.
Daily ASA
People with
diabetes have a higher risk of dying from
heart and blood vessel diseases than people who don't have diabetes.
Talk to your doctor about whether you should take a low-dose ASA every
day to help prevent
heart attack,
stroke, and large blood vessel (
macrovascular)
disease.
Take care of yourself in other ways
Check your feet every day to
look for cuts or other signs of injury. (If you have poor eyesight, have
someone else check your feet.) Diabetes can damage the nerve endings and blood
vessels in your feet, making you less likely to notice when they are injured.
Diabetes also makes it harder for your body
to fight infection. If you get a minor foot
injury, it could turn into an ulcer or a serious
infection.
With good foot care, you can prevent most of these
problems. For more information on foot care, see the topic
Type 2 Diabetes: Living With the Disease or see:
- Diabetes: Taking Care of Your Feet.
Wear medical identification at all
times. If you have an accident or are taken to a
hospital, identification lets people know that you have diabetes so they can
give you the right care.
You can buy medical
identification as bracelets, necklaces, or other kinds of
jewellery at your local drugstore.
How to cope with your feelings
Finding out that you have diabetes can be hard to accept. You
may feel sad, angry, and confused. You may want to deny that you
have it. And you may wonder how you are going to manage all the
changes you need to make.
It's normal to
feel sad when your health changes. It can be hard to adjust to the idea of
treating diabetes for the rest of your life. Give yourself time to
grieve your losses. If you start to feel
overwhelmed, try to focus on one day at a time. See:
- Depression: Using Positive Thinking.
If you're having trouble coping with your feelings,
you may want to talk with a
counsellor. A professional may make it easier to say
things you wouldn't talk about with friends or family.
If you have
symptoms of depression, such as a lack of interest in things you enjoy, a lack
of energy, or trouble sleeping, talk with your doctor. For more information,
see the topic
Depression.
You can also:
- Talk to your doctor. He or she
can help you deal with your feelings.
- Talk with friends and family about how you feel and any help you
need.
- Ask a friend or family member to come
to counselling with you.
- If you belong to a church or spiritual group, talk to your spiritual advisor. He or she
will have experience helping people deal with their feelings.
- Join a support group. You can find one
through your doctor, your local hospital, or the Canadian Diabetes Association.
One Woman's Story:
Gloria, 70
Gloria meets once a month with her support
group—women she met in her diabetes education class. "It's not a formal group.
We get together for coffee, talk about how we're doing, what we're eating. And
we swap recipes. It's really fun, and I learn a lot from them."—Gloria
Read more about Gloria and how she manages her diabetes. |
Medications
How medicine helps manage diabetes
Some
people with
type 2 diabetes need pills (oral
medicines) to help their bodies make
insulin, decrease
insulin resistance, or slow down how quickly
their bodies absorb
carbohydrate.
You may take no
medicine, one medicine, or a few medicines. Some people need to take medicine
for a short time, while others always need to take medicine. How much medicine
you need depends on how well you can keep your blood sugar within
a target range.
Taking two or more medicines may work
better to lower your blood sugar level than taking one
medicine alone. Also, taking two or more
medicines may mean fewer side effects because you are
taking a lower dose of each.
Medicine choices
- Oral
medicines that help your body make insulin. These include:
- Sulfonylureas,
such as glyburide (DiaBeta), glimepiride (Amaryl), and gliclazide (Diamicron).
- Meglitinides,
such as nateglinide (Starlix) and repaglinide (Gluconorm).
- DPP-4 inhibitors, such as sitagliptin (Januvia), saxagliptin (Ongylza), and a
combination medicine (Janumet).
- Oral medicines that
lower insulin resistance. These include:
- Oral
medicines that slow down absorption of carbohydrates.
These include:
- Medicines that help lower blood sugar. If you are having trouble controlling your blood
sugar with pills, your doctor may suggest that you try one of these
medicines:
- Incretin mimetics, such as liraglutide (Victoza). You take this medicine as a shot
1 or 2 times a day.
- Amylinomimetics, such as pramlintide (Symlin). This
medicine works with insulin and
glucagon to help control blood sugar. It
is given as a shot before meals.
- Insulin.
Insulin lets sugar (glucose) in the blood enter cells, where it is
used for energy. Without insulin, the blood sugar level rises above what is
safe for the body. Most of the time, people who take
insulin use a combination of
short-acting and long-acting insulin. This helps keep
blood sugar within the recommended range. You may also want to learn more about
when insulin is needed for type 2
diabetes.
What to Think About
You may also need to
take:
Surgery
There are no
surgeries to treat
type 2 diabetes.
Studies show that the large weight
loss provided by stomach surgery
(bariatric surgery) improves blood sugar control in
people who are very overweight.
1
But this surgery can be risky. And it's not a good choice for
everyone with diabetes. Keep in mind that there is more than one
kind of weight-loss surgery, and it's not clear which one is best.
If you are very
overweight, talk with your doctor about whether stomach
surgery would be right for you. For more information, see the topic
Obesity.
Other Treatment
Avoid products that promise a "cure"
for
diabetes. There is no cure.
If you have questions about a diet or product
for diabetes, check with your local Canadian Diabetes Association office, your
doctor, or a
diabetes educator.
Talk with a
dietitian before
choosing a meal plan for your diabetes diet.
Complementary therapies
Some complementary therapies,
such as
acupuncture or
biofeedback, may help relieve stress and muscle
tension. They might also improve your
well-being and quality of life. But they should not be used alone to treat diabetes.
Talk with your doctor
if you are using any complementary or alternative therapies, including
chiropractic therapy and
osteopathy.
Herbal medicines and natural
substances, such as
antioxidants, vanadium, magnesium,
and chromium, may help you feel better.
But they should be taken only under your doctor's supervision. Talk
with your doctor about any herbal or natural products that you are taking or
that you want to take.
Other Places To Get Help
Online Resource
| Health Canada Diabetes Home Page |
| Health Canada |
| Web Address: | www.hc-sc.gc.ca/dc-ma/diabete/index_e.html |
|
| This Web site provides basic information about diabetes, as well as
resources for and information about national programs in Canada for monitoring,
preventing, and treating diabetes. |
|
Organizations
| Canadian Diabetes Association |
| National Life Building |
| 1400-522 University Avenue |
| Toronto, ON M5G 2R5 |
| Phone: | (416) 363-0177
1-800-BANTING (1-800-226-8464) |
| Fax: | (416) 408-7117 |
| E-mail: | info@diabetes.ca |
| Web Address: | http://www.diabetes.ca |
|
| The Canadian Diabetes Association (CDA) is devoted to meeting the
needs of people with diabetes in Canada. This organization provides general
information about diabetes and its care. It organizes summer camps for young
people with diabetes and conducts educational seminars to help people manage
their diabetes. The CDA also sells a range of products, including cookbooks, in
its stores. |
|
| Heart and Stroke Foundation of
Canada |
| 222 Queen Street |
| Suite 1402 |
| Ottawa, ON K1P 5V9 |
| Phone: | (613) 569-4361 |
| Fax: | (613) 569-3278 |
| Web Address: | www.heartandstroke.ca |
|
| The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada works to improve the
health of Canadians by preventing and reducing disability and death from heart
disease and stroke through research, health promotion, and advocacy. |
|
| National Aboriginal Diabetes Association
(NADA) |
| 174 Hargrave Street |
| Winnipeg, MB R3C 3N2 |
| Phone: | (204) 927-1220
1-877-232-6232 toll-free |
| Fax: | (204) 927-1222 |
| E-mail: | diabetes@nada.ca |
| Web Address: | www.nada.ca |
|
| The mission of the National Aboriginal Diabetes Association (NADA)
is to address diabetes among Aboriginal peoples as a priority health issue. It
supports individuals, families, and communities to access resources for
diabetes prevention, education, and research in culturally respectful ways;
partners with organizations committed to the prevention and management of
diabetes; and promotes community wellness as a strategy to prevent
diabetes. |
|
References
Citations
- Canadian
Diabetes Association (2008). Clinical Practice Guidelines for the
prevention and management of diabetes in Canada. Available online:
http://www.diabetes.ca/for-professionals/resources/2008-cpg.
- American Diabetes Association (2004). Retinopathy in
diabetes. Clinical Practice Recommendations 2004. Diabetes Care, 27(Suppl 1): S84–S87.
- American Diabetes Association (2005).
Diabetic neuropathies. Position statement. Diabetes Care, 28(4): 956–962.
- Public Health Agency of Canada and Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (1998). Canada's Physical Activity Guide to Healthy Active Living. Available online: http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/hp-ps/hl-mvs/pag-gap/index-home-accueil-eng.php.
Other Works Consulted
- American Diabetes Association (2008). Diabetes Basics. Available online: http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics.
- American Diabetes Association (2008). Nutrition
principles and recommendations in diabetes. Clinical Practice Recommendations
2004. Diabetes Care, 31(Suppl 1): S61–S78.
- Amorosa LF, Swee DE (2007). Diabetes mellitus. In RE
Rakel, ed., Textbook of Family Medicine, 7th ed., pp.
989–1020. Philadelphia: Saunders Elsevier.
- Dixon JB, et al. (2008). Adjustable gastric banding
and conventional therapy for type 2 diabetes. JAMA,
299(3): 316–323.
- Gray DS (2006). Diabetes mellitus, type 2. In MR
Dambro, ed., Griffith's 5-Minute Clinical Consult, pp.
322–323. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.
- Saenz A, et al. (2005). Metformin monotherapy for type 2 diabetes mellitus. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (3).
- Sigal RJ, et al. (2006). Physical activity/exercise
and type 2 diabetes: A consensus statement from the American Diabetes
Association. Diabetes Care, 29(6):
1433–1438.
Credits
| By | Healthwise Staff |
|---|
| Primary Medical Reviewer | E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine |
|---|
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Brian D. O'Brien, MD - Internal Medicine |
|---|
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Matthew I. Kim, MD - Endocrinology |
|---|
| Last Revised | August 4, 2010 |
|---|
