What is needed for successful diabetes management?

Successful diabetes management is a team effort. Your health care providers form a support team dedicated to your good health. Learn as much as you possibly can about diabetes and how it affects you. Ask all the questions you need to have answered and become your own advocate. Your provider, diabetes educator, or dietitian can listen to your needs, help you meet your goals, and provide you with information, but it is up to you to make the day-to-day choices and decisions. Whether you have recently been diagnosed or have been living with diabetes for years, whether you have type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, or gestational diabetes, your concerns are probably the same: to learn to live with diabetes, to maintain a high quality of life, and to mesh the day-to-day management of diabetes into your routine. At first, the idea of trying to “master” the disease may seem overwhelming. Diabetes management can often be frustrating, even if you’re an old hand at it. The trick to living with diabetes is to take it one step at a time. Don’t try to do everything at once. Decide what goals are most important, and work on these first.

It is important to have the will to want to learn, plan and take action to manage diabetes. Seek out diabetic specialists that you can relate to and trust. A diabetic clinic may offer access to several healthcare professionals in one visit. It is important to see regularly an endocrinologist, diabetic educator or registered nurse, dietitian, ophthalmologist, exercise specialist, podiatrist and pharmacist. Treatment to maintain optimal health includes diet, physical activity, medications, medical exams and tests. Support from your healthcare team, friends, family and other diabetic patients will help you to stay motivated and informed to maintain behaviors that will promote your health.