http://www.diabetes247.info Download a free 75 ebook Understanding Diabetes. Most of your diabetes questions are answered free.

Duration : 0:0:48

My mom has type 2 diabetes and she was told it could affect her eyes. I was just wondering what that meant?

We just went over this in my anatomy class for nursing school. Basically, diabetes is when your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin, so your liver doesn’t break down sugar and send it to your cells like it should. So instead of storing it as glucose–cell food–it stores it as fat. The fat eventually clogs up your arteries, causing decreased circulation all throughout your body. This is why a lot of diabetics end up having to have their toes or even more amputated. The loss of circulation causes the tissues to die and turn gangrenous.
Diabetes affects the eyes in the same way, by fat blocking the arteries and blood vessels inside the eyes, which eventually leads to blindness. Diabetes can also cause strokes because the stored fat blocks blood vessels to the brain.
So tell your mom to watch her blood glucose levels and stick to her ADA diet, and if she has to take insulin to keep at it as prescribed. On my clinicals in nursing school, we had a few patients that had already had toes, feet, legs amputated. Your mom can avoid all this if she sticks to the dietary guidelines. Also, do some research of your own so you can get a better understanding of the disease and be a good support system for her. I hope this helps clear some things up and I also hope your mom does well.

I recently found out that my mother has type 2 diabetes. Its something that runs in our family plus she’s over weight and is obviously in the process of losing. Still, I like to be told straight up the dangers or what may happen with things. So be honest.

A person can live with Type 2 Diabetes for many many years, into old age, just like any other person. The thing is that such a person has an increased risk of suffering serious health problems like heart disease, lack of circulation, and even blindness. You should try to help your mom to lose weight. The good news is that for many people, once they lose excess weight, the Type 2 Diabetes actually disappears. You should do exercise together, even starting with light walking and perhaps encourage your mom to see a dietician. She has a long life ahead of her!

I have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow and due to my weight of 315 pounds and the fact that I would be considered morbidly obese with a BMI greater than 40, I will most likely be tested for type 2 diabetes. I wouldn’t be suprised if I do have it though.

The first test to do is called A1C. this is a simple blood test that most doctors do in their office in 5-10 minutes IF they have the equipment. if not, they will take a blood sample and send it to a lab for 2-3 days.

A1C Test measures the AVERAGE of your blood sugar over the last 90 days. NORMAL is between 5 and 6.

if the A1C is more than 7, the doctor may want a second test called Glucose Tolerance Test (GTT). This is a more complicated test. it takes longer (3-4 hours) and is a bit painful.

But GTT will give a definitive YES or NO answer, if the GTT says YES then you are diabetic and you need to start treatment immediately.

Some doctors use the Finger Stick Blood Glucose Test. They stick your finger, then take ONE DROP of blood into a handheld meter. The readings come back in 30 seconds. This is the same test diabetics do 3-4 times a daty to control their blood sugar.

The problem with this test is that it is affected by WHEN, WHAT, and HOW MUCH you’ve eaten. Therefore, for purposes of DIAGNOSIS it is unreliable.

Since the A1C was invented (3-4 years ago) the "Finger Stick" test should NOT be used for diagnosis. The Finger Stick test is for CONTROL only.

Given you weight, you should INSIST on getting an A1C test. If the doctor pricks your finger and puts blood into a HANDHELD METER, this is NOT an A1C test (it is the figner stick test). Insits that the doctor do the A1C test properly.

As well, you should insist that the doctor repeat the A1C test every 3-4 months. You might not have diabetes now, but you could start next week. The A1C test will catch diabetes early enough that you can begin treatment and avoid the damages diabetes causes — blindness, kidney disease, amputations, sexual dysfunctions.

And of course you know the drill — watch your diet, get more exercise, lose weight. Sounds like a broken record, but this is how you control diabetes. if you don’t already have it, this is how you keep it away.

I have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow and due to my weight of 315 pounds and the fact that I would be considered morbidly obese with a BMI greater than 40, I will most likely be tested for type 2 diabetes. I wouldn’t be suprised if I do have it though.

The first test to do is called A1C. this is a simple blood test that most doctors do in their office in 5-10 minutes IF they have the equipment. if not, they will take a blood sample and send it to a lab for 2-3 days.

A1C Test measures the AVERAGE of your blood sugar over the last 90 days. NORMAL is between 5 and 6.

if the A1C is more than 7, the doctor may want a second test called Glucose Tolerance Test (GTT). This is a more complicated test. it takes longer (3-4 hours) and is a bit painful.

But GTT will give a definitive YES or NO answer, if the GTT says YES then you are diabetic and you need to start treatment immediately.

Some doctors use the Finger Stick Blood Glucose Test. They stick your finger, then take ONE DROP of blood into a handheld meter. The readings come back in 30 seconds. This is the same test diabetics do 3-4 times a daty to control their blood sugar.

The problem with this test is that it is affected by WHEN, WHAT, and HOW MUCH you’ve eaten. Therefore, for purposes of DIAGNOSIS it is unreliable.

Since the A1C was invented (3-4 years ago) the "Finger Stick" test should NOT be used for diagnosis. The Finger Stick test is for CONTROL only.

Given you weight, you should INSIST on getting an A1C test. If the doctor pricks your finger and puts blood into a HANDHELD METER, this is NOT an A1C test (it is the figner stick test). Insits that the doctor do the A1C test properly.

As well, you should insist that the doctor repeat the A1C test every 3-4 months. You might not have diabetes now, but you could start next week. The A1C test will catch diabetes early enough that you can begin treatment and avoid the damages diabetes causes — blindness, kidney disease, amputations, sexual dysfunctions.

And of course you know the drill — watch your diet, get more exercise, lose weight. Sounds like a broken record, but this is how you control diabetes. if you don’t already have it, this is how you keep it away.

Learn more about diabetes at http://www.bloodsugarsimplified.com Diabetes is a disease where your body does not produce enough insulin, or else the insulin it produces is not doing what it is supposed to do, which is to lower blood sugar. As a result, your blood sugar levels increase causing hyperglycemia.

Duration : 0:2:10

I’m looking an answer more in terms of the internal biological effects and not the treatment for these types of diabetes.

In type 1 diabetes, some agent, very likely a virus, attacks and destroys the beta cells that produce insulin. In type 2 diabetes, the insulin producing mechanisms wear out over time, and those insulin producing mechanisms can be exceeded by and/or exacerbated by too much weight, mass. Physical injury to the pancreas can also cause diabetes.

I realize that if you have type 1 diabetes you are automatically disqualified, but I control my type 2 diabetes simply by consuming a diet low in sugars and this works fine for me.

What is the militarys stance on this?

No. http://usmilitary.about.com/od/joiningthemilitary/a/intmedstandards.htm

Why do you think so many more people are being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in recent years than ever before? One of my guesses is all of the preservatives and junk that has been included in people’s diets as more prepared foods have been in the markets, and fast foods.
Everyone had helpful information about diabetes factors. Thanks for the comments.

Diet does not cause diabetes.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/type-2-diabetes/DS00585/DSECTION=risk-factors

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002072.htm

http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/DM/pubs/riskfortype2/

http://www.diabetes.org/risk-test.jsp

Why do you think so many more people are being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in recent years than ever before? One of my guesses is all of the preservatives and junk that has been included in people’s diets as more prepared foods have been in the markets, and fast foods.
Everyone had helpful information about diabetes factors. Thanks for the comments.

Diet does not cause diabetes.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/type-2-diabetes/DS00585/DSECTION=risk-factors

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002072.htm

http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/DM/pubs/riskfortype2/

http://www.diabetes.org/risk-test.jsp