Your Support Network
Get your support system together
You don't have to deal with your diabetes alone. Gather together a support system, including friends, family, and your health care team. Explain your condition to friends, and suggest specific ways that they can help support you. Your family and friends want to see you healthy and enjoying each day.
Living with diabetes can be a daily challenge—and can be emotionally difficult at times. But you don't have to deal with your diabetes alone. With the support of your family and friends, your health care team, and your community, you can help take control of your condition.
Share healthy habits
Here are some things you can do with family and friends:
- Exercise together. Walking together has the added benefit of providing a regular opportunity to talk with your loved ones.
- Go shopping together and help prepare diabetes-friendly meals.
- Walk the dog together.
- Use pedometers to help make exercise fun.
- Go to a doctor appointment together. Ask your family member or friend to take notes on what your health care provider suggests.
- Ensure that fresh fruit is available as a dessert at friend or family gatherings.
- Participate in healthy neighborhood events, like community walks and gardening projects.
Teamwork can lighten the load
Building a trusted and reliable health care team may help you better manage your type 2 diabetes. In addition to your doctor, there may be other health care specialists who can help you manage some of the more complicated aspects of type 2 diabetes.
Your team will vary depending on your needs and the available resources. One thing is certain: You are at the center of the team. If any areas of your diabetes management plan are especially challenging, talk with your doctor to learn whether you may benefit from including other health care professionals on your health care team.
Start by talking with your primary care provider. Sometimes this is an internist or a family practitioner. Nurse practitioners and physician assistants also provide primary care in certain settings. His or her support is important. Your insurance plan may require a referral from your doctor for visits to other health care team members.
Most people see their primary care doctor for general checkups and when they get sick. Nurse practitioners and physician assistants, usually working with a doctor, may also provide primary care. Your primary care doctor may refer you to specialists like endocrinologists or other team members (see below). Your doctor can also give you recommendations on lifestyle management and prescribe medication if you need it.
Endocrinologists are doctors who specialize in diseases such as type 2 diabetes. If you do not see an endocrinologist, look for a primary care doctor who cares for many people with diabetes.
For advice on having a conversation with your doctor to make the most of your treatment, be sure to check out the Doctor Dialogue Tool
A certified diabetes educator works alongside your primary care doctor and other health care professionals to help you gain the knowledge and skills to change behavior and manage type 2 diabetes and its related conditions successfully. Your diabetes educator, who is often a registered nurse, can tailor a self-management plan to meet your individual needs.
It can be hard work to adjust your lifestyle to control your blood sugar. You may even feel overwhelmed once you've left the doctor's office and return to your daily routine. A diabetes educator can provide guidance and support to help you stay motivated in working toward a healthy lifestyle.
A registered dietitian is trained in nutrition and has passed a national exam. A registered dietitian may also have a master's degree or may be a certified diabetes educator. You want to be sure to work with a registered dietitian who has training and experience with diabetes. If your doctor does not work with a dietitian, ask him or her to refer you to one.
Your dietitian helps you figure out your food needs based on your desired weight, lifestyle, medication, and other health goals (such as lowering cholesterol or blood pressure). Even if you've had diabetes for many years, a visit to a dietitian can help. For one thing, our food needs change as we age. Nutrition guidelines for people with diabetes also change from time to time.
Dietitians can also help you learn how to:
- Plan meals
- Balance food with medications and activity
- Understand how the foods you eat affect your blood sugar and blood fat levels
- Read food labels
- Make a sick-day meal plan
- Plan for eating out and special events
- Make food substitutions
The American Diabetes Association guidelines recommend people with type 2 diabetes should see a medical eye doctor—an ophthalmologist or an optometrist who performs dilated eye exams—at least once a year, because diabetes can affect the blood vessels in the eyes. Be sure your eye doctor is familiar with how to spot and treat eye disease in people with diabetes.
Your doctor will perform a complete eye exam, which will include dilating your pupils. These checkups are the best way to detect eye disease. Many eye problems are treatable when detected early.
Your pharmacist can alert you to possible side effects of medications and can identify potential interactions between different drugs. To take advantage of your pharmacist's expertise, make a list of all your medicines, their strengths, and how you take them. Include vitamins, herbal supplements, and home remedies. Review the list with your pharmacist once a year and every time it changes.
This health care professional is trained to treat problems of the lower legs and feet. Diabetes can sometimes lead to poor blood flow and nerve damage in the lower legs, increasing the likelihood of infections. Sores, even small ones, can quickly turn into serious problems. Any foot sore or callus needs to be checked by your primary care doctor or a podiatrist. Your podiatrist can also advise you on the right shoes for your needs.
Type 2 diabetes can increase your risk of gum disease. The excess blood sugar in your mouth makes it a good home for bacteria, which leads to infection. So it is recommended that you see your dentist every 6 months and make sure that he or she knows you have diabetes.
Exercise may help lower blood sugar, help your body better use insulin, and help control your weight. It may also improve your cholesterol levels, reduce stress, and improve your overall fitness level. A person who can help you and your doctor plan your fitness program is someone trained in the scientific basis of exercise.
Look for someone with special expertise or experience in working with patients with diabetes. Also, look for someone with a master's or doctoral degree in exercise physiology or for a licensed health care professional who has graduate training in exercise physiology. Certification from the American College of Sports Medicine is another sign that the person has the skills needed to plan a safe, effective exercise program. Always get your doctor's approval before beginning any exercise program.
Mental health professionals help with the personal and emotional side of living with diabetes.
A social worker may be able to help you find resources to help with your medical or financial needs. He or she should hold a master's degree in social work (MSW) and have training in individual, group, and family therapy.
A clinical psychologist who works directly with patients can have a master's or doctoral degree in psychology and is trained in individual, group, and family psychology. A few sessions with a psychologist might help during a time of increased stress. Long-term, a psychologist might help work on lasting problems.
A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who can prescribe medication to treat emotional problems. Psychiatrists also provide counseling.
Marriage and family therapists can help you with personal problems in family and marital relationships and problems on the job. These therapists should hold a master's or doctoral degree in a mental health field and have additional training in individual, family, and marriage therapy.
Remember, you and your primary care physician should work together to determine who else should be on your health care team, and the best ways for you to take advantage of their expertise.
