Myth “Type 2 diabetes isn’t serious unless you need insulin injections”
Truth The seriousness of diabetes isn’t linked to the type of treatment you have but to whether your blood glucose and blood pressure are within healthy limits. For example, it is far more serious if your blood glucose level is too high and your pills aren’t controlling it than if your blood glucose level is under better control from taking insulin.
Why have I been told to control my weight?
Your weight influences how easy it is for your own insulin supplies to work properly and for your body to regulate your blood pressure. It also influences the type and dose of any medication you take. Being overweight can cause a rise in your blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels, and it increase your risk of complications such as heart disease. Keeping your weight within the recommended range for your height or, if you need to, losing some weight, has a number of health benefits.
Does Type 2 diabetes get worse over time?
Type 2 diabetes is a progressive condition. When this type of diabetes starts to develop, your body needs to produce more insulin to keep your blood glucose level in a healthy range. At first, healthier eating, losing weight, and increasing your physical activity may be sufficient to control your blood glucose level. Over time, however, your body probably won’t be able to keep up with the demand for insulin – especially if you are overweight. Eventually, you are likely to need pills and probably insulin injections to keep your blood glucose level between 75 and 130 mg/dl. Keeping your blood pressure in the recommended range is also important when you have Type 2 diabetes. You may need several types of medication over time for this.
Can diabetes be cured?
As yet there is no cure for diabetes. The important thing is to actively manage your condition each day so that you can continue to live a healthy life. Keeping your blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels, as well as your blood glucose, in the recommended range can help prevent the long-term complications of diabetes.
