Type 2 Diabetes - Treatment Overview
Your treatment for type 2 diabetes will change over time to meet your needs. But the focus of your treatment will always be to keep your blood sugar levels within your target range. That will help prevent complications from type 2 diabetes, such as eye, kidney, heart, blood vessel, and nerve disease.
The keys to managing your type 2 diabetes are to:
- Make healthy food choices, and be active. To learn more, see Living With Type 2 Diabetes.
- See your doctor regularly. To help you stay on track with your treatment, you'll need regular tests. For more information, see Exams and Tests.
- Test your blood sugar. It's important to track your blood sugar levels so you know if you are in your target range. For more information, see Living With Type 2 Diabetes.
- Take medicines, if you need them. For more information, see Medications.
- If you smoke, quit. Quitting can help you reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke. For help, see the topic Quitting Smoking.
- Keep high blood pressure and high cholesterol under control. Losing weight and getting plenty of exercise, such as walking at least 2� hours a week, can help lower blood pressure. But you may also need to take medicines, such as an ACE inhibitor or beta-blocker, to achieve your goal.1 You may also need to take cholesterol-lowering medicines called statins. See:
Making big changes like quitting smoking or changing the way you eat is hard. But you can do it if you set small goals and celebrate your successes. For help, see the topic Change a Habit by Setting Goals.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding
Your treatment may change if you get pregnant. For example, some medicines could harm your baby. If your blood sugar gets too high while you're pregnant, your baby might have problems at birth. Talk with your doctor. For more information, see:
And you can successfully breast-feed your baby when you have type 2 diabetes.
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One Woman's Story: Gloria, 70 "Exercise really changed everything for me. The way I feel, my blood sugar, everything. It really works. I never felt better, stronger, healthier, or happier in my life."-Gloria |
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise
Type 2 Diabetes Topics
Is This Normal? Get the Facts Fast!
Answer:
0-69
70-130
131+
Your level is currently
If the level is below 70 and you are experiencing symptoms such as shaking, sweating or difficulty thinking, you will need to raise the number immediately. A quick solution is to eat a few pieces of hard candy or 1 tablespoon of sugar or honey. Recheck your numbers again in 15 minutes to see if the number has gone up. If not, repeat the steps above or call your doctor.
People who experience hypoglycemia several times in a week should call their health care provider. It's important to monitor your levels each day so you can make sure your numbers are within the range. If you are pregnant always consult with your health care provider.
Congratulations on taking steps to manage your health.
However, it's important to continue to track your numbers so that you can make lifestyle changes if needed. If you are pregnant always consult with your physician.
Your level is high if this reading was taken before eating. Aim for 70-130 before meals and less than 180 two hours after meals.
Even if your number is high, it's not too late for you to take control of your health and lower your blood sugar.
One of the first steps is to monitor your levels each day. If you are pregnant always consult with your physician.
Did You Know Your Lifestyle Choices
Affect Your Blood Sugar?
Use the Blood Glucose Tracker to monitor
how well you manage your blood sugar over time.
This tool is not intended for women who are pregnant.
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