Life with Diabetes

Having either type of diabetes can be very hard and may seem at times like a burden to both you and your family. However with the help of good, supportive healthcare professionals alongside your friends and family you will be just fine.

Seek Advice

When you find out that you are diabetic it can be very hard, one day you are fine, yet the next you have been ‘labelled’ with this condition. You may feel worried and scared and this is where your doctor comes in. They should take the time to reassure you that it is not a life threatening disease and that it is something you live with. They will take the time to explain to you what it is, how it can affect you body and how it is best to treat it.


Once you are started on treatment, it is important that you remember to keep monitoring you blood glucose levels to make sure you remain in the best possible health. This may feel strange at first, but will become second nature after a while. To help keep you on the right track your doctor may want to see you more regularly than usual. This can be really helpful as it gives you a chance to ask any questions you or your family may have.

Professional Help for Diabetes Sufferers

Throughout the course of your treatment it is likely that you will encounter many different healthcare professionals. These may range from dieticians to help keep your weight steady, opticians to make sure your eyes are ok and podiatrists to make sure your feet are fine. You should try and make the most out of these professionals as they are all there to help.

It is natural that at some times you may begin to feel upset or down at the fact that you have this condition. If so, don’t suffer in silence. There are many specially trained counsellors and psychologists who will be able to help you through those difficult times. To access these services, just ask you local doctor who will be happy to refer you onto them.

Caring for Diabetics

If you are responsible for looking after someone with diabetes, it may sometimes feel like you have the condition as well. You may be responsible for a young child with the condition, or even an elderly relative. Either way, what you are doing is essentially the same. As with most carers, you should know about when they need their medication and how to do it. It is vital that you are aware of the signs and symptoms of hypoglycaemia and hyperglycaemia as they could prove life saving, especially in young children. With young children you should help the to understand as much as possible about the condition so that they feel as if they are involved in the process. This can help to prevent them from becoming annoyed and frustrated at the condition. You could also try to introduce incentives and a score chart system, basically anything with colour that can keep them entertained.

At times you may feel overwhelmed by the whole situation, you may think that it is all getting too much. This is a perfectly natural feeling that nearly everyone would feel in the same situation. Remember there is always help at hand for you and often the best medicine is sometimes just talking to someone. In many circumstances a problem shared really is a problem halved.

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