6 Things Your Diabetologist Want You to Know

“In the end, it’s not the years in your life that counts. It’s the life in your years,” says Abraham Lincoln. Well, we can relate to the fact that it is better to live a short healthy life instead of infirm long life. Talking about the quality of life, health is a predominantly important factor that directly relates to our physical, mental, social, and emotional well-being.

Health-related quality of life

Among several other factors, diseases can significantly impact our health-related quality of life (HRQL). Diabetes is among those chronic illnesses that affect the quality of life in most patients. However, diabetes management can make it easier for the patient to live with the disease.

Common mistakes by diabetics

A primary detrimental factor that defines the success of your diabetes treatment plan is your association with your diabetologist. When I was initially diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, I went to the top diabetologist in Lahore. Underestimating the disease severity and not staying in touch with the doctor make me commit the biggest mistakes.

Some of the mistakes that restrained me from achieving my treatment goals were;

Avoiding my blood sugar check
Not following my insulin schedule
Skipping my meals to maintain low blood sugar levels
Messing up my workout routine
Ignoring the numbness and pain in my feet
Not following up with my diabetologist
Setting up unrealistic goals

What your diabetologist wants you to know?

Whether you are suffering from type 1 or type 2 diabetes, you must be on the same page with your diabetologist. Well, according to my experience there are a few things that your diabetologist wants you to understand. These are

1- To be enquiring

Most of the time, doctors themselves ask their patients about the effects of diseases on their bodies. However, they still expect you to be nosy regarding your condition. Whether you are suffering from anxiety or sexual dysfunction, it is advisable to always talk to your doctor about it even if you feel uncomfortable.

2- Focus on your lifestyle changes

Diabetes is a lifelong illness but appropriate diabetes management can improve your condition by several folds. As a diabetic, your lifestyle plays a key role in determining the severity of your disease alongside the effectiveness of your treatment plan. Your diabetologist wants you to put your lifestyle changes before medication.

Some of the effective lifestyle changes you can make include

Shedding a few pounds (to improve you’re your disease severity)
Focusing on your diet (to keep your glucose levels in desirable range)
Quit smoking and inactive lifestyle (to optimize your body functions)
Stress management and workout

3- Hear the truth

No matter how messed up your workout or insulin schedule is, never lie to your doctor about this. Your doctor strictly asks you to follow the routine for good reasons. But hiding your daily habits from your diabetologist can be destructive in the long run.

4- Not believing everything you come across

With the advent of technology, everything is just a click away. You can find hundreds of blogs and websites stuffed with diabetes-related information. Unfortunately, no one can guarantee the authenticity of the available content and false knowledge can make the situation even worse. So, your diabetologist expects you to study the reliable sources and discuss with the experts in case you have any confusion.

When I was going through a similar experience, I was consulting a renowned diabetologist from Faisal hospital. During the early stages of my treatment, I used to write down my queries and discuss them with my doctor during a routine visit.

5- Avoid sugarcoating your glucose readings

You might be afraid of making your doctor upset with your higher sugar level readings eventually leading you to alter them. But remember that your doctor is interested in solving your problem, rather than lecturing you about it. However, this incorrect number can misguide the doctor and prevent him from adequately assessing your health.

6- Understanding that diabetes is a lifelong battle

Diabetes management is the only way to deal with an incurable disease. You diabetologist wants to understand that you should focus on a disease management strategy rather than being inspired by magnet therapy, a b c diets, and magic pills.