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  • With Mayo Clinic diabetes educators

    Nancy Klobassa Davidson, R.N., and Peggy Moreland, R.N.

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  • Living with diabetes blog

  • Nov. 4, 2010

    Care, control help ease fear of diabetes complications

    By Nancy Klobassa Davidson, R.N., and Peggy Moreland, R.N.

7 comments posted

Controlling Your Diabetes

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How can you stop worrying about complications of diabetes? In my practice as a diabetes educator, some people are almost paralyzed by the fear of developing diabetes complications.

Many of you have had diabetes a long time and are from an era when we didn't have as many tools, treatments, and the understanding of diabetes that we have today. Education concerning the reduction of modifiable risk factors for the chronic complications of diabetes is an essential goal of diabetes education self-management training today.

You need information about risk factors to make informed decisions in your diabetes care and prevent or reduce complications. Studies such as the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial demonstrate that these complications aren't inevitable.

Fear of diabetes complications manifests itself in obsessive compulsive behaviors in some people with diabetes. Some examples:

  • Constant worrying
  • Blood glucose monitoring 20 plus times per day
  • Frequent and over correction of blood glucoses and tolerating frequent episodes of low blood glucose
  • In severe cases, strained family relations and job loss

Where is the happy medium? It's so hard to find, but knowing you have good care and control can put a lot of fears to rest.

"Worrying is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do, but it gets you nowhere."
— Glen Turner

Please share your thoughts. Have a good week,

Nancy

7 comments posted

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  • March 17, 2011 2:23 p.m.

    i enjoy the comments on blog,i will to more about t2 and if there are any herbs that can help,i am t2 since 2005 and i am still leaning.

    - jane

  • November 18, 2010 2:05 p.m.

    Jerry, there are some herbs that seem to affect insulin sensitivity. Cinnamon helps with this. This is more of a question for the dietitians. Still, the best course of action for pre-diabetes and to help prevent type 2 diabetes is weight loss and exercise.

    - Nancy and Peggy

  • November 13, 2010 9:37 a.m.

    I have not been told that I have Type 2 diabetesbut my Glucose is a little high. This varies at each test . My lasr blood test showed my Glucose at 110. I would lke to know if there are any foods that are sugar lowering

    - Jerry

  • November 10, 2010 8:56 p.m.

    Find it interesting that you site a study, for type 1, that was conducted 1983-1993. Why did you not site a more current study, for type 2, the ACCORD study? This study was halted for intensive blood sugar control group because of increased mortality. Education is the first line of defense in this complicated disease diabetes. Once again you have failed to offer anyl advice such as make an appointment with a nutrition/certified diabetes educator. Not all people are capable of knowing where to gather information so they can make good decisions. Once again fear is mentioned and a negative spin...knowledge is power...this is a disease you can manage. "Happy medium" what does this mean? I am NOT diabetes...I have diabetes. I am not "a diabetic"...I am a person with diabetes.

    - susie

  • November 10, 2010 6:24 a.m.

    I am quite interesting in this topic hope you will elaborate more on it in future posts

    - Prostatic Adenocarcinoma

  • November 9, 2010 6:47 p.m.

    When I was first diagnosed with T2 I was sent home with a monitor and told to test 4 times a day (morning fasting and 2 hours after each meal). That was it! I had to find out what my testing levels should be and how my body reacts to what I eat. 9 Months later and I'm still learning, mostly through reading Diabetes blogs and Mayo Clinic articles. I am finding lots of people in similar medical condition who give me plenty of support. My advice? Surround yourself with positive, supportive people and dismiss anyone who blames you for being diabetic! You CAN enjoy a productive life if you take care of yourself!

    - Jan

  • November 8, 2010 4:48 p.m.

    I believe education is the most important part of any diabetes diagnosis. Many people are told they are diabetic (or pre-diabetic) and then sent home with the information "go eat right, exercise and lose some weight. If you do this, you will be OK. If you don't, you could end up blind, lose a fo or just end up with a heart attack at a younger age." Well, yes, you are probably right about all those complications, but to the average individual what does eat right mean? Am I just supposed to have 1 cheeseburger instead of two? Nobody ever explained the principles of high fat contents in some meats to this individual. So how are they supposed to know skinless baked chicken is a far better choice? You can take all the food groups and run through this exercise for the benefit of a newly diagnosed patient and just maybe they wouldn't have to be so scared or concerned at diagnosis. Now, at your family physician you are usually lucky to get about 10 minutes or less to discuss everything during a visit. How is someone supposed to learn what is wrong with their lifestyle in less than 10 minutes? Education can calm many fe and start any person on a road to recovery. There just has to be someone there though to show that initial concern.

    - Kathi

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