Guide

It is well established that neglecting medicines and other measures of controlling blood sugar can, and does lead to long-term complications.

These long term complications are completely disabling and irreversible. Once the long-term complications set-in they are difficult to be corrected. Maybe the more severe onset can be delayed. It is therefore very necessary to do everything possible to avoid these. Some helpful hints:

However unfortunate, it is true. Long-term complications of diabetes, sometimes also referred to as the triology of diabetic complications, result in serious consequences. The person may suffer a stroke, total loss of vision or kidney failure.

In keeping tight control over sugar, there is a possibility of undergoing hypoglycaemia. This is when the level of sugar falls below the normal. Hypoglycaemia can be mild or severe. Severe hypoglycaemia can lead to coma.

Some of the symptoms of hypoglycaemia are hunger, sweating, dizziness, headache, light headedness, irritability, shakiness, blurred vision, nausea, confusion tingling or numbness in the lips or tongue.

It is advisable for diabetic persons to carry some glucose powder or hard-boiled sweets with them. In case of an approaching hypoglycaemic attack, some sugar can quickly avert the crisis.

The extra glucose contributes to the clogging of the arteries that nourish the heart (coronary arteries). This clogging of the arteries is the underlying cause of heart disease. Several other matters that further complicate the issue are smoking, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.
Diabetics SHOULD AVOID smoking.

A low-fat diet and regular moderate exercise form the backbone of healthy lifestyle recommendations for diabetics because they also help reduce blood glucose levels. Hypertension (high blood pressure) damages the coronary arteries and forces the heart to work harder than it should. High blood pressure can also cause changes in the eyes, nerves, and kidneys.

There are two types of strokes -- haemorrhagic and ischaemic. In the haemorrhagic stroke, a blood vessel supplying blood to the brain (or its part) bursts. This causes internal bleeding and clotting. It could be fatal or lead to impairment of some of the body functions controlled by that part of the body - paralysis. Whereas in the ischaemic stroke, the thickening of some of the arteries, may reduce or completely be unable to reach blood to some cells in the brain. Once again the result could be paralysis or death.

Uncontrolled (high) blood sugar levels can over a period of time can lead to eye diseases like retinopathy, cataracts and glaucoma. It is not that people without diabetes do not suffer such eye problems. But the chances of a diabetic person getting them are far in excess of others. These long-term complications of diabetes can lead to loss of vision, either partial or it may even cause total blindness.

The kidneys filter wastes out of the blood. Kidneys are richly endowed with tiny blood vessels (capillaries). As the blood passes through them, the organ draws wastes out and produces urine. In people with nephropathy, these capillaries become blocked and leaky. Wastes stay in the blood, and protein, which should remain in the blood, leaks into the urine.

The first sign of kidney complication is small amounts of protein in the urine (microalbuminuria).As the years pass, the protein content of the urine continues to increase, and with it, kidney function declines. After 25 to 30 years of diabetes, kidneys can no longer function.

Compared with people who do not have diabetes, those who do are at increased risk for all manner of infections from head to toe: gum disease, skin infections, tuberculosis, pneumonia, bladder and kidney infections, vaginal yeast infections, incisional infections after surgery and foot infections.

Not all "ulcers" occur in the stomach or intestine. An ulcer is an open sore, and diabetics with nerve damage are especially prone to foot ulcers that may become infected. Feet should be examined regularly. If this is a problem, use a mirror or have someone else do it, or examine socks for red or brown stains. They are likely to be caused by blood, signalling an ulcer. A foot ulcer if not detected and managed in time may end in amputation of the leg.

Impotence or loss of ability to have erections may develop in men after many years of diabetes because the nerves to the penis are damaged. However, there could be many other causes of impotence (including psychological). However embarrassed you may feel, you must consult your doctor, if you have sexual difficulty. You cannot assume that it is permanent or due to diabetes - it is quite likely that it may be neither.

Scientists do not know exactly what causes diabetes, but it appears to result from a combination of genetics and environmental factors, including viral infections, poor diet, and sedentary lifestyle.
Exercise is the single most important activity in the life of a diabetic. During moderate to vigorous exercise, nerves signal the liver to release stored glucose.

In addition, eating sensibly, living a healthy lifestyle, getting emotional support, and pursuing your personal dreams are all crucial to minimizing complications, and managing diabetes as effectively and efficiently as possible.

Currently, though there is no cure for diabetes, the good news is that the disease can be managed. You can live a long, healthy life, savor all the foods you ever dreamed of, go anywhere, and do anything you're capable of -- despite diabetes. People with diabetes can live rich, happy lives.