Type 2 diabetes Treatment - Mayo Clinic. Management of type 2 diabetes includes: Healthy eating. Regular exercise. Possibly, diabetes medication or insulin therapy Blood sugar monitoring. These steps will help keep your blood sugar level closer to normal, which can delay or prevent complications.
Their mission is to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by this disease.
Healthy eating. Contrary to popular perception, there's no specific diabetes diet. However, it's important to center your diet on these high- fiber, low- fat foods: Fruits. Vegetables. Whole grains. You'll also need to eat fewer animal products, refined carbohydrates and sweets. Low glycemic index foods also may be helpful. The glycemic index is a measure of how quickly a food causes a rise in your blood sugar. Foods with a high glycemic index raise your blood sugar quickly.
Low glycemic index foods may help you achieve a more stable blood sugar. Foods with a low glycemic index typically are foods that are higher in fiber. A registered dietitian can help you put together a meal plan that fits your health goals, food preferences and lifestyle. He or she can also teach you how to monitor your carbohydrate intake and let you know about how many carbohydrates you need to eat with your meals and snacks to keep your blood sugar levels more stable. Physical activity. Everyone needs regular aerobic exercise, and people who have type 2 diabetes are no exception. Get your doctor's OK before you start an exercise program.
Then choose activities you enjoy, such as walking, swimming and biking. What's most important is making physical activity part of your daily routine. Aim for at least 3. Stretching and strength training exercises are important, too. If you haven't been active for a while, start slowly and build up gradually. A combination of exercises — aerobic exercises, such as walking or dancing on most days, combined with resistance training, such as weightlifting or yoga twice a week — often helps control blood sugar more effectively than either type of exercise alone. Remember that physical activity lowers blood sugar.
Check your blood sugar level before any activity. You might need to eat a snack before exercising to help prevent low blood sugar if you take diabetes medications that lower your blood sugar.
Monitoring your blood sugar. Depending on your treatment plan, you may need to check and record your blood sugar level every now and then or, if you're on insulin, multiple times a day. Ask your doctor how often he or she wants you to check your blood sugar.
Careful monitoring is the only way to make sure that your blood sugar level remains within your target range. Sometimes, blood sugar levels can be unpredictable. With help from your diabetes treatment team, you'll learn how your blood sugar level changes in response to food, exercise, alcohol, illness and medication.
Most people with type 2 diabetes will eventually require insulin, and the transition is easier than you might think. Diabetes is a problem with your body that causes blood glucose (sugar) levels to rise higher than normal. This is also called hyperglycemia. Find out how to make the most of our resources when living with Type 2 Diabetes. An 800 calorie diet menu is going to consist of clear liquids or full liquids or meal replacement supplements. This should be prescribed by your physician, so that. AskMayoExpert. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (adult). Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2015. Diabetes mellitus (DM). Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that causes the body to kill off its own insulin producing cells. Unlike type 2 diabetes, there exists no link between body. If you have type 2 diabetes, you know how important your dietary choices are. Learn how to get the nutrients you need while managing your blood sugar.
Diabetes medications and insulin therapy. Some people who have type 2 diabetes can achieve their target blood sugar levels with diet and exercise alone, but many also need diabetes medications or insulin therapy.
The decision about which medications are best depends on many factors, including your blood sugar level and any other health problems you have. Your doctor might even combine drugs from different classes to help you control your blood sugar in several different ways. Examples of possible treatments for type 2 diabetes include: Metformin (Glucophage, Glumetza, others).
Generally, metformin is the first medication prescribed for type 2 diabetes. It works by improving the sensitivity of your body tissues to insulin so that your body uses insulin more effectively. Metformin also lowers glucose production in the liver.
Metformin may not lower blood sugar enough on its own. Your doctor will also recommend lifestyle changes, such as losing weight and becoming more active.
What is the right diet for people with diabetes? What is the best way for diabetics to control their blood sugars? Over the years there have been a number of.
Nausea and diarrhea are possible side effects of metformin. These side effects usually go away as your body gets used to the medicine. If metformin and lifestyles changes aren't enough to control your blood sugar level, other oral or injected medications can be added. Sulfonylureas. These medications help your body secrete more insulin.
Examples of medications in this class include glyburide (Dia. Beta, Glynase), glipizide (Glucotrol) and glimepiride (Amaryl). Possible side effects include low blood sugar and weight gain.
Meglitinides. These medications work like sulfonylureas by stimulating the pancreas to secrete more insulin, but they're faster acting, and the duration of their effect in the body is shorter. They also have a risk of causing low blood sugar, but this risk is lower than with sulfonylureas.
Weight gain is a possibility with this class of medications as well. Examples include repaglinide (Prandin) and nateglinide (Starlix). Thiazolidinediones. Like metformin, these medications make the body's tissues more sensitive to insulin. This class of medications has been linked to weight gain and other more- serious side effects, such as an increased risk of heart failure and fractures.
Because of these risks, these medications generally aren't a first- choice treatment. Rosiglitazone (Avandia) and pioglitazone (Actos) are examples of thiazolidinediones. DPP- 4 inhibitors. These medications help reduce blood sugar levels, but tend to have a modest effect. They don't cause weight gain. Examples of these medications are sitagliptin (Januvia), saxagliptin (Onglyza) and linagliptin (Tradjenta).
GLP- 1 receptor agonists. These medications slow digestion and help lower blood sugar levels, though not as much as sulfonylureas.
Their use is often associated with some weight loss. This class of medications isn't recommended for use by itself. Exenatide (Byetta) and liraglutide (Victoza) are examples of GLP- 1 receptor agonists.
Possible side effects include nausea and an increased risk of pancreatitis. SGLT2 inhibitors. These are the newest diabetes drugs on the market. They work by preventing the kidneys from reabsorbing sugar into the blood. Instead, the sugar is excreted in the urine. Examples include canagliflozin (Invokana) and dapagliflozin (Farxiga). Side effects may include yeast infections and urinary tract infections, increased urination and hypotension.
Insulin therapy. Some people who have type 2 diabetes need insulin therapy as well. In the past, insulin therapy was used as a last resort, but today it's often prescribed sooner because of its benefits. Because normal digestion interferes with insulin taken by mouth, insulin must be injected. Depending on your needs, your doctor may prescribe a mixture of insulin types to use throughout the day and night. Often, people with type 2 diabetes start insulin use with one long- acting shot at night. Insulin injections involve using a fine needle and syringe or an insulin pen injector — a device that looks similar to an ink pen, except the cartridge is filled with insulin.
There are many types of insulin, and they each work in a different way. Options include: Insulin glulisine (Apidra)Insulin lispro (Humalog)Insulin aspart (Novolog)Insulin glargine (Lantus) Insulin detemir (Levemir)Insulin isophane (Humulin N, Novolin N)Discuss the pros and cons of different drugs with your doctor.
Together you can decide which medication is best for you after considering many factors, including costs and other aspects of your health. In addition to diabetes medications, your doctor might prescribe low- dose aspirin therapy as well as blood pressure and cholesterol- lowering medications to help prevent heart and blood vessel disease. Bariatric surgery. If you have type 2 diabetes and your body mass index (BMI) is greater than 3. Blood sugar levels return to normal in 5. Surgeries that bypass a portion of the small intestine have more of an effect on blood sugar levels than do other weight- loss surgeries.
Drawbacks to the surgery include its high cost, and there are risks involved, including a risk of death. Additionally, drastic lifestyle changes are required and long- term complications may include nutritional deficiencies and osteoporosis.
Pregnancy. Women with type 2 diabetes may need to alter their treatment during pregnancy. Many women will require insulin therapy during pregnancy. Cholesterol- lowering medications and some blood pressure drugs can't be used during pregnancy. If you have signs of diabetic retinopathy, it may worsen during pregnancy. Visit your ophthalmologist during the first trimester of your pregnancy and at one year postpartum. Signs of trouble. Because so many factors can affect your blood sugar, problems sometimes arise that require immediate care, such as: High blood sugar (hyperglycemia).
Your blood sugar level can rise for many reasons, including eating too much, being sick or not taking enough glucose- lowering medication. Check your blood sugar level often, and watch for signs and symptoms of high blood sugar — frequent urination, increased thirst, dry mouth, blurred vision, fatigue and nausea. If you have hyperglycemia, you'll need to adjust your meal plan, medications or both. Hyperglycemic hyperosmolar nonketotic syndrome (HHNS).
Signs and symptoms of this life- threatening condition include a blood sugar reading higher than 6. L (3. 3. 3 mmol/L), dry mouth, extreme thirst, fever greater than 1. F (3. 8 C), drowsiness, confusion, vision loss, hallucinations and dark urine. Your blood sugar monitor may not be able to give you an exact reading at such high levels and may instead just read . It tends to be more common in older people with type 2 diabetes, and it's often preceded by an illness or infection. HHNS usually develops over days or weeks. Call your doctor or seek immediate medical care if you have signs or symptoms of this condition.
Increased ketones in your urine (diabetic ketoacidosis). If your cells are starved for energy, your body may begin to break down fat. This produces toxic acids known as ketones. Watch for thirst or a very dry mouth, frequent urination, vomiting, shortness of breath, fatigue and fruity- smelling breath.