Hearing your physician tell you that you have diabetes mellitus can be disheartening. This diagnosis usually leads people into a bit of a panic because most people know that diabetes can be serious and life altering. Rest easy; diabetes mellitus treatment can be incorporated into your life without drastically changing life as you know it.
Treatment options vary depending on the type of diabetes you have been diagnosed with. The two main types of diabetes mellitus are type I and type II.
Type I diabetes is caused when the pancreas does not manufacture enough insulin for the body to use to absorb consumed sugars. The body needs the insulin hormone to properly absorb sugar. When this does not happen, the symptoms of diabetes begin and health begins to deteriorate. Type I diabetes typically requires insulin injections for treatment.
Type II diabetes occurs when the body is unable to properly absorb insulin. This disease most commonly occurs in adults. However, with the increase in childhood obesity, more and more people are getting diagnosed with type II diabetes mellitus much earlier in life. The treatment for type II includes lifestyle changes, a weight management program if applicable, and sometimes oral medications.
Diabetes Mellitus Treatment Guidelines
For both types, treatment for diabetes mellitus includes a low sugar diabetic diet, a regular exercise regimen, and regular blood glucose monitoring. Your doctor will most likely require you to keep a blood glucose log and a food journal. It is important to record and monitor these things to see exactly how certain foods affect your blood sugar levels. If you have type I diabetes, it is likely that you will always have to monitor blood glucose. If you have type II diabetes, you may always have to do this. However, you may be able to stop doing this after you and your physician get your blood sugar levels within normal limits regularly.
Self-administered insulin injections are often times required for the treatment of diabetes mellitus, type I. The amount of insulin necessary often times varies depending on blood sugar levels. Thus, regular monitoring of blood sugar is necessary.
Treatment methods for diabetes mellitus, type II, vary depending on your age, health conditions, and the severity of the disease. Based on these factors, your doctor will recommend treatment. Diabetes mellitus, type II, is a frightening condition because it often times requires people to make lifestyle changes in their diet and activity regimens. Since this condition occurs in adults and youth that may lead an unhealthy lifestyle, these changes can be challenging. It is important to remember that type II diabetes can be a wake up call. This disease often times occurs because your current lifestyle is not a healthy one. Making changes can give you a better quality of life and more time to spend on Earth with your loved ones.
Is there New Treatment for Diabetes Mellitus?
As you are probably learning, diabetes mellitus treatments have much to do with making changes to diet and exercise routines. As previously stated, it is also going to be necessary for you to monitor what goes into your body in the forms of food, insulin and medications.
There are some newer treatments for both types of diabetes. People diagnosed with type I have the option of having an insulin pump put in so that self-injections are not necessary. There has also been limited success with pancreatic transplantation.
If you have type II diabetes, there are some newer medications on the market that help the body with the absorption of insulin. Vitamin supplementation programs have also had some success, along with weight loss programs, bariatric surgery, and herbal treatments.
As you can see, there are several options for treating diabetes mellitus. The most important thing is to consult with your physician to develop a plan that works best for you. If you are interested in trying a treatment option unfamiliar to your physician, it is fine to ask for a referral to a specialist that can give you more options. You can live well and abundantly with diabetes mellitus.
