Several years ago I was diagnosed with Type-2 diabetes and was never told what could actually happen to me. However, at the time I was driving a cab and the company I drove for had an account with Medicaid Transportation and through several of the clients that I carried on a regular basis I learned a great deal about this silent killer.
One thing everyone who has this disease must know is that they need to be well informed about complications and side effects of the disease and the drugs that go along with in controlling it, click this link. One thing I was never told in the beginning was that I needed to change my diet, which I didn’t find out for some five years following the diagnosis. I was told that I needed to control portion size and that I needed to lose a little weight, but I was never told what changes I needed to make in the food that I consumed. So I was on that inevitable roller coaster ride with high and low blood sugar levels.
The doctor that I had originally been using had me staying on the same regiment of insulin injections never changing the dosage and in 2006 I went into the hospital with extreme chest pains thinking I was having a heart attack and the doctor informed me that I was overdosing and that that was a side effect.
The following year I developed an infection in my big toe and had to have it amputated. I was very lucky that I didn’t lose the foot. The thing that we all must realize once we have been diagnosed with diabetes is that it is a silent killer and will eat away at you progressively. If you stick to an appropriate diet and follow your doctor’s orders you can live a long and productive live.
The thing is, if and when you feel a pain or have any swelling that is abnormal contact your primary care doctor immediately. A few weeks ago I failed to do so and lost another toe and being on a Medicare sub plan having to deal with the insurance is more painful than having the toe removed seeing with the insurance company I have to have a referral for everything if it doesn’t involve my primary care physician. And seeing that diabetes leads to so many other problems be sure to see your physician on a regular basis.