Hello, ROHSI Community! When we talk about diabetes, it’s important to know what can happen if our blood sugar is not well managed. Having too much sugar in our blood for a long time can slowly damage our blood vessels and nerves. This can lead to other health problems.
But please, don’t be afraid! These problems are not something that will definitely happen to you. There is a lot we can do to prevent them. By taking our medication as prescribed and building good daily habits, we can keep our diabetes under control and stay healthy.
What Happens When Diabetes Is Not Controlled?
Think of high blood sugar as something that can quietly affect many parts of our body. Here’s what we need to watch out for:
- Our Eyes! High blood sugar can make it harder to see and can even lead to blindness. It can cause problems like:
- Cataracts! Cataract surgery is when the lens of our eye becomes cloudy, like looking through a dirty window.
- Glaucoma! This damages the nerve that connects our eye to our brain.
- Retinopathy! This is damage to the back part of our eye (the retina).
- Our Heart! Over time, high blood sugar can harm the blood vessels and nerves that control our heart. This makes us more likely to have heart disease, a heart attack, or a stroke. If we also have high blood pressure or high cholesterol, the risk is even higher.
- Our kidneys! Our kidneys are like filters for our body. Diabetes can damage the tiny blood vessels in these filters, making them work less effectively. After many years, if the damage is severe, the kidneys can stop working altogether.
- Our Feet! High blood sugar can slow down blood flow and cause nerve damage in our feet. This is very dangerous because:
- You might not feel pain from a cut, blister, or sore.
- Because of poor blood flow, these small injuries can heal very slowly and become infected easily.
- If a bad infection cannot be treated, it might lead to a doctor having to remove a toe, a foot, or part of the leg.
- Our Nerves! When high blood sugar damages our nerves (this is called diabetic neuropathy), it can cause pain, tingling, or numbness. This is most common in the hands and feet.
- Our Skin! Diabetes can make us more likely to have dry, itchy skin, yeast infections, or dark, scaly patches on the skin.
- Erection Problems for Men! High blood sugar damages the blood flow and nerves needed for a man to get and keep an erection. This is a common problem for men with diabetes.
What Can We Do to Stay Safe?
The good news is that we have a lot of power to protect ourselves. By making these simple steps a part of our daily life, we can greatly lower our risk of these problems.
Control Your Blood Sugar! This is the most important thing you can do. Aim to keep your numbers within a healthy range. Check your sugar as your doctor advises and try to keep it
- Between 70 and 130 mg/dL before meals.
- Less than 180 mg/dL two hours after a meal.
- Your A1C (which shows your average blood sugar over 3 months) should be below 7%.
Watch Your Blood Pressure and Cholesterol! High blood pressure and cholesterol are a dangerous mix with diabetes. Work with your doctor to keep them under control, which might include taking medication. A good target is to keep your blood pressure below 140/90 and your total cholesterol at or below 200.
See Your Doctor Regularly! Don’t wait until you feel sick. Regular checkups are vital because many diabetes problems start without any warning signs. Your doctor can test your blood, urine, and eyes to catch any issues early.
Don’t smoke! Smoking is very bad for your blood flow and raises your blood pressure, making diabetes complications much worse. If you smoke, ask your doctor for help to quit. It’s the best thing you can do for your health.
Protect Your Eyes! Get your eyes checked by a professional at least once a year. They can look for early signs of damage and start treatment right away.
Check Your Feet Every Day! Make this a habit!
- Look for any cuts, sores, blisters, redness, or swelling, especially between your toes and on the bottom of your feet.
- Wash your feet daily with warm (not hot) water and dry them carefully, especially between the toes.
- Apply lotion to keep the skin soft and prevent cracks, but not between the toes.
- Always wear shoes to protect your feet, even at home. Never walk barefoot on hot ground or at the beach.
- Trim your toenails straight across and file the edges gently.
- Always test bathwater with your hand or elbow first to avoid burning your feet.
Take Care of Your Skin:
- Keep your skin clean and dry, especially in areas like your armpits.
- Use talcum powder to prevent rubbing and chafing.
- Avoid very hot baths and strong, drying soaps.
- Use body lotion to keep your skin from getting too dry and cracking.
Let’s take these steps together, for ourselves and for our community. We can live well with diabetes! Also, we need to remember that many diabetes problems don’t shout; they creep in quietly. This is why regular checkups at the clinic are your best defence!
Courtesy: WebMD and Rays of Hope Support Initiative (ROHSI)