Learning About and Living with Diabetes
Diabetes is diagnosed in Americans with increasing frequency. It is a condition requiring careful management and awareness by both the patient and his family. Fortunately, the Internet has made this task easier. Whether you're researching adult or juvenile diabetes, or if you seek help for yourself or for a loved one, the Web offers many resources for understanding diabetes and its treatments.
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Diabetes, depending on its severity, can be managed through diet and exercise, medication, insulin or a combination of two or more of those treatments. These sites explain the available treatments in more detail.
- Everyone's diabetes is different. If you read about a new treatment that interests you, discuss it with your doctor, but be aware it may not be appropriate for your individual case.
- When researching diabetes medication, take note of who sponsors the sites you're visiting. If it's a pharmaceutical company, you can be sure there is a bias in favor of their products.
For medication ...
MedicineNet.com
has a diabetes treatment section that reviews the many types of medications, making a distinction between oral medications and injections.
eMedicineHealth
has a diabetes treatment section that reviews the different medications that could be prescribed for type 2 diabetes.
For insulin ...
Insulin Pumpers
is a Web site dedicated to people with diabetes who use an insulin pump to regulate their blood glucose. Try to ignore the horrible design, silly animations and distracting advertisements: this site does provide a lot of helpful information on topics such as traveling with your insulin supplies, guidelines for children who use pumps, and FAQs about pumps.
For tracking and managing diabetes ...
Diabetes Tracker
is a Web site that allows you to keep track of your glucose levels and monitor them on a graph. You have to register with a username, but you don't have to supply an e-mail address.
The American College of Physicians
has a "Diabetes Portal" with several links to help you learn how to manage your diabetes. Use this
worksheet to keep track of changes you have made in your eating habits or physical activity, and the results they have had on your diabetes. This is a good way to monitor your progress. A wallet-sized
medical record is also a good idea, in case of an emergency. Fill in the information (your doctor's name, allergies, prescription drugs you're taking) and carry it with you at all times.
Mayo Clinic
has a section specifically on managing your diabetes if you're sick. this is an issue that many people with diabetes struggle with, as illness can send your blood sugar levels out of control.
For clinical trials ...
ClinicalTrials.gov
is a clearinghouse operated by the U.S. National Institutes of Health. It provides a list of research clinical trials currently underway to test experimental treatments for diabetes. To learn more about clinical trials, speak to your doctor, and read the
U.S. Food and Drug Administration's guide.
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