Table of Contents
Why Is The Treatment Of T1D So Important?
Before you had type 1 diabetes (T1D), your pancreas produced small amounts of insulin each day to ensure that the insulin was carried through the blood to the various cells in your body to provide them with energy. At meals, your blood sugar increased, and your pancreas responded by making more insulin, which helps transport sugar from the blood to your muscles and liver for storage as glycogen. If your blood sugar dropped during the day, that glycogen was redistributed into the blood as glucose. By continually checking the amount of sugar in your blood and the amount of insulin it was making, your pancreas kept your blood sugar levels within normal limits.
Without a functioning pancreas, glucose cannot travel through your blood to the cells of your body, robbing them of the energy they need to function. If your body cannot use sugar for fuel, it begins to break down fat for energy. When fat is broken down, the body makes chemicals called ketones and releases them into the bloodstream. Too many ketones make the blood acidic, leading to ketoacidosis, which manifests as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and rapid breathing. In the most severe cases, life can be on the line. Besides your body burning fat, the blood accumulates sugar, which is usually intended for cells or storage. High blood sugar also leads to serious health problems.
Replacing insulin with injections or using a pump causes your body to return to using sugar for energy and puts you away from the risk of ketoacidosis or high blood sugar-short term.
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The Main Purposes Of The Treatment Are
- Allow you to have a long, thoroughly satisfying and healthy life;
- Keep your blood sugar as normal as possible;
- Reduce all factors that may increase the risk of developing complications, including lowering blood pressure if it is high and keeping cholesterol low;
- Detect any health problems related to diabetes as early as possible (e.g., complications such as heart
- disease, kidney failure, and blindness).
- We also remind you that this publication is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor. You need to see your doctor establish your average blood sugar level.
- Aim for an average blood sugar level
- To maintain normal blood sugar levels, you need to do the work your pancreas no longer does, which involves:
- Give yourself insulin during the day;
- Check their blood sugar regularly
- Make sure you always have the right amount of insulin to keep your blood sugar levels balanced.
How Do I Know If The Glucose In My Blood Is Under Control?
Checking blood glucose and keeping a record of it is an essential part of managing your diabetes. This allows you to detect rises and falls in blood sugar. The information collected also helps your doctor or team of healthcare professionals balance your diet, exercise, and insulin dosage. To get more benefit from the tests, your certified healthcare professionals team may advise you to check your blood sugar before meals and then two or three hours later.
Tips To Make It Easier To Check Blood Sugar
- Instead of using alcohol, please wash your hands (and make sure they are dry) before taking the test.
- Use a new lancet every time – a dirty lancet is more painful to use.
- Once the bite is done, let your arm hang down to allow gravity to work for you; you can also lightly massage your finger before using the lancet.
- Consider different blood glucose monitors before choosing one; some require less blood than others or use sampling from sites other than the fingers.
- Try different lancets; some are thicker – choose a short, slim model.
- Adjust your lancet so that the puncture is shallower, because the more profound the puncture, the more you damage your tissue.
- Change site; use more than one finger.
- Prick the sides of the finger instead of the soft center, where there are more nerve endings.
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