Diabetes Diagnosis and Treatment
Proper Diagnosis is Vital
Proper diagnosis is vital in managing diabetes. This doesn’t mean testing your blood with a friend’s glucose meter. It requires laboratory tests ordered by your physician. If the results are positive, your physician may ask you to repeat the test on another day to confirm it.
Treatment Options
There is no cure for diabetes, but it can be controlled through medication or lifestyle changes. At MyMichigan Health you can learn to manage your diabetes with the help of a medical team that may include an endocrinologist and podiatrist, in addition to a nurse and a dietitian.
Each management plan considers the following components:
- Diet – meal timing, food selection, eating out, grocery shopping, special occasions
- Exercise
- Medication – oral pills or insulin
- Monitoring – both monitoring of blood glucose levels at home and regular checkups of eyes, skin, feet and teeth
Self Management Education
MyMichigan offers a variety of training and clinics for people with diabetes, to help them manage their disease and potentially prevent or lessen the chance of developing complications. Participants in the Diabetes Self Management Education Program will learn:
- The importance of achieving optimal blood glucose control
- Appropriate medication use
- Signs and symptoms of diabetes complications
- How to make your meal plan work at home or eating out
- The importance of physical fitness in controlling diabetes
- How to choose and use a blood glucose monitor and understand your blood glucose patterns
- Stress management techniques
Your Next Step
This education is available via group classes or one-on-one consultations. You may want to check with your insurance to learn which type of education is covered under your plan.
A physician referral is required for group classes and one-on-one consultation. Please contact your physicians office and request a referral.
