Frequently Asked Questions
If I have trouble with my meter, will
someone help me?
When should I check my blood sugar?
How can Lake Diabetes Supply help me?
What are the symptoms of
diabetes?
What causes type 1
diabetes?
Why is it important for people with
diabetes to be physically active?
How much and how often
should people with diabetes exercise?
How much
does Medicare cover?
Medicare has a $131.00
annual deductible. Once the deductible has been met,
Medicare will pay 80% of the Medicare approved charges.
If you have a secondary insurance, we will bill that
insurance to cover your co-pay.
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If
I have trouble with my meter, will someone help me?
Yes, Lake Diabetes Supply
will always be there for our customers. If you need
help changing the batteries, setting the time and date or if
you just don't think your meter is working the way you think
it should, Lake Diabetes Supply will walk you through any
problem that you may encounter.
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When should
I check my blood sugar?
Checking your blood sugar
is crucial to controlling diabetes. Simply ignoring
diabetes will do nothing but harm your body. If you
are concerned about sticking your finger, you would be
extremely surprised at how pain free it is.
Stay in control, check
with your doctor to find out how often he/she feels you need
to test.
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How can Lake
Diabetes Supply help me?
Lake Diabetes Supply has
made ordering your diabetes testing supplies easy and
affordable. They will bill your insurance so that you
have little to no cost out of pocket. If you don't
have insurance, their prices beat most pharmacies.
Whether you have insurance or not, Lake Diabetes Supply
offers free shipping nationwide.
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What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a disease in which
blood glucose levels are above normal. Most of the food we
eat is turned into glucose, or sugar, for our bodies to use
for energy. The pancreas, an organ that lies near the
stomach, makes a hormone called insulin to help glucose get
into the cells of our bodies. When you have diabetes, your
body either doesn't make enough insulin or can't use its own
insulin as well as it should. This causes sugar to build up
in your blood.
Diabetes can cause serious health
complications including heart disease, blindness, kidney
failure, and lower-extremity amputations. Diabetes is the
sixth leading cause of death in the United States.
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What are the
symptoms of diabetes?
People who think they might have
diabetes must visit a physician for diagnosis. They might
have SOME or NONE of the following symptoms:
- Frequent urination
- Excessive thirst
- Unexplained weight loss
- Extreme hunger
- Sudden vision changes
- Tingling or numbness in hands
or feet
- Feeling very tired much of the
time
- Very dry skin
- Sores that are slow to heal
- More infections than usual.
Nausea, vomiting, or stomach pains
may accompany some of these symptoms in the abrupt onset of
insulin-dependent diabetes, now called type 1 diabetes.
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What are the types
of diabetes?
Type 1 diabetes,
which was previously called insulin-dependent diabetes
mellitus (IDDM) or juvenile-onset diabetes, may account for
5% to 10% of all diagnosed cases of diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes,
which was previously called non-insulin-dependent diabetes
mellitus (NIDDM) or adult-onset diabetes, may account for
about 90% to 95% of all diagnosed cases of diabetes.
Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that only
pregnant women get. If not treated, it can cause problems
for mothers and babies. Gestational diabetes develops in 2%
to 5% of all pregnancies but usually disappears when a
pregnancy is over. Other specific types of diabetes
resulting from specific genetic syndromes, surgery, drugs,
malnutrition, infections, and other illnesses may account
for 1% to 2% of all diagnosed cases of diabetes.
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What are the risk
factors for diabetes?
Risk factors for type 2 diabetes
include older age, obesity, family history of diabetes,
prior history of gestational diabetes, impaired glucose
tolerance, physical inactivity, and race/ethnicity. African
Americans, Hispanic/Latino Americans, American Indians, and
some Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are at
particularly high risk for type 2 diabetes.
Risk factors are less well defined
for type 1 diabetes than for type 2 diabetes, but
autoimmune, genetic, and environmental factors are involved
in developing this type of diabetes.
Gestational diabetes occurs more
frequently in African Americans, Hispanic/Latino Americans,
American Indians, and people with a family history of
diabetes than in other groups. Obesity is also associated
with higher risk. Women who have had gestational diabetes
are at increased risk for later developing type 2 diabetes.
In some studies, nearly 40% of women with a history of
gestational diabetes developed diabetes in the future.
Other specific types of diabetes,
which may account for 1% to 2% of all diagnosed cases,
result from specific genetic syndromes, surgery, drugs,
malnutrition, infections, and other illnesses.
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What is the
treatment for diabetes?
Healthy eating, physical activity,
and insulin injections are the basic therapies for type 1
diabetes. The amount of insulin taken must be balanced with
food intake and daily activities. Blood glucose levels must
be closely monitored through frequent blood glucose testing.
Healthy eating, physical activity,
and blood glucose testing are the basic therapies for type 2
diabetes. In addition, many people with type 2 diabetes
require oral medication, insulin, or both to control their
blood glucose levels.
People with diabetes must take
responsibility for their day-to-day care, and keep blood
glucose levels from going too low or too high.
People with diabetes should see a
health care provider who will monitor their diabetes control
and help them learn to manage their diabetes. In addition,
people with diabetes may see endocrinologists, who may
specialize in diabetes care; ophthalmologists for eye
examinations; podiatrists for routine foot care; and
dietitians and diabetes educators who teach the skills
needed for daily diabetes management.
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What causes type 1 diabetes?
The causes of type 1 diabetes
appear to be much different than those for type 2 diabetes,
though the exact mechanisms for developing both diseases are
unknown. The appearance of type 1 diabetes is suspected to
follow exposure to an "environmental trigger," such as an
unidentified virus, stimulating an immune attack against the
beta cells of the pancreas (that produce insulin) in some
genetically predisposed people.
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Can diabetes be prevented?
A number of studies have shown that
regular physical activity can significantly reduce the risk
of developing type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes also appears
to be associated with obesity.
Researchers are making progress in
identifying the exact genetics and "triggers" that
predispose some individuals to develop type 1 diabetes, but
prevention remains elusive.
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Is there a cure for
diabetes?
In response to the growing health
burden of diabetes, the diabetes community has three
choices: prevent diabetes; cure diabetes; and improve the
quality of care of people with diabetes to prevent
devastating complications. All three approaches are actively
being pursued by the US Department of Health and Human
Services.
Both the National Institutes of
Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) are involved in prevention activities. The
NIH is involved in research to cure both type 1 and type 2
diabetes, especially type 1. CDC focuses most of its
programs on being sure that the proven science is put into
daily practice for people with diabetes. The basic idea is
that if all the important research and science are not
applied meaningfully in the daily lives of people with
diabetes, then the research is, in essence, wasted.
Several approaches to "cure"
diabetes are being pursued:
- Pancreas transplantation
- Islet cell transplantation
(islet cells produce insulin)
- Artificial pancreas
development
- Genetic manipulation (fat or
muscle cells that don’t normally make insulin have a
human insulin gene inserted — then these "pseudo" islet
cells are transplanted into people with type 1
diabetes).
Each of these approaches still has
a lot of challenges, such as preventing immune rejection;
finding an adequate number of insulin cells; keeping cells
alive; and others. But progress is being made in all areas.
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Why is it
important for people with diabetes to be physically
active?
Physical activity can help
you control your blood glucose, weight, and blood
pressure, as well as raise your “good” cholesterol
and lower your “bad” cholesterol. It can also help
prevent heart and blood flow problems, reducing your
risk of heart disease and nerve damage, which are
often problems for people with diabetes.
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How much and
how often should people with diabetes exercise?
Experts recommend
moderate-intensity physical activity for at least 30
minutes on 5 or more days of the week. Some examples
of moderate-intensity physical activity are walking
briskly, mowing the lawn, dancing, swimming, or
bicycling.
If you are not accustomed
to physical activity, you may want to start with a
little exercise, and work your way up. As you become
stronger, you can add a few extra minutes to your
physical activity. Do some physical activity every
day. It’s better to walk 10 or 20 minutes each day
than one hour once a week.
Talk to your health care
provider about a safe exercise plan. He or she may
check your heart and your feet to be sure you have
no special problems. If you have high blood
pressure, eye, or foot problems, you may need to
avoid some kinds of exercise.
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What are
some good types of physical activity for people with
diabetes?
Walking vigorously, hiking,
climbing stairs, swimming, aerobics, dancing,
bicycling, skating, skiing, tennis, basketball,
volleyball, or other sports are just some examples
of physical activity that will work your large
muscles, increase your heart rate, and make you
breathe harder – important goals for fitness.
In addition, strength
training exercises with hand weights, elastic bands,
or weight machines can help you build muscle.
Stretching helps to make you flexible and prevent
soreness after other types of exercise.
Do physical activities you
really like. The more fun you have, the more likely
you will do it each day. It can be helpful to
exercise with a family member or friend.
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Are there
any safety considerations for people with diabetes
when they exercise?
Exercise is very important
for people with diabetes to stay healthy, but there
are a few things to watch out for.
You should avoid some kinds
of physical activity if you have certain diabetes
complications. Exercise involving heavy weights may
be bad for people with blood pressure, blood vessel,
or eye problems. Diabetes-related nerve damage can
make it hard to tell if you’ve injured your feet
during exercise, which can lead to more serious
problems. If you do have diabetes complications,
your health care provider can tell you which kinds
of physical activity would be best for you.
Fortunately, there are many different ways to get
exercise.
Physical activity can lower
your blood glucose too much, causing hypoglycemia,
especially in people who take insulin or certain
oral medications. Hypoglycemia can happen at the
time you’re exercising, just afterward, or even up
to a day later. You can get shaky, weak, confused,
irritable, anxious, hungry, tired, or sweaty. You
can get a headache, or even lose consciousness.
To help prevent
hypoglycemia during physical activity, check your
blood glucose before you exercise. If it's below
100, have a small snack. In addition, bring food or
glucose tablets with you when you exercise just in
case. It is not good for people with diabetes to
skip meals at all, but especially not prior to
exercise. After you exercise, check to see how it
has affected your blood glucose level. If you take
insulin, ask your health care provider if there is a
preferable time of day for you to exercise, or
whether you should change your dosage before
physical activity, before beginning an exercise
regimen.
On the other hand, you
should not exercise when your blood glucose is very
high because your level could go even higher. Do not
exercise if your blood glucose is above 300, or your
fasting blood glucose is above 250 and you have
ketones in your urine.
When you exercise, wear
cotton socks and athletic shoes that fit well and
are comfortable. After you exercise, check your feet
for sores, blisters, irritation, cuts, or other
injuries.
Drink plenty of fluids
during physical activity, since your blood glucose
can be affected by dehydration.
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