Monitoring your he alth in diabetes is very important because it can prevent many serious complications. The mere care of a diabetologist and blood glucose testing is not enough. Check which other doctors should be under the care of a diabetic and what additional tests should be performed.

Monitoringhe alth withdiabetesis very important as it can prevent many serious complications. It is not enough just to be under the care of an experienced diabetologist so that the disease does not progress. The patient must check the glucose level every day, take care of taking medications and the appropriate dose of insulin. He should also perform a glycosylated hemoglobin test at least twice a year. The examination should be ordered by a primary care physician or a diabetologist. In people treated with insulin, the level of glycosylated hemoglobin should be checked 3 or 4 times a year, so that the patient does not remain sugar-induced (high blood glucose) for too long. A diabetic must also monitor he alth in several other specialists, because diabetes is a multi-organ disease.

Diabetes monitoring - ophthalmologist

Everyone with diabetes should take care of their eyesight to protect themselves against one of the more common complications of diabetes, i.e. diabetic retinopathy. A fundus examination should be performed in a child right after the diagnosis of the disease, and when the child is 15-16 years old, it should be done regularly once a year. The same applies to adults, but in their case the doctor will decide whether the test should be performed once or twice a year.

A person with diabetes should have their eyesight checked by an ophthalmologist for 1-2 years.

The ophthalmologist examines, inter alia, the translucency of the lens to detect cataracts. The disease causes a gradual loss of visual acuity, the image becomes blurred, which is easy to observe yourself. But already in the case of changes at the fundus, in the retina, we do not notice any deterioration in eyesight. That is why it is so important to visit an ophthalmologist on a regular basis, so that by performing specialist examinations (e.g. intraocular pressure tests, tests with pupil dilation), he can detect abnormalities in advance and recommend appropriate treatment. Remember that diabetes may damage the retina. In the past, it affected almost 80% of people with type 1 diabetes. Now, due tomore effective treatment of the disease, changes in the retina are found in 10-14% of people after 20 years of illness. Keeping the glucose level close to normal allows you to reduce the risk of eye damage by 70%.

Diabetes monitoring - angiologist (specialist in vascular diseases)

Diabetes damages arterial vessels in the legs - they gradually overgrow with atherosclerotic plaque, making the veins less flexible. The fact that the disease is progressing is evidenced by painful night cramps, tingling and stinging. The appearance of the skin also changes - it becomes dry, flaky, and the hair on the calves disappears in men. There are numerous small cracks on the heels, corns on the toes, and calluses on the soles. Non-healing wounds are easily infected, skin, bone and soft tissue necrosis develops, and hence it is close to a diabetic foot, which often ends in amputation of the foot.

Diabetes monitoring - cardiologist

People with type 2 diabetes are more likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease. In tandem with diabetes, arterial hypertension often occurs, especially when abdominal obesity is also present. Lipid disorders, often accompanying obesity, aggravate abnormalities in blood vessels. Therefore, the patient should have blood pressure systematically measured and an EKG performed. Hypertension is especially dangerous for people with diabetes because it also negatively affects the pressure in the eyeballs, which contributes to the deterioration of eyesight.

Important

The control of blood pressure, total cholesterol and its fractions (LDL and HDL) and triglycerides is essential to keep the cardiovascular system under control. The pressure level should be checked at each medical visit. Total cholesterol, HDL, LDL and triglycerides in the blood serum should be tested annually (more often in the presence of dyslipidemia).

Diabetes monitoring - nephrologist

Moreover, high blood pressure has a significant impact on kidney function because the combination of hyperglycemia (high blood glucose) and high blood pressure damages the glomeruli, leading to diabetic nephropathy. These are filters that remove excess water and waste from the blood from the body so that they can be excreted in the urine.

Important

Balance tests, i.e. a general urine test that allows you to assess the condition of the kidneys, should be carried out - regardless of the type of diabetes - once a year. In people who have been ill for more than five years, the degree of protein loss should also be determined.

Diabetes monitoring - neurologist

Excess blood sugarIt destroys the ends of nerve fibers and causes a condition called diabetic neuropathy. It is not one specific ailment, but a complex of complications related to the entire nervous system. The symptoms occur in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and the most dangerous manifestation of the disease is the diabetic foot syndrome, which is often the cause of its amputation.

Imaging tests, e.g. ultrasound of the thyroid gland, liver, urinary system, are ordered by the attending physician when he is concerned about the results of basic tests.

In type 2 diabetes, excess sugar systematically reduces the rate of conduction of various stimuli through the nervous system. In type 1 diabetes, weakness in nerve conduction develops more rapidly, often soon after onset, but resolves when metabolic control is achieved. Neuropathies usually develop covertly. Doctors say - mute. Nevertheless, some irregularities in the functioning of the body can be observed.

The first signal is annoying burning, itching and tingling of the feet, decreased sensitivity to temperature, light touch or a slight sting. A little later there is numbness and an alternating feeling of being cold or hot. The patient feels as if he is walking on rough ground, e.g. stubble or sheep's wool. Extremely sensitive to every touch, even of a light duvet or sheet, the skin often prevents sleep and rest. Problems with poorly supplied skin intensify in cold weather.

In addition to improper treatment and the long duration of diabetes, smoking and drinking alcohol contribute to nerve tissue damage. The most dangerous issensory neuropathy- the patient does not feel pain, touch or even a prick, so it is easy to get hurt. And those in diabetics heal poorly. Impairment of the sweat glands makes the skin, especially on the feet, very dry, which promotes its cracking. Insufficient blood supply also affects the condition of the bones, especially the joints in which articular cartilage is lost.

Important

Determining the level of magnesium is a very important test, because in diabetes there are often deficiencies of this element. And yet the correct level of magnesium is the efficient operation of the cardiovascular and nervous systems. Magnesium is involved in the transformation of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. It conditions the supply of energy to the cells and tissues of the body, especially to the brain's nerve cells sensitive to its deficiency.

Diabetes monitoring - endocrinologist

A diabetic patient often suffers from other diseases of the endocrine glands (most often thyroid diseases), and therefore often requires the care of an endocrinologist.

Important

Testing the level of TSH (thyroid hormone) allows you to assess the functioning of the thyroid gland, which controls, among others, our metabolism. It should be performed once a year.

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Diabetes