Diabetes mellitus is an umbrella term that describes a group of conditions where the body's ability to control and use glucose (blood sugar) is altered.

HOW DOES LYNCH'S PHARMACY HELP?

  • Initial half hour consultation with your Pharmacist outlining Diabetes. This 30 minute one-on-one session is broken into three areas -
  1. What is the cause of Diabetes?
  2. How is Diabetes treated?
  3. How do you live with Diabetes?

What is it?

Put very simply, if you have diabetes, you have too much glucose in your blood, and your body's ability to control the levels is impaired. Too much glucose can have dangerous consequences if not addressed.

There are two main types, Type 1 Diabetes and Type 2 Diabetes.

How do I recognise it?

Some typical symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes and Type 2 Diabetes are:

  • Increased thirst
  • Frequent urination
  • Extreme hunger
  • Unexplained weight loss
  • Fatigue
  • Blurred vision
  • Slow-healing sores
  • Frequent infections, such as gum or skin infections and vaginal or bladder infections

Type 1 Diabetes usually occurs in childhood/adolescence, Type 2 Diabetes can occur at any age and is often preventable.

Causes

Type 1 diabetes

Your pancreas normally produces insulin which controls blood sugar levels. In type 1, the pancreas is unable to produce the insulin required to control blood sugar. 

Type 2 diabetes

In type 2, your pancreas in producing some insulin, but for some reason, your body's cells are resistant to it. Exactly why this happens is uncertain, although excess fat — especially abdominal fat — and inactivity seem to be important factors.

How do you treat it?

Like any disease, even if there is no cure, there is almost always something you can do to manage it and take control. There are three main areas involved in the treatment of any disease:

For information on medicines and therapies relevant to Diabetes, make an appointment at Lynch's pharmacy, Broadale, Douglas, Cork on 021-4366923.

Learn all about the drugs used to treat the diabetes and any complementary medicines or therapies proven to help. Equip yourself with the tools to manage the condition and not be managed by it.

How do you live with it?

Certain adjustments may be needed to get on with your life, and often, some simple tips and advice can go a long way to making these changes. 

When you come to a Lynch's Pharmacy Clinic, we give you all the necessary information available to make your life more manageable and allow you to live with your condition.

References

Diabetes-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diabetes

Diabetes, a comprehensive overview                                                                                                                                http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/diabetes/DS01121