Health Living with diabetes
8 annual health checks
Here are eight checks everyone living with diabetes should get every year – several of these are available at your local Careway pharmacy:
1. Blood pressure If your blood pressure is higher than it should be, it could be an early sign of cardiovascular disease.
2. Cholesterol It’s important to test your cholesterol levels, as poor cholesterol control can also lead to cardiovascular disease.
3. Smoking If you’re a smoker your pharmacist can explain why smoking increasing your risk of diabetes complications. They can also give you support to help you quit.
4. Body mass index (BMI) This checks if your weight is healthy. Waist measurements are also a good indicator. Depending on your results your pharmacist may advise you to lose weight.
5. Feet It’s important to spot changes to the skin, circulation and nerve supply in your feet.
6. Blood glucose Your GP should measure your levels of HbA1c (blood glucose) and overall blood glucose control. Your results can help them set healthy targets for you.
7 & 8. Urine albumin and serum creatinine These also should be carried out annually by your GP to check your kidney function.
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How to manage a hypo Having your own blood glucose meter is often a good idea because it can help detect when your blood glucose levels are getting too high or too low. If your levels get too low – usually below 4mmol/L – it means you have hypoglycaemia (a hypo). Hypos can come on fast and need to be treated quickly. The most common signs are:
• Sweating • Anxiety • Irritability • Feeling hungry • Feeling shaky • Blurred vision • Being unable to concentrate
If you’ve skipped or delayed a meal, if you’ve been drinking alcohol on an empty stomach or if you’ve taken too much insulin, your blood glucose levels can become too low. Hypos can also be caused by not having enough carbohydrate in your meals or being very physically active without eating the right amount of carbohydrate.
What should you do? According to Diabetes UK, if you spot the signs of a hypo, you must act quickly by eating or drinking something sugary. For instance, have a glass of fruit juice or another type of sugary drink (not a diet drink), or eat three glucose sweets or five small sweets. Try to avoid sugary foods that also contain fat – chocolate, for instance – as they don’t work as effectively. Also try to make sure you don’t have too much sugar, or your blood glucose levels will become too high.
14 All About health
Regular eye screening is also important to look for signs of retinopathy, a serious complication that can affect people with diabetes.
Once you’ve eaten something or had something to drink,
wait 10 minutes and check your blood glucose levels again (don’t just go by how you’re feeling). If they’re still too low, have something sugary again.
What is hyperglycaemia? When your blood glucose meter shows your levels have become too high – usually higher than 7mmol/L before a meal or 8.5mmol/L or higher two hours after a meal – it means you have hyperglycaemia (a hyper). This can happen when you eat too much carbohydrate or if you miss a dose of your medication. Stress, infections and over-treating a hypo can all also cause a hyper. Signs that you may be having a hyper include being
very thirsty, feeling tired and lethargic, urinating more than normal (especially at night) and having a headache. If your blood glucose levels are mildly high but only occasionally and for a short time, you don’t usually have to do anything. But if they remain high, they can cause serious complications. If you have regular hypers, speak to your GP or diabetes
nurse, as your treatment may have to change to make your diabetes more stable. Your local Careway pharmacist can also give you advice and reassurance.
To find your nearest participating pharmacy, visit
www.careway.co.uk/find-a-pharmacy.
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