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Showing posts with label Diabetes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Diabetes. Show all posts

Why Is My Diabetes Making Me So Tired?

October 13, 2021    

 Why does diabetes cause tiredness?

Diabetes and fatigue are often discussed together. In fact, if you have diabetes, you’re more than likely going to experience fatigue at some point. However, there may be much more to this seemingly simple correlation.

Diabetes, which affects your blood sugar (glucose) and the production of insulin by the pancreas, can also have inflammatory markers. A wealth of studies have looked at the possible connections between diabetes and fatigue.

It can be challenging to treat both diabetes and fatigue. However, there are numerous options that can help. You may first need to see your doctor to determine the exact cause of your fatigue.

Blood glucose fluctuation is often thought of as the first cause of fatigue in diabetes. But the authors of a studyTrusted Source of 155 adults with type 2 diabetes suggested that blood glucose was the indirect cause of fatigue in participants with an AIC greater than 7 percent.

These findings suggest that diabetes fatigue may not be necessarily linked to the diabetes that’s controlled but with other symptoms of diabetes.

Other related factors, often seen in people with diabetes, that can contribute to fatigue include the following:

Treating both diabetes and fatigue is most successful when regarded as whole, rather than separate, conditions. Healthy lifestyle habits, social support, and mental health therapies can positively impact diabetes and fatigue at the same time.

Lifestyle changes

Healthy lifestyle habits are at the heart of good health. These include regular exercise, nutrition, and weight management. All these can help boost energy while also controlling your blood sugar.

According to a 2012 study, there was a significant correlation between a high body mass index (BMI) score and fatigue in women with type 2 diabetes.

Regular exercise may decrease the risk for developing type 2 diabetes in the first place. But the American Diabetes Association (ADA) says that exercise can help regulate blood glucose even if you already have diabetes.

The ADA recommends a minimum of 2.5 hours of exercise per week without taking more than 2 days off in a row. You can try a combination of aerobics and resistance training, as well as balance and flexibility routines, such as yoga.

Social support

Social support is another area of research being investigated.

A 2013 studyTrusted Source of 1,657 adults with type 2 diabetes found significant correlations between social support and diabetes fatigue. Researchers found that support from family and other resources decreased fatigue related to diabetes.

Talk with your family to make sure they’re supportive of your diabetes management and care. Make it a point to go out with friends when you can, and engage in your favorite hobbies when you have the energy to do so.

Mental health

Depression runs high in diabetes. According to the journal Current Diabetes ReportsTrusted Source, people with diabetes are twice as likely to have depression. This can be caused by biological changes or by long-term psychological changes.

Learn more about the link between these two conditions.

If you’re already being treated for depression, your antidepressant might be disrupting your sleep at night. You can talk with your doctor about possibly switching medications to see whether your sleep improves.

Exercise can also help depression by increasing serotonin levels. You may also benefit from group or one-on-one counseling with a therapist.

There are numerous studies connecting diabetes and fatigue.

One such studyTrusted Source looked at the results of a survey on sleep quality. Researchers reported that 31 percent of people with type 1 diabetes had poor sleep quality. The prevalence was slightly larger in adults who had type 2 diabetes, at 42 percent.

According to another study from 2014, about 40 percent of people with type 1 diabetes reported chronic fatigue. The authors also noted that the fatigue is often so severe that it impacts everyday tasks as well as quality of life.

A 2013 studyTrusted Source was conducted on 37 people with diabetes, as well as 33 without diabetes. This way, the researchers could look at differences in fatigue levels.

The participants anonymously answered questions on fatigue surveys. Researchers concluded that fatigue was much higher in the group with diabetes. However, they couldn’t identify any specific factors.

Fatigue seems to occur in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. A 2013 studyTrusted Source found that while fatigue is a classic symptom of hyperglycemia, there was no relationship between hyperglycemia and chronic fatigue in people with type 1 diabetes.

While you may experience fatigue with diabetes, there are things that you can do to help alleviate that fatigue. Here are some tips:

  • Aim for 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night.
  • Exercise regularly.
  • Eliminate processed foods and sugar from your diet.
  • Reduce your alcohol intake, if you drink.
  • Drink caffeine in moderation.
  • Try relaxation techniques like yoga or meditation.

It’s also really important to follow whatever diabetes treatment plan your doctor recommends. Keeping your diabetes in check will help manage fatigue.

About 2.5 million peopleTrusted Source in the United States have chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). CFS is marked by ongoing fatigue that significantly disrupts everyday life.

People with this type of extreme fatigue use up their energy sources without necessarily being active. Walking to your car, for example, can zap all your energy. It’s thought that CFS is related to inflammation that disrupts your muscle metabolites.

Chronic fatigue can also have a variety of other causes, including:

  • boredom
  • certain medications
  • emotional stress
  • anxiety
  • headache
  • heart disease
  • chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
  • allergies

Fatigue can be worrisome, especially when it interferes with everyday activities, such as work, school, and family obligations. You should see your doctor if your symptoms of fatigue fail to improve despite lifestyle changes and diabetes management. The fatigue could be related to secondary symptoms of diabetes or another condition altogether.

Your doctor may order some blood tests to rule out any other conditions, such as thyroid disease. Switching your diabetes medications may also help.

Fatigue is common with diabetes, but it doesn’t have to last forever. Talk with your doctor about ways you can manage both diabetes and fatigue.

With a few lifestyle and treatment changes as well as patience, your fatigue may improve over time.

JPeei Clinic

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Everything You Should Know About Pregestational Diabetes

October 13, 2021  ,  


Pregestational diabetes occurs when you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes before becoming pregnant. Pregestational diabetes has nine classes that depend on your age at diagnosis and certain complications of the disease.

The class of diabetes that you have tells your doctor about the severity of your condition. For example, your diabetes is class C if you developed it between the ages of 10 and 19. Your diabetes is also class C if you’ve had the disease for 10 to 19 years and you have no vascular complications.

Having diabetes when you’re pregnant increases some risks for both you and your baby. If you have diabetes, your pregnancy will need extra monitoring.

The symptoms of diabetes include:

Pregnancy can also cause symptoms such as frequent urination and fatigue. It’s important to monitor your glucose levels closely to help you and your doctor determine the reason for these symptoms.

Your symptoms will have a lot to do with how well-controlled your diabetes is and how your pregnancy is progressing.

The pancreas produces insulin. Insulin helps your body:

  • use glucose and other nutrients from food
  • store fat
  • build up protein

If your body doesn’t produce enough insulin or uses it inefficiently, then your blood glucose levels will be higher than normal and affect how your body functions.

Type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes occurs when your pancreas is unable to produce insulin. It can happen when your immune system mistakenly attacks your pancreas. It can also happen for unknown reasons. Researchers aren’t sure why people develop type 1 diabetes.

You’re more likely to develop type 1 diabetes if you have a family history of the disease. People who have type 1 diabetes usually receive the diagnosis during childhood.

Type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is more common than type 1 diabetes. It begins with insulin resistance. If you have insulin resistance, then your body doesn’t use insulin properly or it no longer produces enough insulin.

Being overweight or having a family history of the disease increases your risk of getting type 2 diabetes. Having a poor diet and being physically inactive may also increase your risk of getting type 2 diabetes.

Your doctor will perform a series of random and fasting blood tests to help them make a diagnosis. Read more about diabetes tests.

Some women only develop diabetes during pregnancy. This is called gestational diabetes. Doctors screen most pregnant women for diabetes as part of their prenatal care.

Pregestational diabetes is divided into nine classesTrusted Source, while gestational diabetes is divided into two classes.

Classes of pregestational diabetes

The following are classes of pregestational diabetes:

  • The onset of class A diabetes may occur at any age. You can control this class of diabetes by diet alone.
  • Class B diabetes occurs if you developed diabetes after age 20, have had diabetes for less than 10 years, and you have no vascular complications.
  • Class C diabetes occurs if you developed it between the ages of 10 and 19. Diabetes is also class C if you’ve had the disease for 10 to 19 years and you have no vascular complications.
  • Class D diabetes occurs if you develop diabetes before age 10, have had diabetes for more than 20 years, and you have vascular complications.
  • Class F diabetes occurs with nephropathy, a kidney disease.
  • Class R diabetes occurs with retinopathy, an eye disease.
  • Class RF occurs in people who have both nephropathy and retinopathy.
  • Class T diabetes occurs in a woman who’s had a kidney transplant.
  • Class H diabetes occurs with coronary artery disease (CAD) or another heart disease.

Classes of gestational diabetes

If you didn’t have diabetes until you became pregnant, you have gestational diabetes.

Gestational diabetes has two classes. You can control class A1 diabetes through your diet. If you have class A2 diabetes, you need insulin or oral medications to control it.

Gestational diabetes is usually temporary, but it increases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.

During your pregnancy, you’ll need extra monitoring for diabetes.

It’s likely you’ll see your OB-GYN, endocrinologist, and perhaps a perinatologist. A perinatologist is a maternal-fetal medicine specialist.

A variety of methods are available to monitor and treat pregestational diabetes:

  • The first thing you should do when you become pregnant is go over your medication list with your doctor. Some medications may not be safe to take during pregnancy.
  • You’ll still take insulin, but you may have to adjust the dose during pregnancy.
  • Monitoring your blood glucose levels is a priority. This means taking frequent blood and urine tests.
  • Your doctor will let you know how to adjust your diet and what exercises are best for you and your baby.
  • Your doctor can use ultrasound imaging to assess your baby’s heart rate, movements, and the amount of amniotic fluid.
  • Diabetes can slow down the development of your baby’s lungs. Your doctor can perform an amniocentesis to check your baby’s lung maturity.
  • Your health, your baby’s health, and your baby’s weight will help your doctor determine if you can deliver vaginally or if a cesarean delivery is necessary.
  • Your doctor will continue to monitor your blood glucose levels closely during labor and delivery. Your insulin needs will likely change again after delivery.

Shop for an at-home blood glucose or at-home urine glucose test.

Many women with diabetes carry and deliver healthy babies without serious complications. However, if you have diabetes, you and your baby are at an increased risk of complications. It’s important to be aware of them.

Complications that may affect the mother during pregnancy include:

High glucose levels, especially in the first trimester, can increase the risk of birth defects. Complications that may affect the baby include:

If you have diabetes, monitoring your health will become even more important when you decide to have a baby. The sooner you start planning, the better. Follow the tips below for a healthy pregnancy.

Talk to your doctors

  • See your endocrinologist and your OB-GYN to make sure you’re in good health and your diabetes is under control. Keeping diabetes well-controlled for several months before you get pregnant can decrease risks for you and your baby.
  • Tell your doctor about all of the medications and supplements you’re currently taking. If you’re pregnant, tell them about all of the medications and supplements you’ve taken since becoming pregnant.
  • Folic acid helps fuel healthy growth and development. Ask your doctor if you should take folic acid or other special vitamins.
  • Take prenatal vitamins if your doctor recommends it.
  • Ask your doctor what your specific blood glucose goals should be.
  • See your doctor again right away when you think you’re pregnant. Make sure your doctors communicate with each other.
  • Keep all prenatal appointments.
  • Tell your doctor about any unusual symptoms right away.

Shop for prenatal vitamins.

Adopt healthy lifestyle habits

Be prepared

JPeei Clinic

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Stroke: Diabetes and Other Risk Factors

October 11, 2021  ,  

 What’s the connection between diabetes and stroke?

Diabetes can increase your risk for many health conditions, including stroke. In general, people with diabetes are 1.5 times more likely to have a stroke than people without diabetes.

Diabetes affects the body’s ability to create insulin or use it properly. Since insulin plays an important role in pulling glucose into cells from the bloodstream, people with diabetes are often left with too much sugar in their blood. Over time, this excess sugar can contribute to the buildup of clots or fat deposits inside vessels that supply blood to the neck and brain. This process is known as atherosclerosis.

If these deposits grow, they can cause a narrowing of the blood vessel wall or even a complete blockage. When blood flow to your brain stops for any reason, a stroke occurs.

Stroke is a condition in which blood vessels in the brain are damaged. Strokes are characterized by a number of factors, including the size of the damaged blood vessel, where in the brain blood vessels have been damaged, and what event actually caused the damage.

The main types of stroke are ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke, and transient ischemic attack (TIA).

Ischemic stroke

Ischemic stroke is the most common type of stroke. It occurs when an artery that supplies oxygen-rich blood to the brain is blocked, most often by a blood clot. About 87 percentTrusted Source of strokes are ischemic strokes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Hemorrhagic stroke

Hemorrhagic stroke occurs when an artery in the brain leaks blood or ruptures. Approximately 15 percentTrusted Source of strokes are hemorrhagic strokes, according to the National Stroke Association. Hemorrhagic strokes can be very serious and are responsible for about 40 percent of stroke-related deaths.

Transient ischemic attack (TIA)

A TIA is sometimes called a ministroke because the blood flow to the brain is blocked for a shorter amount of time and doesn’t result in permanent neurological injury. A TIA is ischemic, and may last from a minute to several hours — until the clogged artery reopens on its own. You shouldn’t ignore it, and you should consider it a warning. People often refer to a TIA as a “warning stroke.”

Recognizing the signs and symptoms of a stroke is a crucial first step to getting someone help before it’s too late. In an effort to help people remember how to recognize a stroke, the American Stroke Association endorses the mnemonic FAST, which stands for:

Other symptoms that can signal a stroke include sudden:

If you think you’re experiencing a stroke, call 911 or your local emergency services immediately. A stroke is a life-threatening condition.

Medical risk factors for stroke include:

Your chance of stroke is higher if you have one or more of these medical risk factors.

Lifestyle risk factors include:

The risk of stroke increases with age, nearly doubling for each decade over the age of 55. Race plays a part in stroke risk as well, with African-Americans having a greater risk of death from stroke than Caucasians. Gender also factors into the equation, with women experiencing more strokes than men. Also, having a stroke, heart attack, or TIA increases your risk of having another stroke.

Certain well-known risk factors for stroke, such as genetics, age, and family history, are outside of your control. You can reduce other risk factors by making certain lifestyle changes.

Take a look at the medical and lifestyle risk factors and ask yourself what you can do to help reduce your risk of stroke.

Change your diet

High blood pressure and high cholesterol can increase your risk of stroke. You might be able to reduce your blood pressure and cholesterol levels by making changes to your diet. Try the following nutrition tips:

Exercise

Exercising five or more times per week can help reduce your risk of stroke. Any exercise that gets your body moving is good exercise. A daily, brisk walk can lower your risk of stroke and improve your mood in general.

Don’t smoke

If you smoke, talk to your doctor about smoking cessation programs or other things you can do to help you quit smoking. The risk of stroke for people who smoke is doubleTrusted Source that of people who don’t smoke.

The most effective way to quit smoking is to just stop. If that’s not for you, consider asking your doctor about the various aids that are available to help you kick the habit.

Limit how much alcohol you drink

If you drink alcohol, try to limit your intake to no more than two drinks per day if you’re a man or one drink per day if you’re a woman. Researchers have linkedTrusted Source regularly drinking large quantities of alcohol to an increased risk of stroke.

Take your medication as prescribed.

Certain types of medication are especially important for lowering stroke risk. These include blood pressure medications, diabetes medications, cholesterol medications (statins), and medications to prevent blood clots, such as aspirin and blood thinners. If you’ve been prescribed any of these medications, continue taking them as prescribed by your doctor.

Although you’ll never be able to eliminate all of your stroke risks, there are things you can do to reduce certain risk factors and increase your chance of living a long, healthy, stroke-free life. Here are some tips:

  • Work with your doctor to manage your diabetes and other stroke risk factors, such as hypertension and high cholesterol.
  • Limit your alcohol consumption.
  • If you smoke, quit.
  • Maintain a healthy diet.
  • Add regular exercise to your routine.

If you think you’re having a stroke, seek emergency help right away.

JPeei Clinic

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