You & Your Support Team Your Family and Friends:
Anyone who supports you is part of your team. Let your friends and family help you take good care of yourself. It is a good idea to have a family member attend diabetes education classes with you. This will not only give you a second set of eyes and ears, but you will have someone to help you who understands how all the aspects of your diabetes management plan work.
Your Team of Professionals:
There are many healthcare professionals who can be part of your team to help you manage your diabetes and maintain your health. Remember, YOU are the most important person on your diabetes team, and you are not alone.
It is useful to understand how your healthcare providers can provide information, support, and care. A variety of healthcare providers can help you learn about diabetes and how to take good care of yourself. Working with healthcare providers is a two-way street; they need you to tell them how things are working and when you may need extra assistance. You are the key member of the team.
Diabetes Nurse Educator, Certified Diabetes Instructor CDE
A healthcare professional who can teach you about the day-to-day care of your diabetes, including:
- Healthy eating.
- Being active.
- Monitoring blood sugar.
- Taking medication.
- Problem-solving.
- Healthy coping with diabetes.
- Insulin regimen
- Reducing risks for complications.
- And much more.
It is a good idea to ask the diabetes nurse educator about classes you can take. It may be helpful to take some kind of diabetes class every year because diabetes care is always changing.
Dietitian
An expert in food and nutrition, the dietitian will help you find a meal plan that works for you. The dietitian can teach you how to:
- Make up a meal plan.
- Develop your own individualized carb count allocation
- Use a meal plan.
- Read food labels/ingredients.
- Grocery shop.
- Choose healthier foods when you eat out.
- Find a good cookbook that suits your needs.
- Change the recipes you love to make them better for you.
- And much more.
It is a good idea to see a dietitian every 6 months, or when you have problems or questions.
Doctor, Physician's Assistant (PA) or Nurse Practitioner
The doctor, physician assistant or Nurse Practitioner will look after your overall health as well as your diabetes management plan. In addition to a primary-care provider, some people want to go to an expert called an endocrinologist or diabetologist. Your doctor will talk to you about:
- Your treatment plan and goals.
- The need for education.
- Lab tests and results.
- Your overall health questions.
- Medications.
- Insulin regimen
- A1C Test.
Pharmacist
An expert in drugs and how they affect your body, the pharmacist can teach you about:
- Your blood glucose monitoring systems.
- Which strips are correct for use with your Bayer blood glucose monitoring system.
- Whether to take your medicine with meals or not.
- What side effects to watch for.
- What other drugs might interfere your diabetes medicine.
- How to store your medications and insulin.
- What over-the-counter medications are best for you.
It may be helpful to use to the same pharmacy for all of your medicines, and make sure all your team members know all the medicines that you are taking, including those that are prescribed, over-the counter, and things like vitamins and herbal supplements.
Podiatrist
Trained to take care of foot and lower-leg problems, your foot doctor (called a podiatrist) can help you learn about caring for your feet and is the best person to treat any of your foot problems. The podiatrist will talk to you about:
- How to do daily foot care.
- How to take care of your feet and legs.
- Problems and how to avoid them.
How Often Should I See My Team?
You will see your pharmacist almost as often as you visit the pharmacy, and you can ask many questions while you are there. You will likely need an appointment to see the other members of your team. Talk to each of them about how often you should visit. Making the best use of all these healthcare providers, if you can, is the key to making your diabetes management plan work for you.