
Why You Need (And How to Find) Diabetes Education Courses
Why You Need (And How to Find) Diabetes Education Courses
Your guide to gaining the know-how, skills, and support to live well with diabetes
Becky Blanton could count on two fingers what she knew about diabetes in the days and weeks that followed her type 2 diagnosis: I couldnt have sugar, and I had to take insulin every day, says Blanton, 61. She was only half right. I took the initial information provided by the diabetes educator, but I didnt take it seriously, she says. Since there were no symptoms, I just ignored it.
Fast-forward a year and a half to 2014. Late one night, she suddenly felt nauseous, lightheaded, and inexplicably angry. She shared her symptoms on Facebook, where her friends include other people with diabetes, as well as nurses and paramedics. About 10 minutes later, I hear a knock at the door, and its [emergency medical services], insisting I go with them to the emergency room, says Blanton, who lives in rural Virginia. She had dismissed the concerns of a Facebook friend who suggested she go to a hospital; he called the emergency response team.
Blanton, as it turned out, was diagnosed with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). This life-threatening condition happens when extreme high blood glucose, along with a severe lack of insulin, results in the breakdown of body fat thats used for energy, causing a buildup of acids, called ketones, in the bloodstream. Though its more common in people with type 1 diabetes , DKA can occur in people with type 2 as well. Its usually triggered by illness, infection, or missed doses of medicinesall of which can lead to high
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