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Diabetes management and support

Approved by our Clinical team | Mar 26, 2020

Whether you’re already living with diabetes or have been newly diagnosed, we’re here to help with your day-to-day diabetes management and support

Managing your diabetes doesn’t have to be daunting. Taking a proactive approach to monitoring your blood glucose levels, looking after your feet and taking care of your eye health can all make a difference to how well your condition is managed.

How could diabetes affect you?

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Glucose provides your body with energy and when you eat the glucose levels in your blood increase. At this time your body releases a hormone called insulin which makes sure your glucose level doesn’t get too high. If you have diabetes you either produce too little insulin or your body resists its effects, so unused glucose builds up in your blood.

How can you best control your diabetes?

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The best way is to review and understand your blood glucose results. Keeping your levels under control as effectively as possible can help you live your life to the fullest. Find out more about managing your glucose levels here.

What is the best blood sugar monitor for me?

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If you manage your diabetes with a blood sugar monitor, you may not know which one to choose. There are so many options for self management of your diabetes, which you can talk to your doctor about. Read more about our diabetic monitoring products here.

How often should I check my glucose levels?

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There are certain occasions when you need to check your blood sugar levels more frequently:

Before and during driving
When you’re ill
With major changes to your food intake
With high weight loss or gain (more than 7lbs/4kg)
When exercising vigorously
When trying for a baby or if you’re pregnant
If you start or change insulin
If you’re regularly having 'hypos or 'hypers'

However, if you keep monitoring your glucose, taking your medicine and making healthy lifestyle changes, you may be able to keep these conditions at bay.

What are the complications and conditions that come with diabetes?

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Too much glucose in your body can damage nerves, organs and blood vessels. This can lead to long term complications such as:

High blood pressure
Coronary heart disease
High cholesterol
Eye damage (even blindness)
Kidney failure
Nerve damage
Leg ulcers
Foot disease

However, if you keep monitoring your glucose, taking your medicine and making healthy lifestyle changes, you may be able to keep these conditions at bay.

We can test your cholesterol and blood pressure too

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Monitoring these levels are a crucial part of controlling your diabetes. We offer a blood pressure test and a cholesterol test, both of these services incur a small charge. But more than that, we can help with advice about lifestyle changes that can help lower both your blood pressure and your cholesterol levels which are important to control if you have diabetes. Just ask our healthcare team.

If you’re looking for more information about type 2 diabetes, find out more about symptoms of type 2 diabetes.