One of the best ways to manage diabetes is with the help of an attentive doctor. Both types of diabetes, Type 1 and Type 2, are chronic diseases marked by a disruption of your body’s ability to turn the sugar in your blood into fuel for your body’s cells.
Complications from diabetes can be disabling and even life-threatening. They include nerve damage, kidney damage, skin infections, and cardiovascular issues such as a heart attack or stroke.
According to the CDC, 13% of U.S. adults have diabetes and an additional 35% have prediabetes.
Not surprisingly given its prevalence, there are many options for anti-diabetic medication available that fall into three general categories. There are time-tested, more affordable drugs such as metformin; newer diabetes medication that can cost $400 a month such as Victoza; and insulin. Without subsidies, a diabetes patient may find himself paying up to $900 a month for insulin.
Relying on medication is therefore a luxury that many people simply can’t afford.
Even for someone well-off, however, medication alone is not the best way to manage diabetes.
Eating whatever you like and counting on powerful or high-dosage medication to get your glucose level back into a healthy range often leads to blood glucose falling too low, causing sweating, nervousness, and headaches.
People often respond to this condition, known as hypoglycemia, by eating a sugary snack to get their glucose level back up again – perpetuating an uncomfortable and damaging “blood sugar rollercoaster.”
So what’s the best way to manage diabetes?
The truth is that there is no one-size-fits-all best way. Your insulin sensitivity, health history, finances, and current diet and lifestyle all play a role in determining the best treatment plan for you. How much you’re realistically willing and able to modify your diet and lifestyle is also important.
Whether you’re newly diagnosed or have been riding with the blood sugar rollercoaster for some time, partnering with an attentive doctor is the first step to managing the disease and feeling better.
Ideally, your doctor will initially work with you weekly or even daily as you monitor your diet and glucose levels. He will not only prescribe appropriate medication but will also recommend ways that you can eat more healthfully and add exercise to your daily routine. Over time, your body’s response to both your diabetes and your treatment plan will change, so you will need to make sure to keep in close contact with your doctor.
The good news is that it’s possible to successfully manage and even reverse diabetes with a knowledgeable doctor in your corner!
Unfortunately, the conventional, insurance-based model of medical care makes it difficult for doctors to dedicate the time needed to help each diabetic patient follow a personalized plan. A system in which insurance companies typically only reimburse doctors for face-to-face visits is better suited for addressing acute issues such as colds or sin infections than chronic diseases such as diabetes.
A Direct Primary Care doctor, in contrast, has a lot more time to dedicate to diabetic patients.
Euphora Health is a Direct Primary Care provider in Austin that specializes in helping people manage diabetes. Our doctors believe in and know how to coach a low-carb, high-fat diet, one of the most impactful tools to reduce blood glucose levels. Our ability to consult with patients virtually means that there can be more frequent points of contact and diet modifications can be refined and iterated more rapidly.
Eugenia’s Story
“Eugenia” is a 63-year-old Euphora Health patient who lives 55 miles from our clinic. She had been able to obtain relatively low-cost insulin through her previous insurance-based doctor, but Eugenia could no longer afford the high out-of-pocket costs for each visit that she needed to make just to renew her prescription.
Without insulin or other interventions, Eugenia’s blood sugar level was in the 330s.
In her first four months at Euphora Health, we had fourteen points of contact with Eugenia. We monitored her blood sugar, coached her in implementing a low-carb, high-fat diet, and helped her find a combination of affordable and effective diabetes medications. Initially, we restarted Eugenia on insulin.
After just two months, Eugenia’s condition had improved so much that she was able to completely stop taking insulin.
After the full four months, Eugenia’s blood sugar had dropped from the 330s to the 130s.
Most of our points of contact with Eugenia were over the phone. In fact, she only had to come to the clinic twice after her initial visit. We’ve found that most diabetes management can be successfully accomplished while our patients are at home or at work.
We’re happy to report that we were able to help Eugenia find effective medications that fit her finances while also reducing her medication load. By learning how to successfully manage her chronic disease, Eugenia was able to reduce complications related to diabetes and make a lasting positive impact on her long-term health.
At Euphora Health, our doctors can be reached via text, phone call, and videoconference. Unlimited face-to-face visits and blood glucose testing are including with our low monthly membership fees. We offer convenient, affordable, and – best of all – effective diabetes care.
Are you interested in taking control of your diabetes? Schedule a call with one of doctors to learn more about how Euphora Health can help.