Diabetes - what to ask your doctor - type 2
What to ask your provider about diabetes - type 2
Type 2 diabetes, once diagnosed, is a lifelong disease that causes a high level of sugar (glucose) in your blood. It can damage your organs. It can also lead to a heart attack or stroke and many other health problems. You can take steps to control your symptoms, prevent damage due to diabetes, and make your life better.
Below are questions you may want to ask your health care provider to help you take care of your diabetes.
People with diabetes are prone to foot problems because the disease can cause damage to the blood vessels and nerves, which may result in decreased ability to sense a trauma to the foot. The immune system is also altered, so that the person with diabetes cannot efficiently fight infection.
A person with type 2 diabetes can use exercise to help control their blood sugar levels and provide energy their muscles need to function throughout the day. By maintaining a healthy diet and sufficient exercise, a person with type 2 diabetes may be able to keep their blood sugar in the normal non-diabetic range without medicine.
Symptoms such as weakness, feeling tired, shaking, sweating, headache, hunger, nervousness and irritability are signs that a persons blood sugar is getting dangerously low. A person showing any of these symptoms should check their blood sugar. If the level is low (70 mg/dL), a sugar-containing food should be eaten right away.
Questions
Ask your provider to check the nerves, skin, and pulses in your feet. Also ask these questions:
- How often should I check my feet? What should I do when I check them? What problems should I call my provider about?
- Who should trim my toenails? Is it OK if I trim them?
- How should I take care of my feet every day? What type of shoes and socks should I wear?
- Should I see a foot doctor (podiatrist)?
Ask your provider about getting exercise, including:
- Before I start, do I need to have my heart checked? My eyes? My feet?
- What type of exercise program should I do? What type of activities should I avoid?
- When should I check my blood sugar when I exercise? What should I bring with me when I exercise? Should I eat before or during exercise? Do I need to adjust my medicines when I exercise?
When should I next have an eye doctor (optometrist or ophthalmologist) check my eyes? What eye problems should I contact my eye doctor about?
Ask your provider about meeting with a dietitian. Questions for the dietitian may include:
- What foods increase my blood sugar the most?
- What foods can help me with my weight loss goals?
Ask your provider about your diabetes medicines:
- When should I take them?
- What should I do if I miss a dose?
- Are there any side effects?
How often should I check my blood sugar level at home? Should I do it at different times of the day? What is too low? What is too high? What should I do if my blood sugar is too low or too high?
Should I get a medical alert bracelet or necklace? Should I have glucagon at home?
Ask your provider about symptoms that you are having if they have not been discussed. Tell your provider about blurred vision, skin changes, depression, reactions at injection sites, sexual dysfunction, tooth pain, muscle pain, or nausea.
Ask your provider about other tests you may need, such as cholesterol, HbA1C, and a urine and blood test to check for kidney problems.
Ask your provider about vaccinations you should have like the COVID-19 vaccine, flu shot, hepatitis B, or pneumococcal (pneumonia) vaccines.
How should I take care of my diabetes when I travel?
Ask your provider how you should take care of your diabetes when you are sick:
- What should I eat or drink?
- How should I take my diabetes medicines?
- How often should I check my blood sugar?
- When should I contact the provider?
References
Ahmann AJ, Riddle MC. Therapeutics of type 2 diabetes mellitus. In: Melmed S, Auchus RJ, Goldfine AB, Koenig RJ, Kopp PA, eds. Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. 15th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2025:chap 34.
American Diabetes Association website. 4. Comprehensive medical evaluation and assessment of comorbidities: standards of care in diabetes-2024.
Dhatariya KK, Umpierrez GE, Crandall JP. Diabetes mellitus. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 210.
Version Info
Last reviewed on: 7/15/2024
Reviewed by: Frank D. Brodkey, MD, FCCM, Associate Professor, Section of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
