Presbyterian | Fall 2018 | Your Story

6 Make a diabetes care plan When your provider first tells you that you have diabetes, it can be hard to accept. Diabetes is a serious condition that may require making changes to your life. The plan you put in place now can help protect your health and future. The main goal of diabetes treatment is to control your blood sugar (glucose) levels. When blood sugar isn’t controlled, it can lead to eye, kidney, and nerve damage. To manage your diabetes properly, it helps to have a care plan. Your care plan should include: ● ● Goals for your blood sugar levels ● ● Instructions on how to measure and record those levels ● ● A plan for taking your medicines ● ● Advice on exercise and eating healthy ● ● A schedule for follow-up care with your provider Tests that can help to monitor your progress are: A1C (blood test for glucose levels) Two to four times a year (check with your provider) Cholesterol test (LDL-C test) Once a year Kidney function test Once a year Talk with your provider about making a care plan and setting a goal for your glucose level. Your provider can help you monitor your progress and help you live a long and healthy life. Your rights and responsibilities As a Presbyterian member, you have rights and responsibilities. Our partnership with you works best when we ensure your rights and you meet your responsibilities. To ensure your rights, we follow the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). We also follow federal and state laws. You can find your member rights and responsibilities online. Visit www.phs.org/pages/member-rights.aspx . Notice of Privacy Practices The Notice of Privacy Practices describes how Presbyterian safeguards your protected health information and your rights with regard to that information. You can find the Joint Notice of Privacy Practices at www.phs.org/pages/privacy-security.aspx . Diabetes: Test what you know How well can you judge diabetes fact from fiction? True or false? 1.Diabetes is sometimes just a little extra sugar in the blood. 2. Sugar is off-limits when you have diabetes. 3.My weight is fine, so I can’t get diabetes. Answers: 1.False. There’s no such thing as a “touch of sugar,” which makes diabetes sound less serious than it is. Diabetes is a disease of dangerously high blood sugar levels. 2.False. People with diabetes can enjoy sweets in moderation. To fit them into a meal plan now and then, a person can swap sweets for other carbohydrate foods. 3.False. While being overweight puts you at higher risk, many people at a healthy weight have diabetes. Other risk factors include aging and having a family history of the disease. Sources: American Diabetes Association; National Diabetes Education Program