Diabetes Awareness: I'll Wait till it Hurts

By the time many type 2 diabetics (and often their doctors) realize action is necessary, the disease, with its destructive high blood sugars, has been silently damaging their body for years.

Complications to the blood vessels and tissues of your eyes, feet, heart, kidneys, and other organs, are likely well underway.

You visit the doctor because you feel bad, and you wish to feel better. You react to the symptoms of perceived illness. This is understandable, but does not allow much room for prevention or early detection of diabetes.

Of course this idea, "Don't see the doctor 'til it hurts," comes from our "busier-then-ever" lifestyles. But to blame, to point fingers after the damage has started is as pointless as is the leaping bungee-jumper's complaint that his equipment has just failed. It's a little late to talk about why. Some problems are better prevented.

If you have type 2 diabetes, you know most of the time you don't feel very bad. You might think that because you don't feel very bad, it isn't very serious, and you don't have to do anything about it just now. "I'll wait 'til it hurts" ...You couldn't be more wrong.

Diabetes damages your body with high blood sugars. It doesn't care whether your sugars are high from type 2, type 1, or some other cause - if they're up, they're doing damage. Type 2 diabetics who let their sugars run "because they don't feel bad" are doing serious damage to their eyes, kidneys, hearts, and nervous systems.

Suppose you have diabetes, and don't want the complications. Suppose you don't know you have diabetes, but you're from a high-risk group (maybe someone in your family has or had diabetes), and you want to cut the risks. Or, suppose you just want to feel better.

It's all the same - Your early detection, education, and prevention work best.

Don't wait 'til it hurts. Ask your doctor about diabetes and have your blood sugar checked several times a year.