Effects of type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes means the body does not use insulin effectively and may not make enough insulin to keep blood glucose in a healthy range. Persistently high glucose can injure small and large blood vessels. This may contribute to Chronic Kidney Disease, changes in vision, Peripheral Neuropathy, and Peripheral Arterial Disease. Reduced sensation can make a blister or cut harder to notice, while impaired circulation can slow healing and raise the risk of Cellulitis.

The condition can also affect energy, thirst, urination, and weight. Low glucose, called Hypoglycaemia, may occur in people using certain diabetes medicines, so symptoms and treatment plans should be understood.

Take prescribed treatment as directed and attend scheduled checks for glucose, blood pressure, cholesterol, kidney function, feet, and eyes. Inspect your feet and skin regularly, wear well-fitting footwear, and report wounds that are red, warm, swollen, or slow to heal. Choose regular meals and activity suited to your health, and learn how to recognise and treat Hypoglycaemia if your clinician says it is a risk. Avoid changing medicines without advice.

Seek urgent help for severe drowsiness, confusion, fainting, breathing difficulty, repeated vomiting, or a suspected severe low-glucose episode. Contact a clinician promptly for a foot wound, spreading redness, new loss of sensation, sudden vision change, or chest discomfort. Sudden facial weakness, arm weakness, speech trouble, or balance loss can signal Stroke and needs emergency care.

Ask what your glucose targets are, how often you need kidney, eye, and foot checks, which medicines can cause Hypoglycaemia, and how illness changes your plan. Ask how to respond to a wound, reduced sensation, or readings outside your usual range.