How is type 2 diabetes treated?

Treatment helps your body use insulin more effectively and keeps blood glucose within a safer range. A clinician may review your results, blood pressure, cholesterol, kidneys, eyes and feet. Nutrition counselling and a diabetes education programme can help you plan meals, understand readings and recognise low or high glucose. Weight management may also support glucose control when relevant.

Take prescribed medicine as directed and do not stop it without advice. Keep appointments for monitoring, bring your glucose readings and mention side effects, missed doses or changes in appetite and activity. Ask whether diabetes screening for close relatives or a structured diabetes medication management review is appropriate. Seek advice before making major diet or exercise changes.

Contact a clinician promptly for repeated very high or low readings, vomiting, confusion, unusual drowsiness, breathing difficulty, or inability to keep fluids down. A new foot wound, spreading redness or warmth may need urgent assessment; diabetes can make skin infections such as cellulitis harder to notice. Ongoing swelling, changes in urination or unusual tiredness should also be discussed because kidney problems can develop without obvious symptoms.

Which glucose target suits me? How often should I check it? What should I do for a missed dose or illness? Which follow-up checks do I need, and could nutrition counselling or a weight management programme help?