Get Support

Managing your diabetes is mostly up to you. But you don’t have to go it alone. A team of health care experts will teach you how to manage diabetes and the health risks it brings. Your family and friends can also provide support. Think about what kind of help you will need. Then decide whom to ask for that support.

Your Health Care Team

Your diabetes health care team will work with you to create a management plan. Team members may include:

• A primary care provider, such as a general practitioner, internist, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant. This is the person whom you probably see most often and who can refer you to specialists as needed. • An endocrinologist, a doctor who specializes in diabetes. • A registered dietitian, an expert in food and nutrition, to teach you how food affects your blood glucose and how to plan meals. • A diabetes educator, often a nurse, to teach you to manage and live with diabetes. • A health psychologist or social worker, to help you with the emotional aspects of managing your condition. • A pharmacist, who fills your prescriptions and explains your medications.

Your Family and Friends

Family and friends can help support your efforts to take care of your health. They may be concerned about your condition and worried about complications. Or, it may be hard for them to understand all the changes you are making. But the important people in your life can help you succeed. People who care about you want to help. Think about the people who can support you, and the specific ways they can help. Then ask for the support you need. Your family and friends can help you stay focused and confident as you learn to manage diabetes.