Many people with diabetes lead full, active lives that include marriage, intimacy, family, careers, sports and vacations. A lot depends on how well you and your treatment team control the disease.

Yet diabetes is a chronic condition that can at times be frustrating or frightening, even in well-managed cases. And just one episode of poorly managed blood sugar can cause problems that may seem insurmountable, even though they can be fixed.

The best way to cope with diabetes is to take an active part in your treatment plan. For example:

• Learn everything you can about the disease from reliable sources. Write down questions to ask your doctor.
  
  
• Know what your target glucose level is. Monitor your blood sugar as recommended. Inform you doctor of problems.
  
  
• Ask your doctor about other tests you might need to perform at home, such as ketone tests, which check for waste products produced when the body burns fat instead of sugar for energy.
  
  
• In addition to your home glucose monitoring, see your doctor regularly for certain blood tests. For example, the glycohemoglobin (A1C) test is used to monitor blood sugar over the past few months. This can be an important in assessing whether your treatment plan is effective.
  
  
• Take care of your feet. You can reduce your risk of foot ulcers and other problems through routine maintenance. This includes:
  
  
  • Inspecting your feet daily
  • Promptly tending to blisters or other minor wounds
  • Getting comprehensive foot exams from a doctor
  • Buying and wearing the right footwear (for example, socks without intrusive seams or restrictive elastic bands, shoes that breathe and fit well rather than sandals or pointy-toed high heels)
  
  
• Take care of your skin. Inspect your skin daily and use products suggested by your doctor to relieve dry, itchy skin.
  
  
• Plan with your doctor in advance what to do in the event of high blood sugar (hyperglycemia), low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) or other problems. Have testing equipment, extra medication, sugar tablets or other recommended supplies on hand. Inform family members, friends, school administrators, youth leaders etc. of the signs of diabetic complications and what to do.
  
  
• If advised by your doctor, have emergency equipment on hand such as a glucagon injection kit (a treatment for severe hypoglycemia). Train the appropriate people in what to do.