I have type 2 diabetes! What is happening to my body?

Your pancreas is the organ in your body which produces insulin. In a normal person, insulin can maintain normal blood glucose levels. Blood glucose is the amount of sugar that is in your blood. When you have type 2 diabetes, your pancreas works extra hard to keep your blood glucose normal.

In type 2 diabetes, your pancreas is not able to keep up with your high blood glucose levels. It is common to see insulin resistance, which means your pancreas must increase the amount of insulin secreted over time to control elevated blood sugars. When your body is not able to control blood glucose levels, you can experience elevated blood glucose.

When you eat food with high amount of sugar in the form of carbohydrates, you can see high amounts of glucose stay in your blood longer since your pancreas must work harder. Over time, your pancreas may not produce enough insulin on its own.

Your Body’s Response to Elevated Blood Glucose

When your glucose is elevated, your body is attempting to make sure that some of this extra glucose leaves your body. When your blood sugars stay too high, the extra glucose can leak out into your urine. This then causes extra water, and sometimes protein, to be pulled into your urine as well, which is when people experience increased urination. You can also experience increased thirst and frequent urination as your body works to eliminate the extra glucose.

When you have high amounts of glucose in your urine, this can increase risk of urinary tract infections or yeast infections. Your liver works to control glucose levels by decreasing the amount of new glucose produced by your body. Sometimes, if your blood glucose remains high for some time without medication, you can see weight loss as you lose your calories through the body’s processes of removing sugar from your blood.

The longer you have type 2 diabetes that is not controlled with medication, the greater your risk of damage to organs in your body. High blood glucose levels can cause issues with your eyesight because the high amount of sugar clouds the lens of your eyes.

Following Diagnosis

It is important to make sure you can control your blood glucose levels after diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. Lifestyle and diet changes can have a huge impact on diabetes control. It is also important to monitor labs and complete an eye exam yearly so that you can be monitored for possible complications from your diabetes.

This includes bloodwork and urine test. The bloodwork is to monitor your kidney function, liver function, cholesterol levels. The urine test is to check if you are spilling protein in your urine, which can be the first sign of reversible kidney issues from diabetes. You will also want to make sure you have dilated eye exam to monitor your retina for any damage from your diabetes.

Take Control

Trinity Health recommends annual physical exams and lab tests to monitor your health. If you or your primary care physician (PCP) see signs of prediabetes or diabetes, there are specialists who can help you take control. Your PCP may refer you to an endocrinologist — a physician who specializes in hormone-related conditions — to help manage your condition.

Dr. Anita Eapen is an endocrinologist specializing in diabetes management.

Speak with your primary care physician if you or a loved one would like to learn more about diabetes. Click here if you need a primary care physician.