Taking control: Tips for managing diabetes

(BPT) - Ralph Mesa of Atlanta, Georgia, has been living with type 2 diabetes for more than 30 years. When his doctor first told him he had type 2 diabetes, Ralph didn’t think too much about it. He took the medication his doctor prescribed and was feeling fine. What Ralph didn’t realize is that diabetes can change over time and what he was doing was no longer enough to keep his blood sugar under control. Now Ralph has a message for other adults with diabetes: learn all you can about the condition and the things you can do to help manage your diabetes.

Each year, 1.7 million adults in the United States are diagnosed with diabetes—that’s 1 new diagnosis every 19 seconds.¹ Type 2 diabetes is a condition in which the body does not correctly use insulin or does not produce enough insulin. This means sugar can stay in the bloodstream instead of entering cells to be used as energy. Appropriate treatment and lifestyle changes can help manage diabetes. This is important because uncontrolled diabetes can lead to some long-term health problems.² A comprehensive approach to managing the condition includes healthy eating, physical activity, tracking of blood sugar levels, medication, and working closely with your diabetes health care team.

Ralph learned he had diabetes after visiting his family doctor for a check-up. The good news was that his condition hadn’t progressed very far. Following his diagnosis, Ralph made sure to take his medication daily, but he struggled with making changes to his lifestyle—especially when it came to his diet.

“I felt okay, so it didn’t feel so important to stick to a healthy diet or to test my blood sugar several times a day.” Ralph says, “I thought I could get by without it.” In the years following, however, Ralph started having problems keeping his blood sugar at goal. He began to feel symptoms as his blood sugar became too high and or too low—including vision problems, nausea, dizziness, and drowsiness.<a href="#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" rel="nofollow" id="_ftnref1"><span><span>^[a]</span></span></a>

Ralph knew something had to change. He began to more closely track his diet, test his blood sugar often, and take insulin to keep his blood sugar levels at goal. Ralph admits it’s not always easy, especially when it comes to eating a healthy diet and avoiding sweets. He works at a hotel that caters events and is tempted regularly in the kitchen, but his co-workers help keep him on track. At home, his wife helps him monitor portion sizes and stay focused on eating a healthy diet.

Looking back on his years of living with diabetes, Ralph has learned a few important lessons about managing the condition:

<strong>Educate yourself.</strong> Ralph didn’t fully understand or appreciate the seriousness of his diabetes when he was first diagnosed. Ralph later learned that type 2 diabetes is a progressive condition, meaning that it changes over time. There are many reasons for why this may happen. There are also many things that people with diabetes can do to help manage their diabetes. Online tools like <a href="http://www.Cornerstones4Care.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Cornerstones4Care.com</a> provide information and tips for people living with diabetes.

<strong>Work with your health care provider to find the right treatment plan for you.</strong> Diabetes changes over time and can become more difficult to control, so it’s important to work closely with your health care provider in managing your condition. There are many different diabetes medicines and learning about them will help you and your health care provider select the best options for you, whether you are starting diabetes medicine for the first time or changing to a different medicine. Together, Ralph and his doctor considered different treatment options, until they found the insulin therapy that was right for him: NovoLog^® Mix 70/30 (70% insulin aspart protamine suspension and 30% insulin aspart injection, [rDNA origin]), a premix insulin analog that works in two ways: its fast onset of action treats the spikes in blood sugar levels that happen at mealtime, and its long action can last up to 24 hours to help control blood sugar between meals and during the night. NovoLog^® Mix 70/30 is a more recent type of treatment than human premix insulin that more closely mimics the body’s natural release of insulin. For patients with type 2 diabetes, dosing should occur within 15 minutes before <em>or</em> after meal initiation. NovoLog^® Mix 70/30 should not be used during episodes of low blood sugar. To learn more, visit <a target="_blank" href="http://www.novologmix70-30.com" rel="nofollow">www.novologmix70-30.com</a>.

<strong>Commit to your treatment plan.</strong> Ralph knows now that careful diabetes management is important, and he makes diabetes care a priority in his daily life.

“Over the years I’ve learned to be much more in tune with my body,” Ralph says. “I’m more aware of what I’m eating, and I test my blood sugar often so I know what’s going on inside my body and can adjust my medication accordingly to help keep my glucose levels within goal. I encourage anyone with diabetes to learn more and to speak with their health care provider about the best ways to manage their diabetes.”

<strong>About</strong> <strong>NovoLog</strong><strong>^®</strong> <strong>Mix 70/30</strong>          

Please see Indications and Usage and Important Safety Information below.

<strong>Indications and Usage</strong>

<strong>What is NovoLog^® Mix 70/30 (70% insulin aspart protamine suspension and 30% insulin aspart injection, [rDNA origin])?</strong>

<ul><li>NovoLog^® Mix 70/30 is a man-made insulin used to control high blood sugar in adults with diabetes mellitus.</li><li>It is not known if NovoLog^® Mix 70/30 is safe or effective in children.</li></ul>

<strong>Important Safety Information</strong>

<strong>Do not share your NovoLog^® Mix 70/30 FlexPen^® with other people, even if the needle has been changed. You may give other people a serious infection, or get a serious infection from them.</strong>

<strong>Important Safety Information (cont’d)</strong>

<strong>Who should not use NovoLog^® Mix 70/30?</strong>

<ul><li>Do not use NovoLog^® Mix 70/30 if your blood sugar is too low (hypoglycemia) or you are allergic to any of its ingredients.</li></ul>

<strong>What should I tell my health care provider before taking NovoLog^® Mix 70/30?</strong>

<ul><li>About all of your medical conditions, including liver, kidney, or heart problems.</li><li>If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or plan to do either.</li><li>About all prescription and nonprescription medicines you take, including supplements, as your dose may need to change.</li></ul>

<strong>How should I take NovoLog^® Mix 70/30?</strong>

<ul><li>NovoLog^® Mix 70/30 starts acting fast. If you have type 1 diabetes, inject within 15 minutes before you eat a meal. If you have type 2 diabetes, inject within 15 minutes before or after starting your meal.</li><li>Inject NovoLog^® Mix 70/30 under the skin of your stomach area, upper arms, buttocks, or thighs, but never into a vein or muscle.</li><li>Do not mix NovoLog^® Mix 70/30 with other insulin products or use in an insulin pump.</li><li>Do not change your dose or type of insulin unless you are told to by your health care provider.</li><li><strong>Do not reuse or share your needles or syringes with other people.</strong> You may give other people a serious infection, or get a serious infection from them.</li><li>Check your blood sugar levels as directed by your health care provider.</li></ul>

<strong>What should I consider while using NovoLog^® Mix 70/30?</strong>

<ul><li>Alcohol, including beer and wine, may affect your blood sugar.</li><li>Be careful when driving a car or operating machinery. You may have difficulty concentrating or reacting if you have low blood sugar. Talk to your health care provider if you often have low blood sugar or no warning signs of low blood sugar.</li></ul>

<strong>What are the possible side effects of NovoLog^® Mix 70/30?</strong>

<ul><li>Low blood sugar, including when too much is taken. Some symptoms include sweating, shakiness, confusion, and headache. Severe low blood sugar can cause unconsciousness, seizures, and death.</li><li>Serious allergic reactions may occur. Get medical help right away, if you develop a rash over your whole body, have trouble breathing, a fast heartbeat, or sweating.</li><li>Other side effects include low potassium in your blood, injection site reactions (like redness, swelling, and itching), skin thickening or pits at the injection site, weight gain, swelling of your hands and feet, if taken with thiazolidinediones (TZDs) possible heart failure, and vision changes.</li></ul>

<strong>Please</strong> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.novo-pi.com/novologmix7030.pdf" rel="nofollow"><strong>click here</strong></a> <strong>for full Prescribing Information or visit <a href="http://www.novologmix70-30.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">novologmix70-30.com</a>.</strong>

<strong>You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit</strong> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.fda.gov/medwatch" rel="nofollow"><strong>www.fda.gov/medwatch</strong></a><strong>,</strong> <strong>or call 1-800-FDA-1088.</strong>

<strong>References:</strong>

<ol><li>American Diabetes Association. <em>Fast Facts: Data and Statistics About Diabetes.</em> http://professional.diabetes.org/admin/UserFiles/0%20-%20Sean/Documents/.... Accessed November 2, 2015.</li><li>American Diabetes Association. http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/complications/?referrer=htt.... Accessed November 2, 2015.</li></ol>

FlexPen^® and NovoLog^® are registered trademarks of Novo Nordisk A/S.

Novo Nordisk is a registered trademark of Novo Nordisk A/S.

<p style="text-align: left;">© 2016 Novo Nordisk   All rights reserved.   1115-00028977-1   February 2016

<a href="#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" rel="nofollow" id="_ftn1"><span><span>^[a]</span></span></a> Individual symptoms may vary.

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Taking control: Tips for managing diabetes