 What to Expect
You and your parents can make sure that you get good diabetes care. Here's a list of things to expect when you see your doctor about your diabetes.
If it's your first visit to a new doctor, you can expect the doctor to ask:
How long you've had diabetes
If anyone else in your family has diabetes
About your current diabetes care place
What and when you eat
How often and how hard you exercise
If you have any other health problems
Whether you have had ketones in your urine
If you have had low blood glucose
Whether you have had any infections
If you have any complications of diabetes
What medicines you are taking
Then, the doctor should:
Measure your height, weight, and blood pressure
Look in your eyes and ask if you've had eye problems lately
Look in your mouth and ask about dental problems
Feel your neck to check your glands
Listen to your heart through the stethoscope
Feel your belly to check your liver and other organs
Look at your hands, fingers, and bare feet
Check your pulse and sensations in your feet
Check your skin
Test your reflexes
Take your pulse
Ask for blood and urine samples for tests
If you've visited the doctor before, you can also expect the doctor to ask:
To see your logbook
Whether your blood glucose has been running too high or too low
If you've had any signs of complications
Whether you've been sick since your last visit
What medicines you're taking now
If your life has changed since your last visit
If you've had any problems sticking to your diabetes treatment plan
Your doctor will also:
Look in your eyes
Look at your bare feet
Take a sample of blood for an A1C test and other tests
Ask for a urine sample to test
Go over your diabetes treatment plan to see if you've met your goals
Talk about any changes that need to be made in your treatment plan
You can expect to visit your doctor about every three months if you're in pretty good control. When you're having trouble with your diabetes or trying a new treatment, you'll probably see the doctor more often.
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