Managing diabetes: Your frequently asked questions, answered

Diabetes affects 37 million Americans, with both adults and children both capable of developing both types of the disease. Symptoms like fatigue, weight loss, frequent urination or excessive thirst are easy to mistake for other health conditions or write off as simply a side effect of everyday life. In some cases, there may not be any symptoms at all. 

In this town hall video, we brought together Dr. Elise Lebel, board-certified internal medicine physician at Prisma Health in the Midlands, Michelle Stancil, Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist in the Upstate and Minnie Cleveland, Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist in the Midlands to answer your most commonly asked questions about diabetes.

Questions our experts answered include:

• Can diabetes be cured or reversed?
• What diet is healthiest for prediabetic or diabetic individuals?
• Can a diabetic person safely fast or eat the Keto diet?
• How is diabetes treated?
• How can you control your blood sugar?
• How has new technology changed how people live with diabetes?
• If you start taking insulin, do you become dependent on it for life?
• Is sugar-free soda better for people with diabetes? What about sugar-free candy?
• Can someone with diabetes safely drink alcohol?
• Are continuous glucose monitors easy to use?
• Does diabetes make you more likely to have a heart attack?
• Are diabetics more likely to have a stroke?
• Does diabetes really make you go blind?
• And more

Managing diabetes doesn’t have to be a guessing game. These experts help break down the answers to some common questions many people with diabetes may feel uncomfortable asking, but you should always feel free to speak with your doctor about the condition. They can help you make decisions about what type of treatment for diabetes is best for you.