Treatment

Diabetes cannot be cured but can be controlled either by diet alone, or a combination of diet or oral medication or by administering insulin injections. Treatment for diabetes is designed to control glucose level in the blood with in the normal range. 

Type I diabetes : This usually requires life-long insulin therapy along with the control in diet. This replaces the insulin absent in the body due to non production of insulin by the pancreas. This insulin therapy maintains constant low background levels of insulin with peaks at mealtimes when glucose enters the blood. Insulin injections are available in various forms including short-acting, long-acting and combination of both forms. Short-acting insulin are take 15-30 minutes before mealtimes while longer-acting insulin are taken once or twice a day. 

Type II diabetes : The blood-glucose level can be controlled by exercising regularly and following a healthy diet to maintain ideal weight. Sometimes the drugs may be needed to stimulate the pancreas to produce more insulin or control your blood sugar. You may be prescribed anti- diabetic drugs such as sulfonylureas, which stimulate the pancreas to release insulin or metformin, which helps body tissues to absorb glucose. You may also be given acarbose, which slows the absorption of glucose from the intestine and prevents fluctuations in the blood level. If antidiabetic drugs do not prove to be effective, insulin may be used to treat. 

Type III Diabetes (Gestational): Diabetic women who are pregnant need careful monitoring to keep a close check on their condition and they are normally considered a high risk pregnancy. Good control of the diabetes by a modified diet which includes less sugar than normal and greater amounts of fiber and starchy carbohydrates during the first Trimester of pregnancy greatly lowers the risk of abnormalities in the baby. Some women also need insulin injections. Blood sugar level must be checked at least once every 2 weeks.