Diabetes

Are you managing your diabetes safely and effectively?

Order your treatment safely and securely online.

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic condition where blood sugar is higher than normal; this is because the body can't use glucose properly, as the result of a lack of a hormone known as insulin. If glucose isn't used and too much of it ends up in the blood stream it can cause damage to blood vessels, which can result in cardiovascular problems, blindness and amputation of limbs. There are two main types, Type 1 and Type 2, however there is also gestational or pregnancy diabetes, which can develop during pregnancy. Although this isn't a permanent condition, it can increase the mother's risk of developing Type 1 or 2 diabetes later in life.

There is no cure for diabetes, but it can be managed well with the help of diabetes treatment. Which treatment is used will depend largely on the type of diabetes being treated. For example, a treatment such as Metformin is used in the treatment of Type 2 diabetes and is also available from OnlineClinic. Because your safety is extremely important to us, we ask all our patients to complete a quick and confidential online consultation form when they place their orders.

What's the difference between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes?

Type 1 diabetes is a condition that most people develop in childhood, and it's when your body's immune system naturally destroys cells that produce the hormone insulin. Eventually this leaves the body incapable of producing insulin, which leads to an increase in glucose in the blood and can lead to damage to organs in the body.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common version and affects 90% of diabetes sufferers. This condition mostly develops in people later in life as a result of other health conditions, such as, for example, obesity. A person with Type 2 won't produce enough insulin or may not be able to use insulin that is being produced effectively (also known as insulin resistance).

How will I know I have it?

Most people with this condition don't know they have it, but there are subtle physical signs that could be an indication of an increased level of glucose in your blood, such as increased thirst, an increased need to urinate, tiredness, weight loss, itchiness under the feet or around the genitals or recurrent skin infections. These symptoms will normally tend to happen on a regular basis.

However, a doctor won't diagnose your condition based on symptoms alone and not everybody will present symptoms. People who have Type 2 diabetes may only develop symptoms much later in life while people with Type 1 may be more likely to display the above mentioned symptoms. But, to conclusively diagnose whether a person has this condition or not, blood tests will have to be performed by a doctor, to assess the level of glucose in the blood.

How is it treated?

Long-term, this condition can be controlled with the help of regular check-ups at your doctor as well as treatment, which will differ depending on your condition.

Type 1

In order to control this condition you'll require regular insulin treatment to compensate for your body's inability to produce the hormone on its own. These treatments come in injection form and you'll be able to use them yourself, after you've been shown by a doctor how to do this. You can also use an insulin pump which directly feeds insulin into your bloodstream and is controlled by a special unit.

In conjunction with these treatments, you may also have to adjust your diet in order to control the level of glucose you take in.

Type 2

Type 2 diabetes tends to develop as a result of lifestyle factors, which means that the first step to treating this condition is to make the right lifestyle changes. This could mean to exercise more regularly, eat more healthily and control the amount of food you consume containing glucose.

However, if these steps don't help reduce glucose in your blood, you may also be recommended a treatment. Treatments for Type 2 diabetes are known as biguanides, of which Metformin is an example. Other treatments for diabetes could include prandial glucose regulators, prandial glucose regulators, DPP-4 inhibitors, sulphonylureas and glitazones. Please see our dedicated diabetes treatments page for more information.