10 Questions to ask your doctor

Preparing for your next doctor’s visit and knowing what questions to ask about your diabetes can help you gain a clearer overall picture of your health. It’s also important to get the answers you seek.

When you have diabetes, visits to your doctor may focus mainly on your blood glucose (sugar) levels and your eating plan, exercise, and any medication you take. But diabetes can affect more than blood sugar; it can also damage the heart and other organs, as well as the nerves, eyes, and gums. This makes it all the more important that you continue to have a yearly physical, get routine eye exams, and visit your dentist on a regular basis.

You can get the most from these visits and be an active participant in your health care by knowing what to ask. Gaining an overall picture of your health will help you make the best decisions about how to control your diabetes and improve your chances for a healthy future.

The following questions may help you prepare for your next appointment with your primary healthcare provider

1. Do I have any signs of kidney disease?
High blood sugar can damage the kidneys. The first sign of this is often protein in the urine, so your doctor should check for it annually.

2. How are my blood pressure and cholesterol levels?
High blood pressure and diabetes can both damage blood vessels, and high cholesterol is often more harmful when you have diabetes. These conditions can lead to heart (cardiovascular) disease, heart attack, and stroke. If you have high blood pressure or high cholesterol, ask your doctor how to lower it.

3. Should I take a daily aspirin?
Taking a low-dose aspirin every day can lower your risk for heart attack and is beneficial for most people with diabetes. If your doctor recommends it, ask which strength aspirin is best for you.

4. Do I have symptoms of nerve damage?
In people with diabetes, nerve damage most commonly occurs in the lower legs and feet, causing weakness, numbness, pain, or tingling. It can also affect digestion, leading to bloating, nausea, or vomiting. If you have any of these symptoms, tell your doctor.

5. Should I get a flu or pneumonia vaccine?
Diabetes that’s poorly controlled can weaken your immune system, making it more important to get routine vaccines. An annual flu vaccine will help prevent the flu and possible complications from it. If you’ve had a pneumonia vaccine and you’re 65 or older or you have complications from diabetes, ask your doctor if you need a five-year booster.

6. Do my feet look healthy?
In addition to nerve damage, diabetes can cause poor circulation in your legs and feet. Because of this, cuts and blisters—even ingrown toenails—that are untreated can lead to serious infections. Take off your shoes and socks at each visit and ask your doctor to examine your feet.

7. How do I quit smoking?
The American Diabetes Asso¬ciation reports that smokers with diabetes are three times more likely to die of heart disease than nonsmokers with diabetes. If you smoke, ask your doctor about smoking-cessation programs.

8. What can I do about erectile dysfunction?
Men with diabetes are twice as likely as other men to have problems with erectile dysfunction, the inability to have or maintain an erection during sex. This can be due to high blood sugar or stress, or may be a side effect of certain diabetes medications. Talk to your doctor about a remedy that’s right for you.

9. How do my gums look? (for your dentist)
Diabetes increases the risk for gum infections. Ask your dentist or dental hygienist to show you how to brush your teeth so that you don’t irritate your gums. See your dentist every six months, and make an appointment right away if your gums look red or swollen or start to bleed.

10. Do I have damage to my retinas? (for your eye care specialist)
Diabetes can damage the small blood vessels in the retina, causing a condition called diabetic retinopathy, the No. 1 cause of blindness in adults. An annual eye exam can catch this and other eye disorders early, before they progress.