8 Tips for Finding the Positives in a Diabetes Diagnosis: ‘I’m in Better Shape Now’
Key takeaways:
Tammie Snowden comes from a family where Type 2 diabetes is a common diagnosis.
That didn’t prepare her for being diagnosed with it herself.
Learning about her condition and finding a support group have helped Tammie find the upsides of a diabetes diagnosis.
More than 37 million Americans have diabetes, according to the CDC, and the most common diagnosis is Type 2 diabetes, which is more common in people 40 and older.
Tammie Snowden, a 50-year-old federal worker in Houston, had two grandparents and an aunt with Type 2 diabetes. While her own diagnosis wasn’t surprising, Tammie says it was frustrating.
She had received a prediabetes diagnosis at age 42, and she lost weight to try to manage the condition. But her diabetes symptoms continued, including excessive thirst.
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"I had pretty much every symptom,” she says.
Tammie’s symptoms flared while she was at an eight-week training workshop for her job. She was experiencing fatigue and blurry vision.
“I woke up super thirsty every day of the training,” she says. “It was terrible. Then I got dizzy during the training, so I went to urgent care. They drew blood.”
Tammie’s blood sugar was high, so she saw her physician immediately when she got home. The doctor tested her, and, again, Tammie’s blood sugar was high.
“My doctor said, ‘Why don’t you sit right here and I’ll be right back,’” Tammie recalls. “She gave me a prescription and said, ‘Congratulations, you have Type 2 diabetes. Here’s a pamphlet and you can go.’ I didn’t know what to do.”
Tammie is now a passionate patient advocate for midlife women with Type 2 diabetes. She shares these tips for managing the disease.
1. Find a good physician
Tammie’s diagnosing physician didn’t provide much direction beyond putting her on a 1,500-calorie diet and prescribing metformin.
Tammie left her diagnosis appointment feeling frustrated and quickly found a new doctor, who had experience working with people who had Type 2 diabetes. She also began seeing a nutritionist and a diabetes educator.
“Things improved dramatically and pretty quickly,” she says.
2. Advocate for yourself
Tammie is more actively involved in her health now than she was before her diagnosis. In the past, she says, she was “pretty nonchalant” about her medical care.
Today, she is diligent about getting follow-up appointments and asking questions.
“I’m more apt to advocate for myself,” she says.
She advises not holding back when it comes to asking your doctor about your diagnosis.
“Ask your physician everything. Take a notebook full of questions to your appointments,” she says. “And if they feel exasperated by your questions, then consider switching physicians. Because, at the end of the day, you’re the one living with the disease. They might be tired of hearing the questions, but they don't have to live with it.”
3. Don’t panic
While it is easy to focus on the negative, Tammie says it is important to remember that Type 2 diabetes is manageable. This mindset helps you to focus on what lifestyle adjustments you might need to make.
It took her some time to see things this way..
“I was so fixated on curing it and reversing it and making it go away,” she says.
She advises people early in their diagnosis to educate themselves about Type 2 diabetes. Recognize it is not terminal, she says, and concentrate on getting healthier.
4. Don’t feel guilty
Tammie felt some embarrassment and guilt when she received her diagnosis.
“There's a stigma that's attached to Type 2 diabetes,” she says. “People feel like, ‘Oh, you did it to yourself.’ And that is absolutely not the case. You can exacerbate something that's already in your DNA.”
5. Take your medication
Type 2 diabetes is easily managed with medication. Tammie receives a weekly injection of Ozempic and takes metformin daily. She initially had monthly follow-ups with her physician, but she now sees her doctor every 6 months.
6. Exercise regularly
Tammie’s diabetes diagnosis has led to her taking better care of her physical health.
“I’m in better shape now," she says. "I can walk farther.”
She lifts weights three times a week, walks daily, and does yoga twice a week. She enjoys walking in parks and on trails and even started doing 5K races when she was first diagnosed.
“I never would have started without that diagnosis,” she says.
7. Work with a nutritionist
Shortly after her diagnosis, Tammie began working with a nutritionist and also met with a diabetes educator.
Changing your diet is an important part of managing Type 2 diabetes and keeping glucose levels in check, she says. She often shares her favorite healthy recipes on social media.
8. Find a supportive community
Tammie is an active advocate for Type 2 diabetes. She shares her personal story on social media, where she describes herself as a “Type 2 diabetic on a budget,” and she participates in online communities and discussion boards. Connecting with others has been important to her, and she has become friends with members of her online community.
While a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes can initially be scary, Tammie says her diagnosis has led her to focus on living a more healthy lifestyle. In many ways, she says, she’s healthier today than before her diagnosis.
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