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Diabetes is a condition where the body has trouble regulating blood sugar levels. With this disorder, the body either doesn’t have any or enough insulin needed to break down sugar molecules effectively.

Type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder that typically starts in childhood. The pancreas’s insulin-producing cells no longer function properly, resulting in the body’s inability to produce the insulin to stabilize blood sugar levels. 

Type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes and develops when your pancreas produces less insulin than it used to. Risk factors, such as obesity, a sedentary lifestyle, and a family history of the disease, contribute to your chances of developing type 2 diabetes. 

Gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy and often shows few or no symptoms. Because of the lack of symptoms, women should get tested between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy. Roughly half of women with gestational diabetes will develop type 2 diabetes later in life.

Prediabetes

In prediabetes, blood sugar levels are higher but you don’t yet have type 2 diabetes. This form of diabetes serves as a warning sign of the potential future risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

To be diagnosed with diabetes you need to have consistently high blood sugar levels. 

The normal range for fasting blood sugar (blood sugar measured when you haven’t eaten for at least 8 hours) is between 70 to 100 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). A prediabetes diagnosis is made when you have a fasting blood sugar level that is consistently between 100 to 125 mg/dL. 

If your fasting blood sugar levels are 126 mg/dL or higher on 2 separate occasions or you have blood sugar, even occasionally, of 200 mg/dL or higher, a diagnosis of diabetes is made.

If you suspect you have diabetes or want to test your blood sugar levels, you can consult with a healthcare provider about diabetes treatment online. 

Through telehealth services, a qualified healthcare provider can assess your symptoms, medical history, and risk factors to determine whether further testing, like a finger stick test, in-depth blood work, or urine sample is needed. 

If laboratory testing is required, your healthcare provider will work with you to obtain the tests needed to confirm a diagnosis. 

Each type of diabetes requires a different treatment and medication regimen for proper blood sugar management. 

Type 1 diabetes

Because the pancreas doesn’t produce insulin in type 1 diabetes, insulin is the medication used to manage it.

Substituting naturally occurring insulin is commonly achieved using multiple daily insulin injections or an insulin pump, which is a device that automatically tracks blood sugar levels and administers the precise amount of insulin needed throughout the day.

Type 2 diabetes

People with type 2 diabetes may be able to control their blood sugar through healthy eating and regular physical activity. Others may require diabetes medicines to help with glucose regulation.

Oral medicines and injectable therapies are common treatment options for type 2 diabetes. Those medications include: 

• Metformin
• Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists like Mounjaro and Ozempic
• Sulfonylureas
• Thiazolidinediones 

In some cases, a doctor may recommend a combination of different oral medicines to effectively manage blood glucose levels. 

Gestational Diabetes
Dietary adjustments and lifestyle modifications may be enough to manage gestational diabetes. If blood sugar levels can’t be controlled, oral medication or insulin therapy may be needed to ensure the best possible outcome of the pregnancy.

Prediabetes
Lifestyle changes, such as adopting a healthy diet, engaging in regular physical activity, and maintaining a healthy weight, are ways to prevent prediabetes from progressing to type 2 diabetes. 

For prediabetes, healthcare providers may recommend an oral medication, like metformin, to help improve insulin sensitivity and prevent the development of type 2 diabetes.