People with diabetes are vulnerable to a variety of problems that can develop after they have had the disease for many years. A person with diabetes is more likely than other people to have a heart attack, a stroke, eye problems that can lead to blindness, kidney disease, a foot or leg amputation, frequent infections, and sexual problems. All of these are truly serious long-term problems and are more likely to occur if blood glucose levels have been high over many years.

Fortunately, diabetes complications and other problems are no longer inevitable -- unless you and your team do not take good care now. People with diabetes can live long, healthful, and productive lives. To do so challenges you and your diabetes care team to become intimately involved in recognizing, treating, and doing whatever it takes to prevent or delay the long-term problems of diabetes.

Understand the earliest signs and symptoms of problems. Know your lab-test results and keep track of changes. Any change, even when results are still in the normal range, may indicate that problems might be developing. Finally, make regular office visits with your diabetes care team and keep the appointments, even if you are feeling well. See your team at least every three months when you are doing and feeling well, and contact them immediately if you are having problems. Working together, you and your health professionals will form a strong prevention team.

As you'll see in the following sections of this article, there are concrete ways to manage the various complications of diabetes. The next section will focus on learning how to pinpoint problems as they arise.