See a Doctor Twice a Year

All patients with diabetes should see a doctor twice a year. Recharging your motivation to achieve good blood-sugar control is an important part of every visit.

 You should also have an A1C test (see Glossary) at each semi-annual visit to test your average blood-sugar levels over a period of two or three months. Or if you are on insulin, you should take the test quarterly to monitor your blood-sugar control.

In addition, every patient with diabetes should have someone he or she can contact on short notice to discuss problems as they arise, such as unexplained high blood sugars or sudden illness.

This person need not be a physician but may be a certified diabetes educator (CDE), registered dietitian (RD), nurse practitioner, or nurse case manager.