What questions should I ask my doctor first when I am diagnosed with diabetes?

What questions should I ask my doctor first when I am diagnosed with diabetes?

Anne Peters, MD, FACP, CDE (Professor and Director of Clinical Diabetes Programs, USC Keck School of Medicine) gives expert video advice on: Does taking additional insulin correct a high blood sugar level?; Why is my blood pressure important if I have diabetes?; What are the most common causes of death for people with diabetes? and more...

I think one of the most important things that someone can learn early is what type of diabetes they have, whether it's type 1 or type 2. The problem is that many physicians aren't going to be able to distinguish between type 1 and type 2 diabetes, particularly not early on. So, if you are someone who has no family history of diabetes, you're lean, you're young and look for all the world like someone with type 1 diabetes, then that's probably what you have. You need to ask your doctor, "Is this type 1 or type 2, and why?" Then you need to ask your doctor about what treatments you're going to have. I think people also need to always ask if they can see a dietician, because when you first get diabetes, you need to see a dietician, and a lot of physicians may not make that referral. So, I think that, from the get-go, knowing what type you have (or if there's going to be some sort of blood test or something done to figure out which type you have), and then helping your treatment mesh with your diet, from the beginning; that will make your life better.