If you've just been diagnosed with diabetes, you're going to have a lot of questions about how the disease will affect your life.

Diabetes patient Ed Fife says "I was diagnosed with diabetes in January. I got pneumonia when I got back from Christmas last year and I went to the doctor with that, and that was when he determined that I was diabetic, so it was a double whammy kind of thing."

At first being diagnosed with diabetes was a "whammy" for Ed, but as he looks back, he sees there were some warning signs that he probably just ignored. "I probably should have you know, thirsty a lot, I would go to the bathroom a lot, that type of things, but that wasn't something that I noticed and I probably should have been more aware."

Although most people feel devastated when diagnosed with diabetes certified diabetic educator Jeanne Struve says there is some good news to look at. "When you are diagnosed with heart disease or cancer there's not a lot you can do yourself, but when it comes to type 2 diabetes there's so much you can do. This is something that you can manage."

Ed also says, "They signed me up to take a class and it was a great bit of information and reminder to help me manage it."

Jeanne also says that taking the class and talking with their doctor and a certified diabetic educator can help diabetics better manage their disease. "When you look at diabetes it's not a one size fits all disease. There are several different types of diabetes but even beyond that if you have four people sitting here and all 4 of them have type 2 diabetes, it can be affecting them differently."

The bottom line is that diabetes is not cured but is managed, and its best managed with a proper diet and plenty of exercise.

If you have diabetes you may want to talk to your doctor about steps you can take to better manage your disease. Or you can call 239-277-2951 to find a local certified diabetic educator.