Growing Up

Teens deal with a lot of changes in their bodies as they mature. Both guys and girls will have big physical and hormonal changes. Those same hormones that cause puberty and make your face break out make it good diabetes care tough. Your blood glucose may go up and down a lot more, giving you unexplained highs and lows. It may seem like your diabetes treatment is being adjusted every other week. Try to hang in there though. Good diabetes care is essential to your growth and health, both now and in the future. And the craziness of puberty won't last forever.

As your body changes, you may be moody or irritable more often. You may have to check your blood glucose a little more often to help you distinguish between a normal bad mood and hypoglycemia. You may feel down a lot, angry, or more stressed about diabetes than usual. Learn how diabetes can affect your emotions.

Teenage girls may find that their menstrual cycle affects their diabetes. If you notice a monthly pattern of change in your bg levels, talk to your doctor about it. You may be able to make some adjustments to compensate.