Type 2 Diabetes
🧬 Endocrine / Metabolic
FFH Network × American Diabetes Association × [Your Endocrinology / Primary Care Clinic]
🩸 Force Field Fact Sheet · #3

Build Your Force Field for Type-2 Diabetes

A one-page primer on Type-2 Diabetes — the most common cardiometabolic condition in the U.S. Sixteen squares of essential knowledge, skills, resources and actions. Read it cold. Click any square to go deeper. Earn your Certified Prepared Patient · Type-2 Diabetes badge by completing the full course.

Tell Me So I Can Understand

If you ever need to explain your Type 2 Diabetes in 30 seconds — to a coworker, a new partner, a teacher, a coach, a stranger who’s with you when something happens — start with this.

“I have type 2 diabetes. My body doesn’t handle blood sugar well, so I check it regularly and take medication to keep it in range. I wanted you to know because if I look pale and sweaty, can’t think straight, or pass out, my blood sugar may be too low — please give me juice or candy fast. If I’m unresponsive and you’re not sure, call 911.”

That’s the four-beat structure of every good disclosure: name it · explain it in one plain sentence · why you’re sharing · what you want them to do. Use your own words — that’s a starting line, not a script. Three pocket versions for specific people are at the bottom of this page.

📋 Open the Prepared Visit Tool Skills Lab → Talk to Your Care Team →
🧍
Patient

Live with T2D day-to-day.

👨‍👩‍👧
Family / Caregiver

Support someone with T2D.

💼
Employer / HR / School

Accommodate, support a teammate.

🎓
Health Student

Phlebotomy, nursing, MA, learner.

🎯Three Phases · One Force Field

Every square belongs to one of three content types — not three levels you climb. They tell you what kind of square you’re reading: a concept to understand, a habit to live, or a way to share what you’ve learned. Where you actually track personal progress is your Prepared Patient Course (modules completed) and the Skills Lab (skills signed off). Inside each square’s detail panel, the four sections — Concepts · Skills · Actions · Plan — are the building blocks of these phases. Read each square with that ladder in mind.

📘 Learn It Content type

Identity earned: Self-Advocate. The "know" — head knowledge, definitions, mental model of SCD and its red flags.

Concepts
→

🛠 Live It Content type

Identity earned: Care-Team Member. The "do" — daily skills you can demonstrate and this-week actions that turn skills into habits.

SkillsActions
→

🛡️Your Force Field — 16 Squares

Click any square to open its detail panel. Each square is a tile in your shield. Keep clicking, learning, and acting — your Force Field gets stronger every step.

Primer What This Is Read it cold and you'll know what it is.
1📖

What Is Type-2 Diabetes?

Your body can't use insulin well, so blood sugar runs high. A1c ≥6.5% diagnoses it. Long-term high sugar damages eyes, kidneys, nerves, and vessels — but most damage is preventable with control.

Primer
2🫀

360 Human Anatomy
Endocrine / Vascular

Pancreas → insulin → cells → glucose. In T2D the cells stop responding well, glucose runs high, and downstream organs (eyes, kidneys, nerves, vessels) take damage over years.

Anatomy
3👥

Who Gets It?

~37M Americans (1 in 10). Another ~96M have prediabetes. Risk rises with age, weight, family history, sedentary lifestyle, sleep apnea, gestational diabetes history. Higher rates in AA, Hispanic, AI/AN, Asian American populations.

Primer
4📊

The Numbers

~37M U.S. adults with T2D · ~$413B/yr U.S. cost · 7th leading cause of death · most damage prevented with A1c at goal · 1 in 5 don't know they have it.

Primer
Learn It Condition Literacy Identity earned: Self-Advocate (Content type)
5🧠

Know My Numbers

A1c (3-month average glucose), fasting glucose, time-in-range. Most adults' A1c goal is <7%. Know yours. Bring your glucose log to every visit.

Learn It
6💊

Master Meds & Devices

Metformin first-line. GLP-1 agonists (semaglutide, tirzepatide) for cardiometabolic patients. Insulin when needed. SGLT2 for kidney/heart. CGM or fingerstick monitoring.

Learn It
7🚨

Spot Red Flags Early

DKA signs (fruity breath, nausea, fast breathing, confusion) · severe hypoglycemia (shaking, sweating, confusion, seizure) · foot infection · rapid vision change · stroke FAST signs. Some are 911.

Learn It
8🥗

Lifestyle Force Field

Low-glycemic eating · 150 min/week movement · 7+ hours sleep (sleep apnea worsens glucose) · weight loss (5–10% drops A1c measurably) · alcohol moderation · stress + breathing skills.

Learn It
Live It Care & System Literacy Identity earned: Care-Team Member (Content type)
9🩺

Make Every Visit Count

Bring your glucose log (or download CGM data). List 3 questions. Do teach-back. Ask: "What's my A1c goal?" "If you were me, what would you do?" Map next steps.

Live It
10🤝

Care Team Members

Primary care, endocrinologist (if needed), CDCES (diabetes educator), RD/dietitian, pharmacist, ophthalmologist (annual eye), podiatrist (foot care), behavioral health, peer mentor.

Live It
11📱

Telemedicine & Tech

Video visits for glucose review, CGM data sharing with team, MyChart, smart pens, wearables for activity/sleep, GLP-1 telehealth pathways. Most T2D visits can be virtual.

Tech
12💳

Insurance & Cost

Metformin is cheap generic. GLP-1s and CGMs need prior auth. Co-pay help: NeedyMeds, manufacturer programs, ADA assistance. Medicare covers DSMT (Diabetes Self-Management Training).

Live It
Share It Advocacy & Ambassadorship Identity earned: Ambassador (Content type)
13⚖️

Equity & the 4-Way Cluster

T2D rates higher in AA, Hispanic, AI/AN, Asian American populations. T2D + HTN + OSA + SCD = compounded vascular damage and the highest preventable-stroke burden in AA populations. Screen for the cluster.

Share It
14🎤

Teach, Mentor, Ambassador

Teach your family their A1c numbers. Cook DASH-style with your partner. Mentor a newly-diagnosed neighbor. Speak at church, employer, community center about prevention.

Share It
15📨

Share Insights with Clinicians

Bring CGM data. Write a short "what worked, what didn't, what we learned" letter. Help train residents on insulin starts and GLP-1 onboarding. Patient stories change practice.

Share It
16🔬

Join the ROI Study

PHIT — Population Health Impact Tracking. Aggregate & anonymous. Help prove this program reduces A1c, ED visits, and total cost of care for T2D populations.

Study

🩺 Hand-off to my Clinician

Print and bring to your next visit. This page tells your care team what you have prepared for, what you want to focus on, and how you would like to participate as an active member of the team.

  • I am a Prepared Patient in training for Type-2 Diabetes. I have reviewed all 16 squares of this Force Field Fact Sheet.
  • I have started building my Health Passport, my Red Flag list, and my glucose log / CGM data to bring to every visit.
  • I want to teach back what I have learned and have you correct anything I have misunderstood — especially around my A1c goal, insulin/GLP-1 dosing, hypoglycemia, and when to call vs. when to go to the ED.
What helps my visit

Two minutes for me to teach back. One question I prepared. My glucose log on my phone. Confirm my A1c goal on the chart.

What I am working on

Hitting my A1c goal · medication adherence (esp. GLP-1 / insulin) · low-glycemic eating · CGM technique · sleep apnea screen · annual eye + foot + kidney screens · cardiometabolic comorbidity awareness.

How I want to participate

Shared decisions. Full med list before changes. Tell me your top 1–2 priorities so we agree. Use the AHRQ SHARE Approach. Help me see my numbers, not just my prescription. Talk to me about cardiometabolic comorbidity (HTN, OSA, CKD).

🔬 Help Prove This Works — Join the FFH ROI & PHIT Study

The Prepared Patient program is being studied to see whether better preparation actually reduces ER visits, hospital stays, and total cost of care — for you and for the people in your circle of influence. Your participation is voluntary, your data is aggregated and anonymized, and you can withdraw at any time.

✓
Yes — I want to be counted. I agree to share aggregate, de-identified outcomes (visits, admissions, self-reported quality of life, badge progress) with the FFH ROI Engine and PHIT research collaborative for the purpose of validating this program. I understand I will receive periodic summaries and can opt out by emailing research@theforceforhealth.com.
✓ Thank you — you're enrolled. We'll email you a confirmation and study ID.

➕ Add-On Force Field Card · Device or Skill Mastery

If your care plan adds a medical device or new skill, bolt on a 5-step Add-On Card. For T2D common bolt-ons include: CGM onboarding (Dexcom, Libre), GLP-1 injection technique, insulin pen mastery, low-glycemic meal planning, foot inspection routine, glucometer technique, MyChart messaging.

1
Introduce

What it is, why it matters, what it does

2
Coach

Watch a demo + walk-through

3
Practice

Do it with a coach watching

4
Train

Use it daily with a check-in

5
Test

Demonstrate competence + earn badge

Ready to go deeper?

The Prepared Patient · Type-2 Diabetes course turns this fact sheet into a guided journey: pre/post knowledge checks, teach-back, CGM training, badge tests, and your printable Health Passport. Earn Aware → Active → Certified.

Open the Full Course →

📖 Square

Tier · Stamp

Detail copy goes here.

Concepts Learn It

What you need to know.

    Skills Live It

    What you can do.

      Actions Live It

      What you do this week.

        Plan

        How you carry it forward.

          🧍 Patient

          👨‍👩‍👧 Family

          💼 Employer

          🎓 Student

          Open in Prepared Patient course →
          How to Talk to Your Care Team

          Three things to learn before you actually need them: when to use which door, how to describe a symptom, and what good questions look like.

          This is the teaching. The fillable forms, editable question lists, printable summaries, and post-visit teach-back live in the Prepared Visit Tool. Trackers live in your Prepared Patient Course.

          When something happens — which door do I use?

          Diabetes lives in a range. Most days you stay in range with attention. The ladder helps for the days you don’t.

          1

          Handle at home

          • Blood sugar 80-180 most of the day (or your individualized target range)
          • Mild thirst on a busy day — corrects with water + a meal
          • One reading slightly outside target with an obvious cause

          Log it. Watch for patterns over a week.

          2

          Call the office / message the portal

          • A1C trending up at last visit
          • Fasting sugars persistently above target for a week+
          • New foot wound that’s slow to heal
          • Running low on insulin or oral meds
          • Side effect from a recent dose change

          Same day. Don’t wait for the annual visit.

          3

          Urgent / Acute care

          • Blood sugar consistently >300
          • New foot wound with redness, drainage, or warmth
          • Sick day — vomiting that prevents keeping meds down
          • Numbness or burning in feet that’s new

          Urgent care. Bring your glucose log and current meds.

          4

          ER NOW / call 911

          • Blood sugar <50 with confusion, sweating, or unresponsiveness that doesn’t respond to juice/glucose tabs
          • Blood sugar >400 with vomiting, fast breathing, fruity breath, dehydration (DKA risk)
          • Foot wound with red streaks, fever, or pus
          • Chest pain (diabetics often have atypical symptoms)
          • Severe abdominal pain with high blood sugar

          ER now. Glucagon if you have it for severe lows.

          How to tell your doctor about a new symptom in 30 seconds

          Six questions clinicians listen for every time. Give all six and you cut their detective work in half.

          1
          What is it?

          The sensation in plain words.

          2
          How bad?

          0-10 scale or compare to your worst.

          3
          When did it start?

          Date, time, what you were doing.

          4
          What made it worse?

          Movement · food · meds · rest — anything you tried.

          5
          What helped?

          What brought it down even a little.

          6
          What else was new?

          Fever, new med, new supplement, alcohol, stress, missed dose. The thing you almost forget to mention is usually the thing that changes the diagnosis.

          Worked example — the Type 2 Diabetes version

          “I’ve been more tired this week, it’s a 4 most days, started after a stressful week at work, exercise doesn’t help, eating earlier in the day helps, and my fasting sugars are running 160-180 instead of my usual 120.”

          Questions worth asking — what good questions look like

          These are examples of what to ask. Read them so you know what a strong question sounds like. When you’re actually preparing for a visit, the Prepared Visit Tool lets you check the ones you want, write your own, and print or send them to the portal.

          Four that apply to every patient, every condition, every visit:

          1. “Could this be a side effect of one of my medications, a supplement, or something else I’m doing — and should we change that?”
          2. “Would any non-drug therapy help — physical therapy, meditation, rest, ice or heat?”
          3. “If I can’t afford this medication or this test, can we talk about samples, alternatives, or a social worker who can help?”
          4. “What should I be watching for between now and my next visit — and when do I handle it myself, when do I call your office, when do I go to urgent care, and when do I go to the ER?”

          Questions specifically for Type 2 Diabetes

          1. “What’s my A1C target, and why that target for me specifically?”
          2. “Am I a candidate for a GLP-1 agonist or an SGLT2 inhibitor — and what would change your recommendation?”
          3. “How often should I get a foot exam, an eye exam, and kidney function checks?”
          4. “What’s my sick-day plan if I can’t keep food or meds down?”
          5. “Should I have a glucagon kit at home — and who should know how to use it?”
          What to Tell People in Your Life

          Three pocket versions of your “Tell Me So I Can Understand” — for specific people, specific moments.

          Same four beats: name it · explain it · why you’re sharing · what you want them to do. Tuned for who you’re talking to.

          💼

          For a coworker or boss

          “I have type 2 diabetes. If you ever see me pale, sweaty, or confused, please offer me juice or candy — that’s low blood sugar, not anything else. My glucose tabs are in my [desk/bag]. Most days it’s a non-issue.”
          👫

          For a partner, friend, or housemate

          “I have type 2 diabetes. My medications are in [where]. My glucose meter is in [where]. If I’m confused or sweating, check my sugar — if it’s low, give me juice or glucose tabs. If I’m unresponsive and we have glucagon, use it and call 911. My sick-day rules are written in my Health Passport.”
          🚑

          For a first responder or ER team

          “I have type 2 diabetes. My current meds are [list, including any insulin and dose]. My last A1C was [value]. My usual fasting glucose runs [range]. I’m allergic to [allergies]. My endocrinologist or PCP is at [name · phone].”

          📋 Want this card built for you — with your medications, allergies, and care team already filled in? Take the Prepared Patient · Type 2 Diabetes course and we’ll build you a personalized Emergency Card — print-ready, phone-ready, wallet-sized. Carry it. Save it to your phone’s medical ID. Give one to the person you live with.