Diabetes Specialist

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a condition that affects how your body processes glucose. Under normal circumstances, your body needs a certain level of glucose (or blood sugar) for energy, which it gets from the food you eat, as well as from your liver. But if there’s too much glucose in your blood, it can build up, causing serious cardiovascular problems. To prevent this, your pancreas creates insulin, the hormone responsible for regulating the blood sugar levels in your body.

With diabetes, there’s a problem with your insulin, causing your blood sugar levels to fluctuate dramatically, which can lead to serious health issues. The most common forms of diabetes include:

Type 1 diabetes

With type 1 diabetes, your body doesn’t produce enough insulin to regulate your glucose. This condition often comes on during childhood and occurs when the body mistakenly attacks the cells responsible for producing insulin. While there’s no cure for Type I diabetes, it can be well-managed with the help of experienced physicians like Drs. Surendran.

Type 2 diabetes

This is the more common form of the disease and it occurs when your body builds up a resistance to insulin and your pancreas can’t produce enough to keep your blood sugar levels in check. Type 2 diabetes often develops from excess weight, inactivity, and heredity, and can sometimes be reversed with lifestyle modifications. At the very least, adjustments to your weight through diet and exercise can make a big difference in the impact of the disease.

There are other forms of this disease, including gestational diabetes that can occur during pregnancy, but types 1 and 2 are the most common.

What are the signs of diabetes?

There are several red flags that may indicate diabetes, including:

• Excessive thirst and frequent urination
• Fatigue
• Weight loss
• Hunger
• Sores or wounds that are slow to heal

In its more advanced stages, diabetes can lead to vision loss and problems with peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage), especially in your feet.

This is why it’s important to keep up with your regular medical care at Rochester Primary Care so that Dr. Surendran can spot the early signs and take action.

How is diabetes treated?

The doctors at Rochester Primary Care have a number of effective treatment protocols to better manage the disease and prevent serious complications down the road. The first order of business is to regulate your blood sugar levels, which you and your doctor can accomplish through:

• Frequent blood sugar monitoring with testing kits
• Nutritional counseling
• Weight loss
• Exercise

Rest assured, the doctors are with you every step of the way as they help you gain control over your diabetes.

To learn more about managing, or preventing, diabetes, call Rochester Primary Care or use the online booking tool.