Diabetes Specialist

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a collection of diseases that affect your body’s production and/or use of insulin, a hormone that converts glucose (blood sugar) into energy. 

People with diabetes either can’t produce insulin or don’t use the insulin they do produce effectively. 

The types of diabetes include: 

Type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that occurs when your immune system mistakenly attacks the insulin-producing cells in your pancreas. As a result, your body doesn’t produce insulin. A diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes usually occurs in childhood or young adulthood. 

Type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes usually affects middle-aged adults or the elderly. In this form, your body stops using insulin effectively. Type 2 diabetes can develop as a result of genetics but also due to lifestyle factors like diet, obesity, or sedentary living. More and more young people are starting to develop Type 2 diabetes. 

Gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy. It acts much like Type 2 diabetes but disappears after a woman gives birth. It does raise her risk of developing Type 2 diabetes later in life, however. 

What are the symptoms of diabetes?

Type 1 diabetes usually comes on suddenly with noticeable symptoms. Type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes develop more slowly and often don’t have noticeable symptoms. 

Suspect diabetes if you experience: 

• Increased thirst and hunger
• Frequent urination
• Blurry vision
• Slowly healing wounds
• Itchiness
• Yeast infections
• Extreme fatigue
• Skin changes
• Numbness and tingling in your hands and feet

Glucose tests – simple blood tests that measure your blood sugar – diagnose diabetes. If you have high levels of sugar in your blood, it indicates that insulin is not doing its job.

Some people may be diagnosed with elevated glucose but not quite at a level considered Type 2 diabetes. This is known as prediabetes. 

Patients with prediabetes need management to prevent the full development of Type 2 diabetes. An estimated 70% of people with prediabetes develop Type 2 diabetes if they don’t get intervention.

How is diabetes treated?

At Fulshear Medical Associates, Dr. Abrar customizes your diabetes management depending on your type, severity, and lifestyle. 

Lifestyle interventions like modifying your diet to reduce the intake of processed sugar and carbohydrates, reducing alcohol intake, and increasing your consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, can help lower your blood sugar levels. 

Adding more physical activity to your days also improves blood sugar levels. Lifestyle changes are often enough to eliminate prediabetes and prevent the full-blown development of the disease.

If you’re overweight, you can receive support in losing weight to help control prediabetes or Type 2 diabetes symptoms. 

Patients with Type 1 diabetes require replacement insulin in addition to lifestyle modifications. Some patients with Type 2 diabetes benefit from medications that help lower glucose levels, too. 

Get the diabetes care that helps you live a long, healthy life. We are a primary care practice and offer annual physicals. Call us to book your appointment today.