What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is the name given to a group of different conditions in which there is too much glucose in the blood. The pancreas either cannot make insulin or the insulin it does make is not enough and connot work properly. Without insulin doing its job, glucose builds up in the blood leading to high blood glucose levels which cause the health problems linked to diabetes.
There are two main types of diabetes. Type 1 is less common usually affecting children and young adults but it can occur at any age. Type 2 is a lifestyle disease affecting 85-90% of all people with diabetes. It usually occurs in adults but younger people and even children are now getting this lifestyle disease.
What are the man symptoms of diabetes?
In type 1 diabetes, symptoms are often sudden and can be life-threatening, therefore it is usually diagnosed quite quickly. In type 2 diabetes, many people have no symptoms at all, while other signs can go unnoticed because they are seen a part of ‘getting older’. Therefore, by the time symptoms are noticed, complications of diabetes may already be present.
Common symptoms include:
– Being more thirsty then usual – Going to the toilet more often especially at night
– Having cuts that heal slowly – Itching, skin infections or rashes
– Blurred vision – Unexplained weight loss
– Weight Changes – Mood Swings
– Headaches – Feeling Dizzy
– Pain or Tingling in the legs or feet – Feeling tired and lethargic
– Always feeling hungry
Who will help me?
A lifelong condition like diabetes is best managed with the support of a diabetes team, of which you are the most important member. Other members include your doctor, a diabetes educator, dietitian and podiatrist. Depending on your needs the team may also include medical specialists, exercise physiologist and counsellors. At Conder Surgery we have our Practice Nurse, Dot trained as a Diabetes Educator to help you along your journey and answer any questions you have. Dot completes a yearly Diabetes Assessment with all of our diabetic patients to ensure they are on the right path to a healthy life style. During these visits Dot makes referrals to all of the above mentioned allied health providers where it is required. We also have a Dietitian and Exercise Physiologist visiting our practice to help make your health journey easier.
