1120 S Belcher Rd , Suite 2, Largo FL 33771

Diabetes Treatment in Largo, FL

Diabetes Treatment in Largo, FL

Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when there are high levels of sugar in your blood. The condition affects more than 20 million people in the United States alone. Here's a brief explanation of what happens in a patient's body when they are suffering from diabetes:

When we eat, our digestive system converts the food into a sugar called glucose, which is the fuel that our bodies use to operate. Glucose enters the blood stream and travels to all the cells in your body. While this is happening, our pancreas produces a chemical called insulin. Insulin helps our cells absorb the glucose.

Diabetes can refer to two different scenarios. In one instance the body doesn't produce enough insulin, so the glucose cannot be properly absorbed by their cells. This condition is called Type 1 diabetes and it is mostly found in children, teens, or young adults.

In the second scenario a person's body may be producing enough insulin, but for some reason their cells resist it, causing the glucose levels to build up in their blood . This is called Type 2 diabetes and it mostly affects adults. It is also the most common form of diabetes.

Symptoms of Diabetes

In cases of Type 1 diabetes, the symptoms develop quickly and are generally apparent by the time a diagnosis is made. Type 2 diabetes develops over time, and it could be years before the patient even knows they have it. A third type of diabetes is called gestational diabetes. Unlike the other two types, gestational diabetes is a temporary condition. It happens to some women during pregnancy when their placenta produces hormones that cause their cells to resist insulin.

With any case of diabetes, there are symptoms that appear sooner, and some that develop over time. Some of the earlier symptoms include:

Some of the symptoms that appear over time include:

  • Eye problems including sensitivity to light or blindness.
  • Sores and infections on your feet and skin. If left untreated, this condition could lead to the removal of a limb.
  • Nerve damage that causes pain, tingling, and loss of feeling. It could eventually create problems with your digestive system, loss of control over your bathroom functions, and erectile dysfunction in men.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Diabetes

The most common way for doctors to diagnose diabetes is by administering a urine or blood test to check sugar levels in your blood. Because some cases of diabetes don't initially show any symptoms, any person over the age of 45 should be regularly tested. It is also recommended that any children or adults dealing with weight problems also schedule periodic diabetes screenings.

Unfortunately there is no cure for Type 1 diabetes, and patients will have to take insulin injections the rest of their life to regulate the sugar levels in their blood. Insulin injections are ordinarily short-acting, but immediate-acting insulin like NPH insulin can be taken if necessary.

Type 2 diabetes can often be controlled with lifestyle changes. Your doctor will likely run specialized tests to determine the level of insulin resistance and design a plan for you with the goal of reversal or diet control. Your doctor may also use several supplements in order to replace in the body the things it needs most to naturally control the blood sugar. One of the most common causes of Type 2 diabetes is being overweight because an excess of fat cells in the body makes it more difficult for the other cells to absorb insulin properly. In these cases, your doctor may recommend a program that includes a combination of medication, dieting , and exercise.

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Hours and Directions
Peaks of Health Metabolic Medical Center
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Address

1120 S Belcher Rd
Suite 2
Largo, FL 33771
(727) 826-0838
www.peaksofhealth.com

Hours

Mon: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Tue: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Wed: 7:00 am - 5:00 pm
Thu: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Fri: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Areas We Service:

Pinellas County, FL, Brandon, FL, Tampa, FL, Bay Pines, FL, Belleair Beach, FL, Clearwater, FL, Clearwater Beach, FL, Dunedin, FL, Indian Rocks Beach, FL, Oldsmar, FL, Palm Harbor, FL, Pinellas Park, FL, Safety Harbor, FL, Saint Petersburg, FL, Seminole, FL