Managing the effects of a chronic medical condition and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can be difficult and overwhelming, but you don’t have to do it alone. Our Diabetes experts are compassionate, highly skilled physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, and dietitians who work closely with each other to tailor individual programs that will help people with diabetes lead healthier, happier lives. Our personalized approach to diabetes care, advanced treatment options, and easy-to-find locations will help you manage your condition over time.
Diabetes is a chronic condition that impacts how your body turns food into energy. There are three types of diabetes—type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes occurs when your body does not produce insulin. Insulin is a hormone that plays an important role in getting glucose from your bloodstream into the cells of the body. Type 1 diabetes can occur at any age, but is more common in younger and/or leaner patients. It can, however, be found in people of every race, gender, and size. It always requires insulin therapy, and a healthy lifestyle filled with proper diet and exercise is also important. Often times those with type 1 diabetes use an insulin pump to help with management.
Type 2 diabetes is more common than type 1, and occurs when your body can’t use insulin properly. Many people begin treatment with lifestyle changes and/or oral medications but do eventually require insulin. The team at the Rochester Regional Health Diabetes Center can help with any stage of type 2 diabetes.
Maintaining a healthy diet and fitness level are integral to managing your type 2 diabetes. Focusing on balanced meals that make you feel better is incredibly important. Your Diabetes Center provider can help you find the right nutrition plan to make the most of your type 2 diabetes.
Gestational diabetes is a condition in which blood sugar levels become elevated during pregnancy. Millions of women suffer from gestational diabetes during their pregnancy and go on to deliver healthy, happy babies. The key is acting quickly, because while it is a manageable diagnosis, gestational diabetes can be harmful for both you and your baby.
A gestational diabetes diagnosis does not mean that you had diabetes before pregnancy, or that you’ll have it after. While we still don’t know what causes gestational diabetes, we do know that sometimes the hormones in your body that support your baby’s growth also block the action of your insulin and cause insulin resistance. Insulin resistance makes it difficult for your body to use insulin and means you might need three times as much insulin to compensate.
Your Diabetes Center team will help you find the right plan to keep your blood sugar levels normal and your baby healthy.
People almost always have prediabetes before developing type 2 diabetes. Symptoms are usually absent or subtle, with blood tests showing sugar levels that are higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. Often times, changing diet and exercise patterns can prevent prediabetes from worsening to type 2 diabetes.
Our expert providers will test you for diabetes or prediabetes and develop a treatment plan for you to keep your prediabetes from developing further. Changes, both small and large, can have a huge impact on managing your diagnosis and health.
For many, there are no obvious signs of diabetes. Symptoms vary across types of diabetes and include:
There are many factors that go into a diabetes diagnosis. Your chances of having diabetes are increased if you:
If you are at risk for prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, small changes can make a big difference.
Our integrative clinical team offers specialized care for diabetes, including:
No matter the type of diabetes you have, the compassionate experts at Rochester Regional Health are here to help. Our individualized approach to diabetes care will help you manage your care and live a healthy, happy life.
