WellMed has hundreds of experienced diabetes doctors across Florida and Texas. We know a diabetes diagnosis can be scary. Our skilled diabetes experts are here to help you every step of the way. From diagnosis and testing to treatment and follow-up care, our diabetes doctors make all the difference when it comes to keeping diabetes symptoms under control and preventing complications. With the proper care, you can manage your diabetes symptoms and live well.

Our diabetes treatment and services

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  Diagnosis

  Diabetes doesn’t always have warning signs. There are blood tests that can offer answers. A diabetes doctor (who may also be your primary care doctor) —sometimes called an endocrinologist — may order a fasting blood sugar test or hemoglobin A1C test.

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  Medication

  Depending on your type of diabetes, your diabetes doctor/primary care physician or endocrinologist may prescribe insulin, oral medication or injectable medication as part of your diabetes treatment.

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  Management

  Your endocrinologist or diabetes doctor/primary care physician will rely on more than medicine to manage your blood sugar level. Diabetes treatment involves healthy eating, exercise and more. In fact, some people are able to manage their diabetes solely with healthy eating and being more active.

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  Education

  Diabetes raises the risk for stroke, heart attack, kidney failure and other health issues. An important part of diabetes treatment is understanding all its risks and working with your doctor to help prevent those complications.

Our diabetes expertise

WellMed is a leader in keeping older adults healthy. With hundreds of diabetes doctors in our network, we provide the diabetes care our patients need to live healthier lives. Regular checkups with your diabetes doctor/primary care physician are a good place to start.

“Good diabetes care involves a personalized treatment plan,” says Immanuel Amissah, MD. “Left unchecked, high blood sugar damages vital organs and opens the door to other serious health issues.”

“We take a 360-degree approach to diabetes care,” Dr. Amissah explains. “Our diabetes services go beyond clinical steps. WellMed also offers free diabetes education classes in English and Spanish.”

“Our diabetes doctors are proud to support patients with diabetes services that combine excellent care with education to empower them,” adds Dr. Amissah.

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What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a life-threatening disease. More than 38 million Americans have some form of diabetes. There are three main types: type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes. An even larger number of people — more than 97 million — have prediabetes, a condition in which blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be considered type 2 diabetes.

With diabetes, your body no longer makes enough insulin or uses the insulin it makes. Insulin controls the amount of sugar (glucose) in the blood stream. Too much sugar in the blood stream starves cells of the energy they need to work properly. Diabetes also increases inflammation in the arteries. When the arteries swell, blood can’t flow through them easily. Your organs don’t receive enough blood to do their job.

Type 1 diabetes

This form of diabetes is caused by an autoimmune disorder. With type 1 diabetes, the body attacks itself and destroys insulin-producing cells made in the pancreas. Without insulin, blood sugar can’t get inside cells to fuel them. Instead, it stays in the bloodstream and cells starve. Children and young adults are most likely to develop type 1 diabetes. For this reason, it is often called juvenile diabetes. Still, type 1 diabetes can affect people of every age. Those diagnosed with type 1 diabetes must carefully monitor their blood sugar level and take insulin every day as prescribed by their diabetes doctor. Currently, diabetes specialists and endocrinologists are not sure how to prevent type 1 diabetes, but with good diabetes care, those with type 1 diabetes can live a long, healthy life.

Type 2 diabetes

This is the most common form of diabetes. About 95% of people with the disease have type 2 diabetes. People over the age of 45 are most at risk. Still, a growing number of children and teens are developing type 2 diabetes, too, due to widespread obesity. With type 2 diabetes, the pancreas still makes insulin, but the cells don’t absorb it or use it the way they should. This is called insulin resistance. To compensate, the pancreas makes even more insulin trying to help cells get the fuel they need. The cycle continues until the pancreas can no longer keep up. Blood sugar keeps rising to dangerous levels in the bloodstream. Type 2 diabetes boosts the risk for heart disease, kidney disease, vision loss and more. Left untreated, type 2 diabetes can be life-threatening. That’s why good diabetes care from a diabetes doctor or endocrinologist is so important.

Gestational diabetes

Up to 10% of pregnancies are affected by gestational diabetes. It happens when the pancreas can’t make enough insulin to fuel the body’s cells during pregnancy. Gestational diabetes can also be triggered by hormonal changes and weight gain that are normal parts of pregnancy. These changes can cause cells to use insulin less effectively (insulin resistance). Gestational diabetes usually develops between week 25 and 28 of pregnancy. A simple blood test will reveal gestational diabetes. If you are diagnosed with the condition, it doesn’t mean you had diabetes before your pregnancy, or that you will have it after your delivery. Blood sugar levels usually return to normal once your child is born. During pregnancy, gestational diabetes is very treatable. With proper insulin management and/or healthy eating, both you and your baby can enjoy a healthy pregnancy and birth.

Prediabetes

Prediabetes offers a chance to avoid a life-changing disease. Although blood sugar levels are higher than normal with prediabetes, they’re not high enough to trigger type 2 diabetes. With some lifestyle changes, individuals with prediabetes can fend off full-blown diabetes. Reaching and maintaining a healthy weight is the single most important thing you can do to reduce your risk for diabetes. Studies show even a modest weight loss of just five to seven percent of your body weight (about 10 to 14 pounds for a 200-pound person), combined with regular exercise, can lower the risk of developing diabetes by nearly 60 percent. Eating healthy foods and avoiding sugary drinks also helps.

Diabetes symptoms and signs

• Frequent urination: “Many people with diabetes have to make a lot of trips to the bathroom, often at night,” says Dr. Amissah. “They may think having to go all the time is just a normal part of growing older, but it’s actually symptom of high blood sugar and sometimes diabetes. When too much sugar builds up in the blood, the kidneys can’t filter and absorb it all. So, the extra sugar gets flushed out of the body in urine.”
• Feeling thirsty: “Feeling really thirsty a lot of the time is often one of the early signs of diabetes,” explains Dr. Amissah. “Let untreated, high blood sugar taxes the body. The kidneys can’t keep up. They can’t filter all that excess sugar, so they flush it out in urine. Fluids get pulled from every part of your body to make that urine. All those bathroom trips can lead to dehydration. That’s why feeling like you’re thirsty all the time is a telltale diabetes symptom you should pay attention to.”
• Blurry vision: “One of the early signs of diabetes can be a change in your eyesight. You may notice your vision seems blurry,” says Dr. Amissah. “Left untreated, high blood sugar pulls fluid from the body’s tissue — even your eyes. Without enough fluid to keep them moist, the eyes can’t focus the way they should. The good news is, when diabetes is under control, many diabetes symptoms go away. With the eyes, their focus often returns.”
• Tingling, pain or numbness: “When blood sugar remains high for long periods of time, it can damage delicate nerves — especially nerves in our extremities,” says Dr. Amissah. “Some of the most painful diabetes symptoms are burning, tingling and numbness felt in the arms, hands, legs and feet. When these episodes flare up, it can make walking and any type of movement difficult. Suddenly, simple motor skills we often take for granted and need for daily life are painful and hard to do.”
• Cuts and bruises that heal slowly: “High blood sugar puts a lot of stress on your body,” says [insert physician’s name]. “Even your immune system pays a price. One of the most serious diabetes symptoms is poor circulation. Your blood doesn’t move through the body the way it should. Nutrients that help the skin heal don’t get delivered as quickly to wound and injury sites. Neither do the white blood cells your skin needs to fight bacteria and other germs that cause infections.”

Frequently asked questions: Diabetes

Want to learn more about diabetes? Read these articles.

• Understanding diabetes
• Do you know how diabetes affects your health over time?
• Don’t let your holiday number creep higher; watch the scale and your blood sugar
• Symptoms of diabetes
• The path to understanding diabetes starts here

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