Diabetes

1 in 15 people have diabetes. There are two different types both of which are important. Diabetes is a serious condition where your blood glucose level is too high. It can happen when your body doesn't produce enough insulin or the insulin it produces isn't effective. Or, when your body can't produce any insulin at all. In all types of diabetes, glucose can’t get into your cells properly, so it begins to build up in your blood. And too much glucose in your blood causes a lot of different problems.

Type 1 diabetes is where your body is unable to make any insulin at all, these people have to inject insulin and these people are seen by hospital diabetic services. This usually presents in young people or children. Our specialist team in the surgery are able to assist these patients with queries about their treatment plan but all these type 1 patients should also be under the hospital diabetic team.

Type 2 diabetes is more common, in this condition the insulin you make either can’t work effectively, or you can’t produce enough of it to control your sugars. Lifestyle measures, weight loss, tablets and injections can be used to control this type of diabetes.

If diabetes is not adequately controlled then it can cause damage to the body most notably to the kidneys (can lead to kidney failure) the eyes (can lead to blindness) and the feet (causing pain or ulceration or even amputations).  If diabetes is well controlled then the risk of developing problems related to diabetes is much reduced. This is why managing diabetes, even if you have very little symptoms, is so important – to keep you healthy for your future.

All of our doctors can discuss diabetes testing with you and provide support and treatment for diabetes. We have 2 doctors who have a special interest in the management of diabetes.  Your usual doctor may recommend to you or you may choose to see one of our specialist diabetes doctors. Dr Abigail Griffiths sees patients specifically regarding diabetes at L’Aumone surgery and Dr Alia Anderson sees patients specifically related to diabetes at St Sampsons.

If you would like to book in a specialist diabetes consultation please call the site you wish to be seen at and tell them you would like a diabetic assessment appointment and our administration team can assist you with this.