Diabetes Treatment

Family Medicine located in Lakeland, FL
Diabetes Treatment

Diabetes Treatment services offered in Lakeland, FL

Do you have to urinate often, and are you constantly thirsty? If so, it’s essential that you get screened for diabetes. At the offices of Sergio B. Seoane, MD, in Lakeland, Florida, Dr. Seoane offers screening and diabetes treatment to control your blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of diabetes-related complications. Call the office to schedule an appointment, or use the online scheduler today.

Diabetes Treatment Q & A

What is diabetes treatment?

Diabetes treatment involves using various methods to control glucose (sugar) levels in your bloodstream when you have diabetes. Diabetes is a common chronic disease that affects more more than 10% of the population.

If you have Type 1 diabetes, your body doesn’t make enough insulin to balance blood sugar levels properly. If you have Type 2 diabetes, your body doesn’t properly use insulin. Prediabetes appears before you develop diabetes and gestational diabetes happens during some pregnancies.

What are the symptoms of diabetes?

The most common diabetes symptoms include:

  • More infections
  • Increased thirst
  • Frequent urination
  • Unexplained weight loss
  • Blurry vision
  • Weakness
  • Fatigue
  • Irritability
  • Mood changes
  • Slow-healing sores

When left untreated, diabetes puts you at risk of nerve damage, foot problems, heart and kidney damage, dementia, eye damage, and hearing impairment. You might also suffer from depression and anxiety.

What are the risk factors for developing diabetes?

Diabetes results from a combination of lifestyle and genetics. Type 1 diabetes commonly appears during childhood due to genetic causes. Type 2 diabetes is usually diagnosed after 40 and is brought on by excess body weight and/or an unhealthy lifestyle.

Type 2 diabetes has exploded in the US. In 1958, less than 1% of Americans had the disease, but by 2015, that number had risen to 7.4% and is now around 10%. A fourth of those who have it are unaware of their situation.

The rise in Type 2 diabetes cases is attributed mainly to diet and body weight. The American diet, heavy in carbohydrates (sugar), causes weight gain and overworks the insulin the body makes to metabolize blood sugar.

Examples of Type 2 diabetes risk factors include:

  • Family history of diabetes
  • Older age
  • Carrying excess weight
  • Lack of exercise
  • Poor nutritional habits

A healthy diet, regular exercise, and maintaining an ideal body weight reduce your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

Do I need diabetes treatment?

Dr. Seoane diagnoses diabetes using a blood test. He also checks your vital signs and reviews your symptoms, medical history, and lifestyle before completing a physical exam. During the exam, he evaluates your breathing, heartbeat, nerve function, and more to look for signs of diabetes complications.

Which diabetes treatments are best for me?

Dr. Seoane offers various diabetes treatments, including lifestyle-change counseling, medically supervised weight loss, oral diabetes medicines, insulin injections, and insulin pumps. He tailors each diabetes treatment to your personalized needs. You’ll be asked to make lifestyle changes in addition to taking medications. 

If you need care from a specialist because of diabetes complications like heart disease or kidney disease, Dr. Seoane can refer you to one in your area.

Schedule an appointment with Sergio B. Seoane, MD, by calling the office or booking one online today.