Diabetes Conditions
If you or a family member has been diagnosed with diabetes, you may wonder where to turn for the specialized care you need. Find peace of mind in knowing that care is available close to home at the UK Barnstable Brown Diabetes Center.
While diabetes is a chronic medical condition, it shouldn’t be life-limiting. That is why the Barnstable Brown Diabetes Center offers patients what they need to manage diabetes in such a way that they can continue to work, play and pursue their goals. With a management plan in place, those with diabetes can live long and full lives.
In a spacious center with easy parking at UK HealthCare – Turfland on Harrodsburg Road in Lexington, KY, Barnstable Brown Diabetes Center provides a full spectrum of care for patients with diabetes, from diagnosis through effective management.
The team at Barnstable Brown Diabetes Center includes adult and pediatric endocrinologists, advanced practice providers, registered nurses, diabetes care and education specialists, and other professionals with expertise related to diabetes conditions. This multidisciplinary team works together with a singular goal in mind — providing patients with comprehensive diabetes care that’s convenient and effective.
Understanding diabetes
Diabetes is a common condition in the United States. Approximately 1 in 10 Americans have diabetes and 1 in 5 don’t know they have it. More than 1 in 3 American adults have prediabetes where blood glucose levels are higher than normal, increasing risk for developing type 2 diabetes.
Diabetes is a state of altered glucose (sugar) metabolism. When a person consumes food, glucose is absorbed by the intestine into the bloodstream. This glucose in the blood tells the body’s insulin-making organ, the pancreas, to make more insulin to help the body use this glucose for energy. When you develop diabetes, your body either isn’t making insulin or enough insulin, or your body isn’t using it well.
The exact cause varies by the type of diabetes. With type 1 diabetes, your body stops making insulin. With type 2 diabetes, your body may not make enough insulin and/or doesn’t use insulin efficiently. When this happens, your levels of blood glucose climb to an unhealthy level.
Elevated blood glucose can lead to a full range of diabetes symptoms. Over time, it can result in serious health issues, including heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, eye problems and nerve damage.
While the symptoms of diabetes can vary depending on the specific type of diabetes, there are some common symptoms of diabetes. These diabetes symptoms include:
- Increased thirst
- Increased need to urinate
- Extreme fatigue
- Blurry vision
- Dry skin
- Increased hunger
- More frequent infections
- Numb or tingling hands or feet
- Slow-healing wounds
- Unplanned weight loss
Those with type 1 diabetes may develop symptoms quickly. Symptoms of type 2 diabetes can develop slowly over months or even years as blood glucose levels increase. Due to the slower rise in glucose, those with type 2 diabetes may experience milder symptoms or even no symptoms at all.
If you experience the symptoms outlined above, talk with your primary care provider about next steps. A simple lab test can check your blood glucose levels and confirm whether diabetes is the cause.
Diabetes conditions we treat
While diabetes is defined as a condition causing elevated blood sugar, there are multiple types of diabetes conditions. The team of experts at UK Barnstable Brown Diabetes Center treats the following conditions:
- Type 1 diabetes in adults, which occurs when the body doesn’t produce insulin
- Type 2 diabetes in adults, which occurs when the body doesn’t use insulin effectively
- Type 1 diabetes in children, which occurs when a child’s body doesn’t produce insulin
- Type 2 diabetes in children, which occurs when a child’s body doesn’t use insulin effectively
- Gestational diabetes, which is diagnosed when blood glucose levels increase during pregnancy
- Prediabetes, which is diagnosed when blood glucose levels are elevated but not yet to the level of type 2 diabetes
- Lipid disorders, which occur when the body contains abnormal levels of lipids (fats) in the blood
Why choose UK Barnstable Brown Diabetes Center for diabetes care?
At Barnstable Brown Diabetes Center, we help our patients live fulfilling lives while living with diabetes by providing a comprehensive approach to care. Our in-house team includes physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, dietitians, a social worker and a pharmacist, all with specific expertise related to diabetes conditions. These professionals collaborate with other UK HealthCare medical providers and clinicians who help care for all aspects of a patient’s health. We also work closely with patients’ primary care providers to coordinate diabetes treatment and management.
After a diabetes diagnosis, patients receive a personalized diabetes management plan, which may include regular consultations with diabetes specialists and care providers, help with diabetes self-management, and diabetes education. If complications occur, our team works alongside other providers to offer coordinated care to treat and manage those complications.
Your care doesn’t end at the door of our center, either. Those who have diabetes may experience health conditions related to elevated blood glucose, including conditions affecting the eyes or nerves. UK HealthCare offers several support services for those who have diabetes conditions. This includes radiology, ophthalmology and optometry services, a laboratory, and a pharmacy.
When you seek care at Barnstable Brown Diabetes Center, you will receive the comprehensive care you need close to home.