If you’re currently living with diabetes, you’ll know that it’s a complicated illness that affects all sorts of parts of the body. It’s not just related to the pancreas, but pretty much every other tissue and organ. For this reason, you need to work with multiple medical professionals and specialists to manage the condition. If you don’t, you could miss something that could then lead to a worsening of your health in the future.
Primary care manager or provider
The first group of people you want to work with is your primary care manager or a provider. This should be a family doctor or a general physician who can handle routine tests, like measuring your HbA1c level.
Your doctor or primary care manager should be your first port of call. They should also be the person who can organise and curate the rest of your care so that you’re put in touch with the right specialist.
Endocrinologist
Diabetes is a hormone-related condition resulting from an inability of the body to either produce enough insulin or use it effectively. Endocrinologists are specialists who deal with hormone-related conditions, so they can tell you if your blood sugar is under control or help you if you need to use an insulin pump. They’re particularly effective for patients who have type 1 diabetes, where the pancreas simply doesn’t produce enough insulin or none at all. In this case, endocrinologists can track exogenous insulin levels to ensure you can continue to shuttle sugar into cells.
Eye expert
Working with an eye specialist is also critical for patients with diabetes. The retina and tissue at the back of the eye are among the most sensitive in the body to elevated blood glucose levels. Many medical professionals see it as the canary in the coal mine for uncontrolled diabetes. Historically, diabetes patients had terrible eye health, and many of them went blind. High blood sugar levels meant that the retina became too damaged for it to be able to process incoming light signals.
An eye specialist can assist with this, monitor the condition of the retina, and tell you whether you need to pay more attention to your blood sugar control. They can also perform various surgeries on the back of the eye and improve the medical situation.
At the same time, diabetes can cause nerve damage or neuropathy in the lower limbs, often resulting from poor blood flow. Therefore, podiatrists are often a critical element in the medical team for people living with diabetes. They can treat minor foot cuts and blisters that could worsen to abscesses if left uncontrolled. It’s worth going to a podiatrist at least once per year if you have diabetes to check for any complications.
Dentist
Finally, you’ll need to work with the dentist. Usually, you’ll have one anyway, but if you’re living with diabetes, you’re at a higher risk of gum disease and oral infections because of the effects of high blood sugar levels on gum tissue. Make sure you go to the dentist every six months for gum cleanings. Don’t allow any plaque or tartar to grow under the surface of the gums. This can lead to gum disease.
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