Diabetes Resources

Team Approach to Care

At Southern Regional Medical Center, we offer the knowledge and insight of medical professionals representing a variety of disciplines who have special training in diabetes.

From our certified diabetes nurse educator and registered dieticians, to your primary care doctor, cardiologists, endocrinologists, ophthalmologists and social workers, we work closely with your professional team to ensure you have all the resources and knowledge necessary to successfully control diabetes.

What is Diabetes?

Your body produces insulin, a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches, and other food into energy for daily life.  When the body doesn't produce enough insulin or doesn't use it properly, you develop diabetes - a disease that can be controlled with the right care.  Following are the different types of diabetes:

  • Type 1 Diabetes - Results from your body's inability to produce insulin.  Approximately 5-10% of all people with diabetes have this type of diabetes, and it is usually diagnosed in children and young adults.
  • Type 2 Diabetes - Results from your body's failure to properly use insulin along with a lack of production of insulin.  Most Americans who have diabetes have Type 2.  Approximately 90% of people with diabetes have this type.
  • Pre-Diabetes - When blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough for a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes, a person is considered to have pre-diabetes.  This affects an estimated 54 million Americans.

Symptoms

If you have one or more of the following symptoms, see your physician right away:

  • Excessive thirst
  • Frequent urination
  • Extreme hunger
  • Unusual weight loss
  • Increased fatigue
  • Irritability
  • Blurry vision

Diagnosis and Prevention

Diabetes often goes untreated because the symptoms seem harmless.  Research shows that diagnosing diabetes early can often prevent or decrease the chances of developing more severe complications like kidney disease, heart attack, stroke, blindness, and even amputation.  To determine whether or not you have pre-diabetes or diabetes, please consult your physician, who may perform tests to determine if you are at risk. 

Being overweight, an unhealthy level of cholesterol, smoking, high blood glucose, high blood pressure, and physical inactivity all put you at risk for diabetes and heart disease.

Education is the Key to Living Well

The more you understand about diabetes or caring for someone with the disease, the more you can enjoy life.  At Southern Regional, we're here to help.

The Diabetes Resource Center at Southern Regional offers weekly education classes focusing on what causes diabetes and how it affects the body.  The classes also focus on blood glucose monitoring, medications used to treat diabetes, the prevention and detection of complications, nutrition, stress management and exercise. 

Daytime and evening classes are available, so click here or call (770) 541-1111 to schedule a class or get a physician referral.