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Diabetes Specialist

Wesley Chapel Internal Medicine and Pediatrics

Comprehensive Family Medicine & Aesthetic & Wellness Clinic located in Seven Oaks Professional Park, Wesley Chapel, FL

As many as 30.3 million people in the United States are living with diabetes, with many more unaware they have the disease. At Wesley Chapel Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, internal medicine specialist Manish Shah, MD, offers diagnostic testing and treatment for Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Dr. Shah also provides routine screenings, including glucose tolerance testing, if you have a family history of diabetes. To schedule a diabetes screening, call the office in Wesley Chapel, Florida, or request an appointment online today.

Diabetes Q & A

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects how your body processes the sugar from your diet. Normally, your body converts the sugar into the energy you need to function optimally with the assistance of the hormone insulin. When you have diabetes, this process doesn’t work properly.

There are two main types of diabetes:

Type 1

In Type 1 diabetes, your body doesn’t make insulin to support this process, which causes blood sugar levels to remain consistently high. Without treatment, Type 1 diabetes can lead to long-term health issues, including heart damage, nerve damage, and premature death.

Type 2

In Type 2 diabetes, your body doesn’t make enough insulin to convert sugar into energy or doesn’t use the insulin it produces effectively. Type 2 diabetes typically develops due to a poor diet and an inactive lifestyle.

There’s another type of diabetes that affects pregnant women, causing high blood sugar levels throughout pregnancy. This condition usually resolves after childbirth.

If you have high blood sugar levels that aren’t high enough to be diabetes, you may be diagnosed as having prediabetes.

How is diabetes diagnosed?

If you have symptoms of diabetes, like excessive thirst, unexplained weight changes, or vision changes, Dr. Shah requests an in-office blood test to measure the levels of sugar in your blood.

You may also need routine diabetes screening if you have a family history or risk factors for the disease. Dr. Shah offers the gold standard glucose tolerance test to diagnose Type 2 diabetes, which involves testing your blood after you drink a sugary solution.

How is diabetes treated?

When you have Type 1 diabetes, you will need daily insulin to keep your blood sugar levels well managed.

If you have Type 2 diabetes, Dr. Shah may first recommend lifestyle and diet changes to reduce your blood sugar levels naturally. These changes may include increasing your daily exercise and eating a healthy diet to support weight loss and help you maintain a healthy weight.

If lifestyle changes aren’t enough, Dr. Shah may prescribe medications to control your blood sugar levels and prevent diabetes-related health complications.

At Wesley Chapel Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, you can also receive education and resources to help you test your blood sugar levels at home if you have either Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. 

Dr. Shah creates a timeline for follow-up visits and blood testing in-office to ensure your condition is always under control.

If you need a reliable physician to help you manage diabetes, schedule a consultation at Wesley Chapel Internal Medicine and Pediatrics online or by phone today.

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