Diabetes

Insulin is a hormone your body produces to help sugars move through the bloodstream and into the body's cells. Diabetes is a chronic disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin.

There are four types of diabetes:

• Pre-diabetes—the body starts to have trouble producing enough insulin all the time
• Type 1 diabetes—the body does not produce any insulin
• Type 2 diabetes—the body does not produce enough insulin or cannot properly use the insulin it does produce
• Gestational diabetes—the body is not able to make enough insulin to cover the increased levels required during pregnancy

Follow up with your doctor if you experience any of these symptoms of diabetes:

• Blurred vision
• Extreme hunger
• Excessive thirst
• Feeling very tired most of the time
• Frequent urination
• Recurring skin, gum or bladder infections
• Sores or wounds that are slow to heal
• Tingling or numbness in the hands or feet
• Unexplained weight loss
• Very dry skin

Some factors that increase your risk of developing diabetes include:

• Being of African American, Hispanic/Latino, Asian, Pacific Islander or Native American descent
• Being or having been a smoker
• Being overweight
• Having a family history of diabetes
• Having delivered a baby weighing more than nine pounds at birth
• Not getting physical activity on a regular basis

Taking control of diabetes has many benefits for your overall health and wellness—both in the short- and long-term. As part of your diabetes management, we will help you learn how to:

• Eat well
• Exercise regularly
• Keep your doctors' appointments
• Take medication (as needed)
• Test your blood sugar

Our diabetes doctors and counselors offer complete diabetes care, including:

We offer outpatient diabetes education for patients with any type of diabetes or diabetes-related health issues.

We provide inpatient diabetes education if requested by our teams who are caring for you in the hospital. We will also support patients in using their own insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitor (CGM) systems during a hospital stay, if appropriate.

We offer comprehensive three-hour group classes once a month for patients newly diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Please call (801) 268-7358 for the next available date.

Individual counseling is a meeting between you and an educator to assess your current practices and education needs. We will work together to develop an individualized plan to improve your health and diabetes control. We may discuss:

• A1C and blood glucose levels
• Adjusting medication doses and timing for optimal glycemic control (We do not write prescriptions for medications or supplies.)
• Behavioral management
• Causes and treatments of diabetes
• Exercise
• Glucometers
• How to properly give insulin
• Insurance coverage and cost savings on diabetes supplies
• Medical device trial periods
• Pregnancy
• Preventing or treating complications
• Proper nutrition and meal planning
• Sick-day guidelines
• Traveling with diabetes
• Treating blood sugar levels that are too high or too low
• Understanding diabetes and medical terms
• Weight management

A physician’s referral is required for diabetes care, but patients may call us and have our office request it. Alternatively, to make a referral, your physician may call us at (801) 268-7358.

Here is some other information that can help you during this process:

• We only accept patients with a diabetes diagnosis at this time.
• We accept referrals from any physician for comprehensive, personal diabetes self-management training for patients and their families.
• The diabetes educator will send the referring physician a summary letter of the education given, along with any other information or recommendations they deem necessary.
• Educators are also available to answer simple questions - email us.

Our Diabetes Center is open Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 5:00pm (but closed on major holidays).