Diabetes

Understanding Diabetes

Diabetes is a long-term condition that affects how the body regulates blood sugar (glucose). There are different types of diabetes, including Type 1, Type 2, and gestational diabetes, each of which requires ongoing management to help maintain good health and reduce the risk of complications. This page has been designed to provide basic information about diabetes, including symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and self-management. For more detailed information, advice, and support, please visit the NHS website, which offers comprehensive guidance and resources for people living with diabetes and their families.

NHS Website – Diabetes

Common Symptoms and seeking help

If you are experiencing symptoms of diabetes, please complete an Anima request to arrange an assessment here at the practice. Common symptoms include:

• Increased thirst
• Passing urine more often
• feeling very tired
• Unexplained weight loss
• Blurred vision
• Recurrent infections
• Cuts and wounds taking longer to heal

If you are unable to submit an Anima request online, you can call the surgery on 01233 624642 and speak to our AI Care Navigator Andi who will submit this request for you.

Early onset Type 2 Diabetes

Developing type 2 diabetes under the age of 40 is sometimes referred to as ‘early onset type 2 diabetes’.

At this stage it comes with an increased risk of other long-term conditions compared to later onset type 2 diabetes. However, these risks can be reduced with lifestyle changes, meaning there can be more scope and time to better manage the condition. You can visit the Kent and Medway Integrated Care System website for more information:

my mhealth app

Kent and Medway have partnered with ‘my mhealth’ to offer free access to their fully-featured, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) aligned platform that provides expert advice, educational resources and tools to help you manage your long-term condition. Click the link below to sign up for access:

Know your risk

Use the free, quick and online tool to find out your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. It’ll only take a few minutes and you’ll get your results straightaway. Click the link below to find out more:

Newly diagnosed with diabetes?

Early detection and early intervention has shown to help reduce development of complications. The following link provides access to Diabetes Education aimed to motivate you to make small, simple changes to your everyday life. These changes should lead to a healthier and happier life. Click the link below to book yourself an Education Course:

Sick day rules

For patients with diabetes, “sick day rules” are the steps they should follow when they are unwell (for example, with a fever, infection, vomiting, diarrhoea, flu, or COVID-19) to reduce the risk of complications such as dehydration, severe hyperglycaemia, diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), or hypoglycaemia. Click the link below to find out more:

Managing your Diabetes

How to Use a Glucose Meter

A glucose meter is used to check your blood glucose or blood sugar level. This is needed to help you manage your diabetes. Click the link below for more information:

Patients Taking SGLT-2 Inhibitors

Click the link below for more information for patients taking Sodium-Glucose Co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors:

Making a decision about managing type 1 diabetes

The following link to the NHS England website will provide you with a downloadable leaflet from NHS England for people with type 1 diabetes.

It can help you decide between the different technology available to manage diabetes.

There are some parts for you to fill in. You should go through this leaflet and then talk to your diabetes team.

Healthy living for people with type 2 diabetes

Everyone living with type 2 diabetes should have the opportunity to learn the skills and knowledge needed to help them live well.
We would like to offer you a place on a free, online NHS programme;

Healthy Living for people with type 2 diabetes

Healthy Living provides knowledge and information so that you can:

feel confident in managing your type 2 diabetes, reduce diabetes-related stress, improve your health and wellbeing, achieve and maintain a healthy weight, feel motivated to continue making healthy lifestyle choices.

Click the link below to register today.

Kent and Medway Diabetic Eye Screening Programme

Do you live with diabetes? Are you passionate about helping your community?

The Kent & Medway Diabetic Eye Screening Programme deliver diabetic eye screening for people with diabetes aged 12 and over across Kent and Medway as part of the NHS screening service.

Facebook: @kmdesp

Twitter/X: @kmdesp

Email: enquiries.kmdesp@nhs.net

Tel: 01233 884110

Manage your diabetic eye screening online with the Patient Portal. You can:

•Book your next diabetic eye screening appointment. You can also cancel or rebook your existing appointment.

•Manage your diabetic eye screening. You can change change the location of your appointment or how you are contacted.

•View the results of your diabetic eye screening appointments easily online.

•Access and download your screening your screening images from past appointments.