Diabetes Program
Currently, 1 in 3 Canadians is living with diabetes or prediabetes. Diabetes is a condition in which your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels are above normal. This can be because your body either can’t produce insulin or can’t use the insulin it produces properly. These higher blood glucose levels, if ignored, can lead to serious health problems such as damage to organs, blood vessels and nerves. Diabetes is currently the leading cause of blindness, end stage renal (kidney) disease, and non-traumatic amputation in Canadian adults.
Your doctor can check for diabetes and elevated blood glucose levels with a blood test. Screening for diabetes starts at age 40 for most adults during routine blood work. If you have a family history of diabetes, have had prediabetes or gestational diabetes, or have other risk factors you may need to be screened more often. This can be discussed with your family doctor.
The ESFHT Diabetes Program offers support and education to patients of the ESFHT, and its affiliates, who have been diagnosed with diabetes or prediabetes. The Diabetes Program team is made up of a Registered Nurse and Registered Dietician who are certified diabetes educators or are working towards their certification. The Diabetes Program’s goal is to help patients manage their diabetes the best they can and show patients how they can fit diabetes into their lifestyle.
Referrals
Adult patients with Type 1 diabetes, Type 2
diabetes, prediabetes, or at high risk of developing diabetes must be
referred to the Diabetes Program by their primary care physician or
nurse practitioner
What to expect from the Diabetes Program:
- Individual or group education sessions with a Registered Nurse or Registered Dietician. Group education in person is currently not running due to COIVD-19. In person and telephone appointments are available for individual education.
- Nutrition and lifestyle management education and support
- Education and assistance in managing diabetes medications including insulin management
- Support with blood glucose (blood sugar) monitoring including blood glucose (blood sugar) monitoring with the Freestyle Libre and Freestyle Libre 2
- Regular follow-ups scheduled on an individual basis to help you meet realistic and achievable goals for managing your diabetes
What to bring to your appointment:
- Have your blood work completed prior to your appointment if necessary
- Bring your blood glucose (blood sugar) log book with you for review with the Diabetes Program team
- Bring a list of your current medications
- If you take insulin, please have your current dose of insulin and your insulin scale if you use one ready
- If you use the Freestyle Libre or Freestyle Libre 2 please bring your reader with you
- If you use your smartphone with the Freestyle Libre or Freestyle Libre 2 for blood glucose (blood sugar) monitoring we will ask that you connect to the ESFHT Libreview Account so that your logs can be reviewed. This also helps us when doing appointments over the phone!
Helpful Links and Resources: