Diabetes care in Mayagüez

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a condition in which the body doesn’t make enough insulin or doesn’t use it well. Insulin is the hormone that lets sugar (glucose) from food enter your cells to give them energy. When insulin is missing or doesn’t work well, glucose builds up in the blood.

Over time, high glucose can affect the eyes, kidneys, nerves, heart and circulation. Good control greatly lowers that risk.

• Type 1 diabetes: the body stops making insulin, and insulin is needed every day.
• Type 2 diabetes: the most common type; the body doesn’t use insulin well or doesn’t make enough.
• Prediabetes: glucose is higher than normal but not yet at the level of diabetes. It’s a chance to prevent it.
• Gestational diabetes: appears during pregnancy and raises the risk of type 2 diabetes later in life.

Warning signs

Many people with type 2 diabetes have no symptoms at first, which is why lab tests matter. When there are symptoms, the most common are:

• Excessive thirst and hunger
• Frequent urination, including at night
• Tiredness
• Blurry vision
• Cuts and sores that are slow to heal
• Unexplained weight loss
• Tingling or numbness in the hands or feet

When should you see an endocrinologist?

Your primary care doctor can manage many cases of diabetes. Consider seeing an endocrinologist if:

• Your hemoglobin A1c stays high despite treatment
• You use insulin or are thinking about starting
• You have frequent episodes of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
• You have type 1 diabetes
• You’re interested in a continuous glucose monitor or an insulin pump
• You already have complications or several conditions at once

How we help

At your first visit we review your history, medications, lab results and glucose readings. From there we build a plan with clear, realistic goals.

• Adjusting oral medications, injectables and insulin
• Continuous glucose monitor (CGM): readings on your phone, without pricking your finger all the time
• Insulin pumps: evaluation, getting started and follow-up
• Guidance on eating, physical activity and how to recognize and treat low blood sugar
• Monitoring blood pressure, cholesterol and kidney function

Frequently asked questions