Diabetes Education

New Diabetes Classes

ReGenesis Health Care is excited about our new partnership with Merck that will enable us to continue to offer free diabetes education to our patients as well as to the community.

Journey for Control is a diabetes program that offers three, two hour sessions to anyone that is interested in attending the class. The classes are offered in Spartanburg at the Main Library (151 South Church Street) twice at month from 6pm-8pm and in Gaffney on a bi-monthly basis at Upstate Carolina Medical Center (1530 North Limestone Street) from 6pm-8pm.

A light meal is served and the classes are free. For more information check out our website events calendar at http://myrhc.org/eventcalendar.aspx or call toll-free 877-532-4545.

At ReGenesis, we will work with you to give you the information you need to make smart decisions about your care.

Diabetes Education

Diabetes, the most common disorder of the endocrine (hormone) system, occurs when blood sugar levels in the body consistently stay above normal. It affects more than 26 million people in the U.S. alone.

Diabetes is a disease brought on by either the body's inability to make insulin (type 1 diabetes) or by the body not responding to the effects of insulin (type 2 diabetes). It can also appear during pregnancy. Insulin is one of the main hormones that regulates blood sugar levels and allows the body to use sugar (called glucose) for energy. Talk with your doctor about the different types of diabetes and your risk for this disease.

Diabetes is becoming more common in the United States. From 1980 through 2007, the number of Americans with diabetes increased from 5.6 million to 17.9 million. Approximately 337,977 adults in South Carolinians are diagnosed with diabetes. African Americans have nearly twice the prevalence than Whites. An estimated 16467 adults (7.7% of adults) in Spartanburg County suffer annually from Diabetes. Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in Spartanburg County. A total of 96 people in Spartanburg County died from diabetes in 2007.

Diabetes is the second most common medical diagnosis at ReGenesis Health Care, with high blood pressure being number one. However, the nature of diabetes and its effects on your body cause most people to have to deal with high blood pressure as well as many other common complications, such as kidney disease, nerve disease, heart disease, and eye disease. Some of these complications, when present, severely limit your ability to enjoy a quality life and may lead to severely disabling conditions. ReGenesis strives to improve the health of our diabetic patients and thus reduce the chances of having one of these complications but we can’t do it by ourselves. Managing an illness as complex as diabetes takes full cooperation between the patient, the patient’s family, and the health care team.

Establishing self-management goals is key to controlling your diabetes. At ReGenesis, through the Diabetes Collaborative, we have developed a tool for establishing self-management goals called the Diabetes Personal Health Planner. Please ask for one if it is not offered and use this book to help you and your healthcare team members plan your diabetes care.

For more information visit, www.diabetes.org and www.journeyforcontrol.com

Diabetes Details

To be most effective in managing diabetes and reducing complications, we recommend seeing a primary care provider every 3 months for a checkup, reviewing progress on self-management goals, screening tests and getting refills on prescriptions. The following are standards of care recommended by the American Diabetic Association to control or reduce those complications listed above:

The important numbers and events are highlighted with bolder type.

Blood sugar

A goal to aim for and a schedule for checking your blood sugar by fingerstick needs to be part of the self-management discussion with your primary care provider.

Amputations of toes and parts of feet become necessary when a sore goes overlooked (because you can’t feel it due to nerve disease from high blood sugar)and it cannot heal due to reduced circulation.

· You should have a foot exam by a medical person every year.

You can also help keep your feet healthy with good shoes, proper hygiene and constant watching.

A1C of less than 7 (OK control), or less than 6 (good control).

A1C is the measure of blood sugar stuck on red blood cells for 3 months (the life of a red cell).

· A1Cs greater than 7 should be checked every 3 months;

· AICs less than 7 can be checked every 6 months.

LDL under 100.

LDL, or low-density lipid, is the “bad cholesterol” – the cholesterol that causes plaque to build up in your arteries and cause heart attack, stroke or reduced blood flow to your legs and feet. If your LDL is over 100, you should take cholesterol lowering drugs. Sometimes changing your diet (to do away with certain fats) and increasing exercise may be enough but don’t count on it.

· Get your cholesterol checked at least every year.

Blood pressure – under 130/80.

Keeping your blood pressure under 130/80 needs careful attention to taking your blood pressure medicine every day, keeping your weight down (discuss with your medical provider what would be a good weight goal for you), exercise levels up, and salt intake reduced. A high blood pressure affects tiny blood vessels throughout the entire body, but especially noted in your eyes and kidneys.

· You should have a dilated eye exam by an Optometrist every year.

The fragile cells in the kidneys are especially sensitive to high levels of sugar in the blood and high blood pressure. Once damaged, these delicate cells can no longer filter the blood well and the end result is kidney failure with a possible dialysis. Controlling your levels of blood sugar and keeping your blood pressure under 130/80 helps delay or even prevent this complication. Your doctor still needs to check your blood and urine to assess for developing kidney disease and can refer you to a kidney doctor early.

· Blood work to check kidney function should be done every year.