Diabetes Management Specialist
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Theodore Gerard A. Caspe, MD
Family Practice Physician & Aesthetic Medicine located in Rancho Cucamonga, CA
An estimated 30.3 million American have diabetes, 7.2 million of which are undiagnosed. Left untreated, diabetes can cause irreversible damage to your body. If you have diabetes or suspect you have it, Theodore Gerard A. Caspe, MD, can diagnose, treat, and help you manage it. If you live in the Inland Empire and you need to get your diabetes under control, make an appointment at Dr. Caspe’s Rancho Cucamonga, California, office today — call or book online.
Diabetes Management
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is an incurable metabolic condition that impairs the body’s insulin response, and glucose isn’t processed correctly. Diabetes is diagnosed as one of two types:
- Type 1 diabetes: the pancreas doesn’t produce insulin
- Type 2 diabetes: the pancreas responds improperly to insulin or produces an inadequate amount of insulin
Diabetes is associated with the following symptoms:
- Excessive thirst
- Frequent urination
- Blurry vision
- Irritability
- Numbness or tingling in the hands and feet
- Exhaustion
How does my doctor diagnose diabetes?
Dr. Caspe diagnoses diabetes with a simple blood test; he usually tests more than once to confirm the diagnosis. He can either test your blood after fasting (fasting plasma glucose) or after drinking a sugary drink (oral glucose tolerance test).
What can I do to prevent prediabetes from turning into diabetes?
If you’re borderline diabetic, Dr. Caspe can help you manage your prediabetes. You may even be able to turn it around.
He may recommend that you:
- Lose weight: a 7-10% drop in weight can cut your risk of developing diabetes in half
- Exercise: a brisk 30-minute walk every day slashes your risk by a third
- Eat healthy: avoid processed foods, saturated fats, red meats, and sugar
- Quit smoking: smoking gives you a 30-40% higher chance of developing diabetes
- Get adequate sleep: ideally, you should aim for 7-8 hours of sleep every night
What treatment options are available for diabetes?
Dr. Caspe develops a diabetes treatment plan customized to your lifestyle and disease progression.
Most people have to monitor their blood sugar with a blood meter at certain intervals, usually after meals. By tracking your blood sugar, you can determine which foods cause spikes and when your blood sugars tend to be low so that you can make adjustments.
People with type 1 diabetes require a continual supply of medication through injections or an insulin pump. Some patients with type 2 diabetes can manage their symptoms with diet and exercise alone. Others need oral medication to regulate insulin levels, while still others require insulin injections.
You may wish to incorporate diet and exercise into your diabetes treatment plan. Dr. Caspe can provide lifestyle guidance to help you manage your diabetes. He can also provide referrals for nutritionists, endocrinologists, and other care providers for diabetes management.
If you have or suspect you have diabetes, call or schedule an appointment online with Dr. Caspe.
