For people who have been diagnosed as prediabetic or Type 2 Diabetes, the question of whether to see a doctor for diabetes often arises. While a visit to an endocrinologist is sometimes need, most patients can be seen by their primary care physician.

Keep reading to learn how diabetes is managed by an internal medicine or primary care doctor.

An Endocrinologist or a PCP?

Some patients will need to be seen by an endocrinologist, a specialist dealing with the diseases of the endocrine system, like diabetes or hypothyroidism. Most people with type 2 diabetes or who are prediabetic can be safely treated by their primary care provider.

For many people, diabetes is first discovered by their primary care provider and continues to be managed by these doctors.

How Does Your Primary Care Provider Manage Diabetes?

First, as a doctor for diabetes, your primary care provider builds a relationship with you as a patient. This is important because it allows for open communication.

Your doctor notes your health history over time and your family’s health history. This history is important because diabetes often has a genetic component.

Through the course of annual check ups and visits for acute issues, your doctor can notice changes potentially signal diabetes. After a diagnosis, your doctor for diabetes will continue to monitor your health.

What Your Doctor for Diabetes Will Do

Your doctor for diabetes will monitor your A1C levels, typically testing two to four times a year. Generally, an A1C level below 7% is ideal and recommended by the American Diabetes Association.

Beyond this, your doctor may perform other blood and urine tests to check how well your diabetes is being managed. Exams on your feet and

Importantly, your PCP works with you to develop lifestyle changes to help manage or even cure your type 2 diabetes. These plans involve creating strategies for changing your nutrition, activity level, and medication to manage your diabetes.

Knowing your diabetes history will help your doctor treat you Finally, your primary care provider will know when specialty care with an endocrinologist is needed.

How to Manage Type 2 Diabetes

Day-to-day management of type 2 diabetes generally falls into the following categories:

Nutrition

You will need to build a diet that typically involves eating fewer calories, limiting sweets and saturated fats, and adding in more vegetables and fiber-rich foods.

Weight Loss

Together with nutritional changes comes losing extra weight. Shedding extra pounds can have a significant impact on your blood sugar levels.

Physical Activity

Exercise regimens should be approved by your doctor. Typically, combining 30-60 minutes most day of cardio with a couple of resistance sessions per week yields the best results.

This could look like walking with a couple of yoga sessions a week or dancing most days with a couple of weightlifting sessions.

When you’re diabetic, it’s important to monitor your blood sugar before and after workouts since exercise lowers your blood sugar. Increasing your overall daily step count is important too.

Monitoring Your Blood Sugar & Medication

Your doctor for diabetes will recommend an appropriate number of times to check your blood sugar. This number will be higher if you need insulin.

Checking your blood sugar is the only way to verify that your blood sugar is in the ideal range.

Some medications may be helpful in managing type 2 diabetes. You and your doctor for diabetes will develop the best plan moving forward.

Primary Care Doctor for Diabetes

If you’re looking for primary care skilled in managing your diabetes, consider the professionals at Bowie Internal Medicine. Call (301) 262-8188 today to schedule a consultation or request a telemedicine appointment.