Diabetes Support

Eat Real Food Programme

As a practice we promote lifestyle change to manage chronic disease and to lose weight. We believe that health is achieved by tending to our 4 pillars of health – Food, Movement, Sleep and Stress Management.

Lifestyle change is one of the most powerful tools we have at our disposal to combat disease, restore heath and optimise wellbeing. Personal empowerment to take control of your health is the cornerstone of lifestyle medicine.

Find out more about our Eat Real Food programme, which anyone can take part in.

Pre-Diabetes

Have you have recently been given a new diagnosis of Pre-diabetes based on your HBA1c blood test?

Dr Kuok, Dr Hodges and Dr Lake have a special interest in diabetes.

What is Real Food? – www.eatrealfood.uk

Diabetic Eye Screening Research

Gloucestershire Retinal Research Group (GRRG) is interested in forming a group of people living with diabetes interested in discussing potential studies.

If you would like more information to help you to decide whether to join, please
contact group coordinator Julie Hapeshi by emailing julie.hapeshi@nhs.net

You can write to:
D Julie Hapeshi,
GRRG Office above Oakley Ward,
Cheltenham General
Hospital,
Sandford Road,
Cheltenham,
GL53 7AN

10 simple steps to prevent foot problems

Never ignore a foot problem. For more information please read the below leaflets:

10 simple steps to prevent foot problems

10 steps toward healthy feet

DVLA

For more information about driving please visit www.gov.uk.

Flu Vaccinations and Diabetes

This leaflet is for patients with Type 1 Diabetes or Type 2 Diabetes and explains the importance of having an annual flu vaccine to protect you from getting the flu virus: Diabetes and the Flu Vaccine

Gestational Diabetes

Gestational Diabetes is the development of raised blood sugar readings during pregnancy. If you develop gestational diabetes it can lead to complications during your pregnancy for you and your baby.

50% of woman who have gestational diabetes will develop Type 2 Diabetes later in life without making lifestyle changes. If you have had Gestational Diabetes you should have a blood test 4 months after you have had your baby and then annually. This blood test checks your HbA1c ( average sugar readings in the past three months) which helps to pick up if diabetes is developing.

If you have had Gestational Diabetes before and become pregnant again please contact the GP again as soon as you are aware as you will need to be seen in the joint antenatal and diabetic clinic. The specialists are keen to see you early on in your pregnancy.

If you would like to reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes please look at joining our Eat Real Food programme.

Website: www.diabetes.co.uk/gestational-diabetes

Website: www.dietdoctor.com

Type 1 Keto

Following a low carb lifestyle means less insulin is needed and there is a reduced risk of large blood glucose swings. Evidence shows that Type 1 Diabetics who follow a low carb approach, more than 90% of people reach their blood glucose target, experience fewer hypos, fewer hospital admissions with diabetic ketoacidosis and a reduction in insulin doses.

For more information, visit www.type1keto.com.

Type 2 Diabetes

For more information please read the Eat Real Food leaflet.

For information on first being diagnosed please read Diabetes and Me.

For information on when you are ill and taking oral medication, please read Sick Day Rules – advice for managing diabetes during illness.

For information on when you are ill and on Insulin, please read Sick Day Rules.

For information on the SGLT-2 drugs, please read the below poster:

For information on the GLP-1 injectables shortage, please read the below letter:

Drop-in clinics for diabetic eye screening

No booking is required for eye screening drop-in clinics at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital (First Floor, Orchard Centre).

These take place every weekday from 08:30-15:00.

There is a eye screening drop-in clinic at Cheltenham General Hospital (Medical Photography, Centre Block) on the last Wednesday of every month from 08:30-12:30.

Saturday and evening clinics also available at GRH and CGH

Please call for more information: 0300 422 4419

Diabetes and Employment

It is important to show that having diabetes does not make a difference to your ability to work. You need to have stable diabetes control and be able to adjust your diabetes treatment around your working day if necessary. Diabetes UK believes that everyone should have an equal opportunity to apply for employment and individuals should be treated on their own merits.

For more information please read this leaflet.

Keeping Active with Diabetes

Keeping active is an important part of one’s lifestyle, and particularly for those who either have or are at risk of diabetes.

Website: www.diabetes.co.uk

Diabetes and Pregnancy

If you have Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes and become pregnant it is important that you contact your GP for a telephone consultation as soon as possible. This is because it is important that we refer you quickly to the joint antenatal and diabetes clinic.

We will also need to ensure that the medication you are on is safe to continue. There are an increased risk of heart and spinal cord abnormalities in babies born to diabetic mothers , we therefore advise that you take 5mg folic acid which is only available on prescription.

Good diabetic control is vital to help to reduce the risk of complications during pregnancy leading to better outcomes for mothers and babies. There is an increased risk of eye problems during pregnancy and kidney complications so the hospital will ensure that you will have closer monitoring of your eyes (retinopathy screening) and kidney screening.

Website: www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes-and-pregnancy.html

Diabetes UK - Coronavirus

Please view information from Diabetes UK on Coronavirus and Diabetes

Website: www.diabetes.org.uk