Diabetes specialists in Manchester, New Hampshire

A diabetes diagnosis doesn't mean you can't lead a life you love.

The Diabetes Resource Institute at Catholic Medical Center offers the guidance and support you need to better manage prediabetes, as well as Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. We provide individual and group classes, medical nutrition therapy and gestational diabetes care.

Specialty services we offer

Our team of specialists and diabetes educators works collaboratively with your primary care provider and endocrinologist to provide you with comprehensive, personalized diabetes self-management tools.

Symptoms of diabetes

Diabetes is a chronic disease characterized by high levels of sugar in the blood. To determine if you have prediabetes or diabetes, healthcare providers usually conduct a fasting plasma glucose (FPG) test, hemoglobin A1C or an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Our staff features certified diabetes educators who are also registered dieticians. They serve as excellent resources, and work to help you recognize the common signs for both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes symptoms

The following signs are commonly associated with Type 1 diabetes:

  • Extreme fatigue and irritability
  • Extreme hunger
  • Frequent urination
  • Unusual thirst
  • Unusual weight loss

Type 2 diabetes symptoms

Symptoms for Type 2 diabetes usually develop slowly and are harder to detect. In addition to the symptoms listed for Type 1 diabetes, these are the common major symptoms associated with Type 2 diabetes:

  • Blurred vision
  • Cuts or bruises that are slow to heal
  • Frequent infections
  • Recurring skin, gum or bladder infections
  • Tingling or numbness in the hands or feet

Personalized diabetes care

Uncontrolled high blood sugar can lead to eye complications, nerve damage, kidney damage and cardiovascular disease. At our diabetes clinic, you will learn day-to-day solutions for nutrition, exercise and medication management to help enhance your quality of life and combat high sugar levels in your blood.

Once you begin meeting with one of our diabetes educators, they will review your medical history, risk factors, culture, health beliefs and behavior. Additional appointments may be scheduled if you have special needs or require further education after completing monthly group classes. You and your diabetes educator will choose which classes are right for you.

Medical nutrition therapy

Medical nutrition therapy focuses on what you can eat, not on what you can’t eat. Balancing food consumption with physical needs, medications and exercise is vital to a diabetic treatment plan. During medical nutrition therapy, a registered dietician provides you with personalized meal plans that are healthy and easy to follow.

Gestational diabetes education

Gestational diabetes occurs when newly diabetic pregnant women experience high blood sugar levels during pregnancy. The condition affects about 4% of all pregnant women and can pose serious risks for you and your baby if untreated or poorly controlled.

Our certified diabetes educators work with you and your obstetrician to assess your blood glucose trends. Then, we develop a nutrition and exercise plan to help manage your diabetes during pregnancy. Additionally, our educators help with pre-pump training as well as personal and professional use of continuous glucose monitor (CGM) technology.

Learning to manage diabetes

Since 2000, the outpatient Diabetes Resource Institute has been recognized by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) for meeting and exceeding the National Standards for Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support (DSMES).

The key to managing diabetes is knowing what to expect, what to do and who to call for assistance. Close control of your blood sugar can also reduce, and even reverse, some of the long-term complications of diabetes.

If you are newly diagnosed with diabetes, or have had it for years, we offer individual consultations and a variety of classes to help you take charge of your condition. Our group and individual education classes cover the following topics:

  • Avoiding or coping with diabetes complications
  • Blood glucose self-monitoring
  • Diabetes management during vacation or travel
  • Diabetes management during brief illnesses
  • Family adjustments
  • Foot care assessment and education
  • Insulin pump training
  • Medication management
  • Nutrition and exercise
  • Pattern control of blood glucose levels
  • Preventing complications of diabetes
  • Psychological adjustments
  • Treating high and low blood glucose
  • Use of the health care system and community resources

You are encouraged to bring a friend or family member to all sessions. Questions and discussion are highly encouraged. For more information about the resources and services available at the Diabetes Resource Institute, call (603) 663-6431. We are located at the following location:

195 McGregor St.
Suite 312 (3rd Floor)
Manchester, NH 03102

Post-education follow-up

Four to six weeks after completing the curriculum, you will have a follow-up visit. This appointment allows you and your diabetes educator to address new questions or concerns. Once you are used to your lifestyle and diet changes, you may be interested in setting new goals for your diabetes self-management.