• 30.3 million Americans have diabetes
• 84.1 million Americans have prediabetes
• About 5% of people with diabetes have Type 1
• Approximately 84 million American adults — more than one out of three —have prediabetes
• Approximately 451,888 people in Oklahoma have diabetes
• More than 1 million Oklahomans have prediabetes
  • American Diabetes Association (ADA). American Diabetes Association -Oklahoma. Oklahoma | ADA. https://www.diabetes.org/community/local-offices/oklahoma.
• 13% of all patients within the Chickasaw Nation Department of Health have been diagnosed with diabetes
  • Chickasaw Nation Department of Health

Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed at a young age but can develop at any time. This type of diabetes was once referred to as insulin-dependent diabetes. Insulin is a hormone that enables blood sugar to be used as energy in the body. With Type 1 diabetes, not enough insulin is created. Family history is known to play a part in the risk of Type 1 diabetes. However, risk factors for Type 1 diabetes are not as clear as for prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes.

Symptoms

It can take months or even years for enough beta cells to be destroyed before symptoms of Type 1 diabetes are noticed. Once symptoms appear, they can be severe. Symptoms may include:

• Increased thirst
• Frequent urination
• Increased hunger
• Unintended weight loss
• Fatigue
• Blurred vision
• Frequent infections
• Numb or tingling hands or feet
• Very dry skin

Some Type 1 diabetes symptoms are similar to symptoms of other health conditions. If you think you could have Type 1 diabetes, see your doctor to get your blood sugar tested. Untreated diabetes can lead to very serious, even fatal health problems.

Type 2 diabetes occurs most often in middle-aged and older people, but it can develop as early as childhood. Type 2 diabetics are insulin resistant. The pancreas makes more insulin to try to get cells to respond. This raises blood sugar. High blood sugar is damaging to the body and can cause various health problems.

Symptoms

Type 2 diabetes symptoms often develop over several years and can be difficult to detect. In fact, sometimes there are not any noticeable symptoms at all. See a doctor to get your blood sugar tested if you have the following symptoms:

• Increased thirst
• Frequent urination
• Increased hunger
• Unintended weight loss
• Fatigue
• Blurred vision
• Frequent infections
• Slow-healing sores

Management

Unlike many health conditions, diabetes is managed mostly by you maintaining your lifestyle with support from your health care team (including your primary care doctor, dentist, eye doctor, registered dietitian, nutritionist and diabetes educator), family and other important people in your life. Managing diabetes can be challenging but everything you do to improve your health is worth it.

Tips for Managing Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes can be managed with healthy eating and exercise. Your doctor may also prescribe insulin, other injectable medications or oral diabetes medicines to help control your blood sugar and avoid complications. It is important to keep your blood pressure and cholesterol under control and get the necessary screening tests every year.

Patients with Type 2 diabetes need to check their blood sugar regularly. Develop a schedule on how often to check your blood sugar and determine a target blood sugar level with your doctor. Keeping blood sugar levels as close to the target as possible will help prevent or delay diabetes-related complications.

Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that can develop during pregnancy in women who are not current diabetics. Managing gestational diabetes is vital to supporting a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby.

What causes gestational diabetes?

• Gestational diabetes occurs when the body cannot make enough insulin during pregnancy.
• During pregnancy, the body makes more hormones and adapts to other changes such as weight gain. These changes cause the body’s cells to use insulin less effectively, a condition called insulin resistance. Insulin resistance increases the body’s need for insulin.
• All pregnant women have some insulin resistance during late pregnancy. However, some women have insulin resistance even before they get pregnant. Women who start pregnancy with an increased need for insulin are more likely to have gestational diabetes.

Prediabetes is a health condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as Type 2 diabetes.

What causes prediabetes?

In a prediabetic patient, the cells in the body do not respond normally to insulin and the pancreas starts making more insulin to try to get the cells to respond. As a result, the pancreas cannot keep up and blood sugar rises. This sets the stage for prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes.

Risk Factors:

• Being overweight
• Being 45 years of age or older
• Having a parent, brother or sister with Type 2 diabetes
• Participating in physical activity less than three times a week

Symptoms May Include:

• Increased thirst
• Frequent urination
• Fatigue
• Blurred vision

For more information regarding the treatment and prevention of diabetes, visit the American Heart Association here.

Primary Care

Your primary care health team is your partner in lifelong wellness. From annual checkups, to minor aches and pains, to injuries, illness and everything in between, the Chickasaw Nation Primary Care Clinic is your first call for health and wellness concerns.

We value you as a patient and our goal is to work together to facilitate a relationship that provides you with the highest quality of comprehensive care. Let us get to know you as you navigate good health through all seasons of life.

Locations

Your nearest primary care clinic looks forward to serving you and your health needs. Please call to schedule an appointment or for more information about available primary care services at your preferred clinic:

• Chickasaw Nation Medical Center: (580) 436-3980
• Ardmore Health Clinic: (580) 222-2950
• Purcell Health Clinic: (405) 527-4700
• Tishomingo Health Clinic: (580) 371-2361

To protect your privacy, appointments, prescription refills or test results cannot be given via email or other messaging methods. Please call your preferred clinic for assistance.

Pediatrics

For every childhood ailment, injury or concern, the Chickasaw Nation offers pediatric services at the Chickasaw Nation Medical Center and all three satellite clinics. You have an expert on your team with pediatric primary care. Visit for well-child and sick child exams, immunizations, sports physicals and referrals to specialty clinics as needed. Our pediatricians and nurses are trained to provide superior care to newborns, children and young adults.

Locations

Your nearest pediatric primary care clinic is ready to help your growing family. Please call to schedule an appointment or for more information about available pediatric primary care services at your preferred clinic:

• Chickasaw Nation Medical Center: (580) 436-3980
• Ardmore Health Clinic: (580) 222-2950
• Purcell Health Clinic: (405) 527-4700
• Tishomingo Health Clinic: (580) 371-2361

To protect your privacy, appointments, prescription refills or test results cannot be given via email or other messaging methods. Please call your preferred clinic for assistance.