Theresa Garnero

Caring.com Expert

About

Theresa Garnero is clinical nurse manager of Diabetes Services at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco. A certified diabetes educator, she's the author of DIABETease: A Lighter Look at the Serious Subject of Diabetes. She also wrote a daily guide to living with diabetes for the American Diabetes Association, scheduled for publication in fall 2008. She was named Diabetes Educator of the Year by the American Association of Diabetes Educators for 2004-2005.

Recently Published on Caring.com

  1. Tuesday July 19, 2011

    1. Is my mother's physical condition due to her poorly controlled diabetes?

      Answer - Glucose levels do fluctuate for people with diabetes, especially with higher carbohydrate content foods like ice cream. Some chose to mitigate this effect by taking more medication. And like you have mentioned, not everyone is completely honest about their food choices when seeking diabetes care.

    2. Where can I get dissolvable glucose pills?

      Answer - You have many options. Outside of treating a low with the liquid form of 4 ounces of juice or 8 ounces of non-fat milk, you can use DEx4 Glucose Liquid. It comes in different flavors and is available at several retail stores (and even amazon.com).

  2. Thursday June 30, 2011

    1. If am diabetic, how can I keep my feet from getting damaged?

      Answer - The best way to care for diabetes is getting the right information in order to make changes that will have the most impact on your health and and ongoing support to maintain consistency in the actions you take.

  3. Tuesday January 18, 2011

    1. Can untreated Type 2 Diabetes cause kidney cancer and congestive heart failure?

      Answer - Certainly uncontrolled diabetes puts people at a higher risk for many health consequences.

  4. Wednesday October 13, 2010

    1. Are the pains I'm feeling related to diabetes?

      Answer - It depends on the location of the stinging feelings. Typically, uncontrolled diabetes impacts the ability of the nerve endings to work properly. This usually shows up in the feet and hands, affecting both sides equally.

  5. Saturday July 03, 2010

    1. How long can a diabetic live with alcoholism and drug addiction?

      Answer - As a nurse, it is not in my realm of expertise to predict health outcomes. His doctor would be best equipped to respond. That said, with the number of significant issues facing your husband, I would think that the timeline is short before he experiences a serious health consequence. For some people, that's what triggers an interest in self-care...

  6. Monday May 24, 2010

    1. What if my blood sugar drops too low at night?

      Answer - You are doing many things right! You are taking your insulin, checking your glucose, being mindful of what you eat and problem solving to prevent going low!

  7. Wednesday April 28, 2010

    1. Which housing option is best for someone with diabetes?

      Answer - You have a few options to help your mother get the care she needs. Start by speaking to the Director of the board and care facility about your concern. Is it in their policy to not perform glucose monitoring? What were you told when your mother was being admitted to the facility? Ultimately, board and care facilities make their own rules...

  8. Thursday April 15, 2010

    1. What do all of these diabetic test results mean?

      Answer - The numbers described are codes used to specify a diagnosis; they are not laboratory results. "NOS" stands for not otherwise classified, again - medical diagnosis jargon.

  9. Monday March 29, 2010

    1. How much fruit is acceptable for a diabetic?

      Answer - Fruit is a healthy source of carbohydrate, something that we need to survive. Too many carbs, even in the form of fruit, may make the blood sugar (blood glucose) rise to unhealthy levels for a person with diabetes. And without a source of protein in a meal, in this case breakfast, someone taking insulin may experience low blood glucose a few hours later...

  10. Monday January 25, 2010

    1. How frequently should Dad's blood sugar be tested?

      Answer - Research suggests at least 25 percent of nursing home residents have diabetes in the United States. Currently, clinical practice guidelines for this vulnerable population do not exist. The issue faced by your father-in-law and the shear numbers of people with diabetes in nursing homes is an example of...

  11. Tuesday December 29, 2009

    1. Can type 2 diabetes go away on it's own?

      Answer - For overweight individuals with type 2 diabetes, a modest 5 to 7 percent weight loss often helps to control the disease, but not make it go away.

    2. Must I take both meds for my diabetic foot pain?

      Answer - Metanx and Cymbalta work in different, yet synergistic ways.

  12. Thursday September 03, 2009

    1. What constitues high blood sugar?

      Answer - The goal for glucose levels are: 70-130 mg/dl before a meal, and two hours after a meal less than 180 mg/dl. A person with diabetes will exceed these levels due to the body's inability to make enough insulin, meal choices, stress, lack of exercise, not enough or the right type of medicine, or infection...

  13. Saturday August 01, 2009

    1. What do I do when blood sugar high?

      Answer - If your glucose is too high, and you cannot lean on the exercise department to help lower it, then the next step is to discuss medication options with your healthcare provider. The pain associated with surgery could be the cause for your higher glucose levels. Once you are back on your feet, your medications would be adjusted again...

  14. Friday July 31, 2009

    1. Can I make insulin substitutions to control my blood sugar?

      Answer - With your doctor's authorization you should be able to switch from 75/25 to 70/30. You may need an adjustment in the amount of units taken as the action profile is different (when your new insulin peaks - or is working at its strongest). This is important to know as your risk for lows with the 70/30...

  15. Sunday May 24, 2009

    1. I've just been diagnosed with Diabetes? How can I learn to take care of myself?

      Answer - Diabetes education will help you navigate the best way to care for yourself, so you are off to a good start in looking for classes. A nationally recognized program will help you learn fact from myth and understand what will work best for you.

    2. Will lumps under my injection site go away?

      Answer - Technically called lipodystrophy, the lump or small dent in the skin from repeated injections, may resolve if you give those areas a rest and inject elsewhere. If you continue to inject into those "lumps" on your stomach, the insulin absorption may vary significantly.

  16. Friday May 15, 2009

    1. Can an extreme low blood sugar episode cause damage?

      Answer - If your glucose has dropped to an extremely low level (hypoglycemia is less than 70 mg/dL) ,yes, you need to call your doctor to problem solve why it occurred so you can reduce the risk of it happening again. Your doctor would consider adjusting medication. Neurological damage is possible with repeated or a single prolonged episode of hypogycemia...

  17. Wednesday May 06, 2009

    1. How long is a bottle of NovoLog insulin good for?

      Answer - An unopened vial of NovoLog insulin is good until the expiration date (it is best stored in the refrigerator).

  18. Monday April 20, 2009

    1. How common is Type 1.5 diabetes?

      Answer - Type 1.5 is not an official classification of diabetes, although it is referred to in diabetes circles in the way you have described. The majority of people with type 2 diabetes will need insulin at some point in their lifetime. Many people think that if you need insulin, it automatically equates type 1 diabetes...

  19. Tuesday March 24, 2009

    1. Can a type 1 diabetic take an insulin-resistence drug in addition to insulin to better control blood glucose?

      Answer - No. That would be considered off label. Type 1 diabetes is an insulin deficiency issue. Although some type 1s may be overweight and at risk for insulin resistance, it may seem logical to consider medications to reduce that resistance thereby improving glucose control while continuing to take insulin injections...

  20. Tuesday March 10, 2009

    1. Has anyone heard of brain fog or confusion after taking Metformin for diabetes?

      Answer - No patients I have worked with have reported experiencing "brain fog" or confusion as a result of taking Metformin. Usually, the main side effect is gas, bloating and diarrhea when first starting the medication.

  21. Tuesday October 21, 2008

    1. How can I encourage my wife, who has diabetes, to exercise more?

      Answer - Motivation to change is personal. Your wife has to want to exercise -- you can't do it for her. What you can do is set up an environment that gives her opportunities to be more active. But resist the temptation to transform from husband to athletic director. Such behavior will likely just backfire...

  22. Friday April 25, 2008

    1. My dad eats lots of sweets and doesn't like to drink water--could he have diabetes?

      Answer - Find out if a desire to eat sweets and an aversion to drinking water are signs of type 2 diabetes.