FARMINGTON — Are you overweight, tired, thirsty or experiencing frequent trips to the bathroom? Are you always hungry, yet showing signs of sudden weight loss? Do your fingers and toes tingle or go numb?

If you answered “yes” to any of the above, Nancy Thomas, RN, CDE, a certified diabetes educator at Franklin Memorial Hospital, said these may be symptoms of diabetes.

Diabetes is a group of diseases marked by high levels of blood glucose resulting from defects in insulin production, insulin action, or both. People with diabetes, working together with their health care providers, can take steps to control the disease and lower the risk of complications.

According to Maine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, diabetes affects approximately one in 10 Mainers, and an estimated 32,264 of Maine residents have diabetes but don’t know it. If left undiagnosed or untreated, diabetes can lead to serious health problems, including heart attack and stroke.

Women who are pregnant are also at risk for developing diabetes according to Dr. Connie Adler, a provider at Franklin Health Women’s Care. “Six to seven percent of pregnancies are complicated by the development of pregnancy-related (gestational) diabetes. This condition has consequences for both mother and baby including: large babies, a risk of the baby needing IV support after delivery, and increased chance that the mother will develop diabetes later in life,” she said.

For individuals living with diabetes, one-on-one and group structured diabetes self-management training is offered at FMH and at some Franklin Health medical practices and taught by registered nurses and a dietitian who are also diabetes educators.

Patients learn about the roles that exercise, nutrition, blood sugar monitoring, medications, carbohydrate counting, and meal planning play in controlling their diabetes.

For more information on diabetes self management, call Franklin Health Internal Medicine at 778-4922.