Diabetes Clinic

The Diabetes Education Centres help support people living with diabetes and prediabetes to achieve wellness. The Diabetes Education Centres can help you if you have been recently diagnosed with diabetes or have been living with diabetes for years. The education centres can help you set goals to improve wellness no matter what stage of your adult life. The nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, and other healthcare providers can help you manage your diabetes through support and education. Both group classes and individual appointments are available.

Regions Served: Moncton, Sackville, and surrounding areas.

Moncton Location:
Clinic A, The Moncton Hospital.
135 MacBeath Avenue. The clinic is located in the Irving Ambulatory Care Centre. Underground parking can be accessed by Walsh Street. Parking is also available across from main entrance of hospital. Parking is $2 per hour, cash only.

Hours of Operation:
Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Telephone:  (506) 857-5269
Sackville Location:
The Sackville Memorial Hospital.
8 Main Street. Free parking is available.

Hours of Operation:
Monday to Thursday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Telephone: (506) 364-4247

For more information about medications or diabetes management, talk to your health care provider or call the Diabetes Education Centre to book an appointment.

Outside of regular clinic hours, call 811 (Telehealth) for health information. In case of emergency, call 911 immediately.

Please note, the Pediatric Diabetes Clinic is located in the 1600 Unit (Pediatrics) of The Moncton Hospital. This clinic is available for children under the age of 18. Speak to your health care provider to set up an appointment. 

We recommend you bring:

• A record of your latest blood sugar tests to every appointment
• A list of all your medications
• Something to take notes with
• Any questions and concerns you may have
• A family member or friend – they may be helpful in remembering new information

Classes are held in a group setting at The Moncton Hospital in Clinic A and are taught by dietitians and nurses.

Pre-Diabetes Class

Topics discussed in this class include:

• What can put you at higher risk for getting type 2 diabetes
• How to lower your risk with lifestyle changes (e.g., weight loss, healthy eating)
• Making healthier food choices
• How to start an exercise program and the benefits of physical activity

Basic Class: Introduction to Living with Diabetes

In this class we will talk about:

• What diabetes is
• How you feel about living with diabetes
• How to live well with diabetes
• Why it is important to check your blood sugar level and have regular blood tests
• What does a low blood sugar mean and how to cope with lows
• Managing diabetes through healthy eating, keeping active and taking medications

Healthy Eating and Keeping Active

In this class you will learn about the following topics:

• Healthy eating and keeping active and how these affect your diabetes
• Which food groups will affect your blood sugar levels
• What, how much, and when you should be eating
• Using the food guide to make meals
• Reading food labels
• Working through challenges of eating healthy and keeping active
• How to keep active
• Setting goals and involving your support network (e.g. family, friends)

Best Foot Forward

Topics in this class include:

• How diabetes can affect your feet
• How to care for your feet and why it is important
• Protecting your feet and wearing the right shoes
• Staying healthy with diabetes (e.g., blood pressure, cholesterol, etc.)
• Types of medications for diabetes
• Over-the-counter medications that may affect your diabetes
• Review of blood sugar testing and 3-month sugar test (A1C)
• Physical activity
• Foot exam and blood pressure checks are done

This is a group of people living with diabetes who meet once a month to talk about their experiences. Some people are newly diagnosed and others have lived with diabetes for years. The goal of this group is to share information and ideas about diabetes rather than to give medical advice. This program covers a wide range of topics. Some meetings have a guest speaker, while others are more informal. These meetings are a safe space to discuss any challenges of living with diabetes and to get support from peers.

The meetings run from September to May, every third Tuesday of the month.

For more information contact:

Robert Surette
(506) 532-4965

Nutrition

Nutrition is a very important part of managing your diabetes. One thing to pay attention to is the portions on your plate. A balanced diet is very helpful to control your blood sugar levels. A balanced meal includes half a plate of vegetables, one quarter protein, and the last quarter carbohydrates, with a fruit and dairy choice.

Below are some links to help you meet this balance:

• Diabetes Quebec: The Balanced Plate
• Diabetes Quebec: Adapting Your Recipes
• Diabetes Canada: Basic Carb Counting

Physical Activity

Physical activity is an important step in managing your diabetes. An increase in physical activity helps your muscles use the sugar from your food.

Below are some links to help you boost your activity level and learn more about how exercise affects diabetes:

• Public Health Agency of Canada: Physical Activity & Diabetes
• Diabetes Canada: Your Exercise Prescription

Setting Goals to Live Well

The Live Well! Bien Vivre! program offers health coaches that work with you to achieve your health goals. The services are free to participants and are personalized to meet your needs. For more information, visit the Live Well! Bien Vivre! website.

High & Low Blood Sugar Levels

There are several reasons to check your blood sugar: to learn the effects of food and activity, why you may not be feeling well, and to check for highs and lows.

Frequent high blood sugar levels can cause damage to your blood vessels and lead to other health problems. If you find your blood sugars are often high, speak to your health care provider about adjusting food choices, physical activity, or medication.

Some signs that your sugars are getting too high are:

• Extreme thirst
• Needing to pee often
• Very dry skin or mouth
• Blurred vision
• Extreme tiredness or drowsiness
• Slow healing wounds

Having a low blood sugar level can become an emergency. When testing your blood sugar, a low blood sugar is any result below 4.

Signs and symptoms of low blood sugar can be:

• Sweating
• Dizziness
• Shakiness
• Fast heartbeat
• Anxiety
• Hunger
• Blurred vision
• Weakness or fatigue
• Headache
• Irritability
• Numbness or tingling of the tongue or lips

If you are feeling any of these symptoms, you should check your blood sugar immediately. For more information on how to treat your low sugars, see the link below:

• Diabetes Canada: Lows and Highs

Mental Health and Diabetes

As with any change in health and lifestyle, living with diabetes can be stressful and lead to mental health challenges. It is important to maintain good mental health for motivation and success in your diabetes management. If you are facing challenges with your mental health, please talk to your health care provider. For more information about how your mental health can affect your diabetes management, click the link below.

• Diabetes Canada: Diabetes and Mental Health
• Diabetes Quebec: Stress, Adjusting to Diagnosis, and Mental Health Concerns

Smoking Cessation

Quitting smoking is one of the most important things people living with diabetes can do to help slow down or prevent complications. Smoking causes heart disease, high blood pressure, and the hardening of blood vessels. For people with diabetes, smoking drastically increases the risk for complications.

• Diabetes Canada: Smoking & Diabetes
• Smokers’ Helpline – 1-877-513-5333 (toll free)

Assistance is also available through the Live Well! Bien Vivre! Program and through your Diabetes Education Centre.

Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that happens only during pregnancy. It is very important for women with gestational diabetes to work together with their health care team to ensure the delivery of a healthy baby. Learn more:

• Diabetes Canada: Gestational Diabetes
• Diabetes Quebec: Pregnancy in Diabetes