Our hormones play a vital role in our body, with imbalances sometimes leading to endocrine-related conditions.
Controlling our temperature, sleep, mood, growth and even our stress levels, hormones – and the study of them – are the focus of our endocrinology team at The Lancaster Hospital.
With a special interest in diabetes and obesity, our Consultant Physician in Diabetes and Endocrinology sees patients at The Lancaster Hospital with a range of symptoms and conditions.
They include:
Diabetes and Obesity
Encompassing type one and two diabetes, insulin pump therapy and continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM), diabetes and obesity services at The Lancaster Hospital may include treatment for high blood pressure, high cholesterol and more.
Diabetes symptoms include increased thirst and extreme hunger, frequent urination, unexplained weight loss, fatigue, irritability and more.
People with high blood pressure may have a pounding feeling in their chest, while others will not have any symptoms. High cholesterol symptoms include chest pain, nausea, shortness of breath, extreme fatigue, a pain in the neck, upper abdomen, and more.
Patients may also visit The Lancaster Hospital with diabetic foot disease, including painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy and Charcot’s. Our Consultant Physician in Diabetes and Endocrinology can also treat various diabetes complications, including kidney, foot, eye, gastroparesis (leading to constipation or uncontrollable diarrhoea), and postural hypotension (which can lead to symptoms including dizziness, light-headedness and falls).
Those with diabetes are prone to foot-related problems, with diabetic foot disease being one of the key conditions people visit our team with. These foot conditions can come about as a result of prolonged periods of high blood sugar levels.
Weight loss management is also a focus of our Consultant Physician in Diabetes and Endocrinology, and patients may prepare for bariatric (weight loss) surgery while visiting us. Those who are due to celebrate Ramadan may also need help preparing for fasting.
Endocrine Disorders
Imbalances within the endocrine system can lead to several conditions, including hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid), hyperthyroidism/Graves’ Disease (overactive thyroid), male hypogonadism (testosterone deficiency), polycystic ovarian syndrome, and Addison’s disease. The latter is due to Cortisol hormone deficiency, which can lead to skin pigmentation and blood pressure problems.
In women, polycystic ovarian syndrome is one of the key conditions seen by our Consultant Physician in Diabetes and Endocrinology in Lancaster, with symptoms including an irregular menstrual cycle, abnormal hair growth on the face or body, and fertility issues.
Our Consultant Physician in Diabetes and Endocrinology at The Lancaster Hospital also treats issues relating to the adrenal glands, hirsutism, osteoporosis and pituitary problems (such as raised levels of prolactin and low pituitary hormones).
General Medical Conditions
General medical conditions, including cellulitis, can also be treated in Lancaster – and our consultant is currently working hard behind the scenes to open a fibromyalgia/chronic fatigue syndrome clinic to help patients who are suffering from the condition locally and further afield.
Our Consultant Physician in Diabetes and Endocrinology will take a full medical history before asking some relevant questions, which will include details about your symptoms and how they are affecting your day-to-day life.
Depending on the condition you are suffering from, you may wish to be put forward for some routine diabetes tests, or a series of pituitary function tests, including thyroid tests and hormone tests. This will allow our Consultant Physician in Diabetes and Endocrinology to ascertain what may be causing your symptoms, as well as the best route forward.
Some patients may need to have some blood tests, to check their glucose levels and thyroid, with other tests offered at The Lancaster hospital including radiology, a CT scan of the brain or an MRI scan of the brain.
The thyroid blood test, specifically, will evaluate the function of the thyroid. The most commonly used test is the TSH test; if an individual’s TSH level is abnormal, our consultant may need to follow it up with a test for free T4. The thyroid hormone plays a vital role in body’s metabolism – and the tests and monitoring undertaken in endocrinology will allow the patient to keep many other systems in your body healthy (for example, muscles and bones).
To visit our endocrinology team at The Lancaster Hospital, patients travel from a wide catchment area, including in and around Lancaster itself – Morecambe, Galgate, Carnforth and Heysham – and further afield in Lancashire.
Endocrinology patients may travel from Preston, Blackpool, Blackburn, Leyland, Chorley, Accrington, and a host of other areas in the region, while some people visit from further north, including Cumbria and the South Lakes area.
There are many reasons why people choose Lancaster for their endocrinology-related treatment, with great facilities being just one and shorter waiting times being another.
The Lancaster Hospital is a clean, modern building, which offers state-of-the-art equipment in regard to endocrinology treatments. Our team are friendly and welcoming, and it is easy to find your way around the building when visiting for your consultation.
The hospital has great ward facilities, too, where patients can be monitored carefully – and if you’re looking for an endocrinologist in the area, you can enjoy a host of benefits when choosing Lancaster for your initial consultation. Here are just four:
- Flexible appointments and shorter waiting times – At The Lancaster Hospital, you can be sure that waiting times are short, and appointment times are flexible, meaning you can easily fit in your healthcare around your schedule.
- Consultant-led appointments – When you visit The Lancaster Hospital for an assessment for a suspected endocrinology-related disorder, your appointments will always be consultant-led. You will also see the same person each time – from your consultation, right through to any treatment needed – and he or she will be a specialist in endocrinology.
- Patient satisfaction and personalised care – The Lancaster Hospital offers excellent facilities in a state-of-the-art, modern building. Its patient satisfaction score, compiled by independent agency, Quality Health, is 97.1% (2019)
- Remote consultations – If you prefer, you may have the opportunity to use a platform like Microsoft Teams to chat to our endocrinology consultant from the comfort of your home.
Want to make an appointment with our Consultant Physician in Diabetes and Endocrinology here at The Lancaster Hospital?
Simply call our friendly team on 01524 62345. Alternatively, you can use our handy online endocrinology booking system to make your appointment in mere seconds and at a time and date to suit you.
