Diabetes Care
Type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes — diagnosis, treatment and ongoing follow-up, in English.
Continuity is the hard part
Diabetes care is not difficult to describe: measure, adjust, review, repeat. It is difficult to sustain — and moving countries is one of the most reliable ways to break the chain. Prescriptions run out. The supply chain for your specific insulin or sensor changes. The doctor who knew your history is eight thousand kilometres away.
The purpose of this consultation is to close that gap quickly, so that your control does not drift while you sort out everything else about your move.
What we manage
Type 1 diabetes
An autoimmune condition in which the pancreas stops producing insulin. It requires lifelong insulin and close endocrinological follow-up. If you use a pump or a continuous glucose monitor, bring the details — availability of specific supplies in Peru is worth planning ahead of time rather than discovering at the pharmacy counter.
Type 2 diabetes
By far the most common form, around 90% of cases. It involves insulin resistance, and is shaped by weight, activity, and genetics. With a full approach — nutrition, movement, oral or injectable medication — a great many patients reach genuinely good metabolic control.
Gestational diabetes
Appears during pregnancy in women who did not previously have diabetes. It needs tight monitoring to protect both mother and baby, and follow-up after delivery, because it raises later risk of type 2 diabetes.
Practical notes for patients arriving from abroad
HbA1c is reported the same way you're used to. Peruvian laboratories report it as a percentage (NGSP/DCCT), the standard in the US. If your previous results were in mmol/mol, as is common in the UK and much of Europe, this converter will translate between the two so you can compare like with like.
Glucose is reported in mg/dL. If you are used to mmol/L, multiply by 18 to get mg/dL. A fasting glucose of 5.5 mmol/L is 99 mg/dL.
Most diabetes medication is available here, including metformin, the common insulins, and GLP-1 receptor agonists. Specific brands and presentations vary. Bring the boxes or a photograph of them — the active ingredient is what I prescribe from, not the brand name.
Bring your last HbA1c and, if you have one, your sensor data. Two weeks of glucose readings tell me more than any single lab value, and it saves you weeks of adjustment.
What follow-up looks like
- Full metabolic assessment — HbA1c, lipid profile, kidney and liver function.
- Monitoring you can actually do — reading your own numbers and knowing what to do about them, rather than waiting for the next appointment.
- A treatment plan built around your routine — including travel, shift work and irregular schedules.
- Complication screening — feet, eyes, kidneys and cardiovascular risk, on a defined schedule.
- Ongoing adjustment — because the right dose in March is not always the right dose in September.
When to book
- A fasting glucose of 100 mg/dL or above
- HbA1c of 5.7% or above
- An existing diagnosis and a supply of medication that is running out
- A first-degree family history of diabetes
- Previous gestational diabetes
- Excessive thirst, frequent urination, unexplained weight loss or persistent fatigue
Common questions about Diabetes Care
I've just moved to Lima and my prescription is running out. How fast can I be seen?
Message us on WhatsApp and say that explicitly — it changes how we schedule you. Bring your current medication, your most recent HbA1c and any recent lab work, and you should leave the first consultation with a valid Peruvian prescription.
Can type 2 diabetes be reversed?
In its early stages, with substantial changes to diet, activity and weight — supported by the right medication — clinical remission is achievable and well documented. The underlying predisposition does not disappear, so monitoring continues. Remission is a real result, not a discharge.
How often should I have my HbA1c checked?
Roughly every three months while treatment is being adjusted, and every six months once control is stable.
Will my international health insurance cover this?
Many international policies reimburse outpatient specialist consultations in Peru, but they generally require you to pay first and claim afterwards. We issue a formal invoice and a clinical report suitable for reimbursement. Check your own policy's outpatient specialist terms before your visit — there is more detail in the article on insurance and costs.
Articles on Diabetes Care
Written to answer the questions that come up most often in consultation.
Managing Type 2 Diabetes After Moving to Peru
Keeping diabetes control steady through an international move — prescriptions, lab units, medication availability in Lima, and the specific ways that Peruvian food and altitude change the picture.
5 min readPaying for Specialist Care in Peru: Insurance, Costs and Reimbursement
How outpatient specialist care is paid for in Peru — private insurance, international policies, reimbursement claims and what to ask before your first appointment.
5 min readNeed a specialist evaluation?
Book a consultation in San Borja, Lima, or a video consultation from wherever you are. Appointments are unhurried by design.