Tag: endocrinology

senior drinking water outside
Can Your GLP-1 Medication Make You More Prone to Heat Illness?
Posted on by Leslie Branon

GLP-1 agonists—such as semaglutide (Ozempic) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro)—have revolutionized diabetes and weight management. While they help improve blood sugar control and support weight loss, it’s important to understand how these medications, along with diabetes itself, can increase the risk of heat-related illness in Central Texas’ summer heat.

Why GLP-1s and Heat Don’t Always Mix

1. Digestive effects that can dehydrate
GLP-1s often slow digestion, resulting in side effects like nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea/constipation. Coupled with high temperatures and humidity, this may push you into dehydration faster, even on a seemingly normal day.

2. Reduced appetite, reduced thirst
These medications can suppress both appetite and thirst, making it easier to overlook the need for fluids, especially when you’re sweating more in the heat.

Why People with Diabetes Face Greater Heat Risk

Even without GLP-1s, people with diabetes are more vulnerable to heat-related illness. Elevated blood sugar levels can lead to dehydration, and certain diabetes complications, like nerve damage or reduced sweat gland function, can impair the body’s ability to cool down. Additionally, people with diabetes may not feel early warning signs of heat exhaustion as clearly, especially if they have neuropathy. Some diabetes-related blood pressure medications (like diuretics or beta-blockers) can also affect fluid balance or heart rate, further complicating the body’s heat response.

Making Safe Choices in the Heat

Here are practical tips to reduce your risk of heat-related illness:

  • Hydration is essential: Carry water or electrolyte drinks and sip regularly, even before you feel thirsty. Avoid sugary or caffeinated beverages.
  • Choose cooler hours for activity: Exercise early morning or evening when temperatures are lower and humidity is less intense.
  • Dress smart: Opt for light, loose-fitting clothing, sunscreen, and protective accessories like hats or cooling towels.
  • Monitor the heat index: Central Texas summers often reach triple digits, and with humidity, it can feel like 104°F or higher. Avoid going outdoors during peak heat hours, typically between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., to reduce your risk of heat-related illness.
  • Protect temperature-sensitive supplies: Insulin, pumps, glucose strips, and sensors can lose effectiveness or be damaged in high heat.
  • Track symptoms and call your care team: Watch for nausea, dizziness, weakness, confusion, or fainting, and stay connected if you’re experiencing side effects or changes in glucose.

If you’re managing diabetes with GLP-1s or other medications, be sure to plan ahead to stay on track and avoid heat-related complications.

Diabetes, Thyroid and Osteoporosis Specialists in Austin, TX 

If you’d like to schedule an appointment with one of our endocrinologists at Texas Diabetes & Endocrinology and discover how our diabetes services and other endocrinology therapies can help you lead a full and active life, please contact us at (512) 458-8400 or request an appointment online.  

Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram and check back with us each month as we provide you helpful wellness and health information.

Women and Thyroid Disease
Posted on by Leslie Branon

The thyroid is a small gland at the base of your neck that produces the  hormone that regulates body’s metabolism, growth and development. Factors that may lead the thyroid to malfunction include autoimmune disorders, an iodine deficiency, some medications, and even stress. 

If it’s not working properly, it can result in a number of health issues, especially for women. 

According to the American Thyroid Association, one in eight women will develop a thyroid disorder in her lifetime. 

In honor of World Thyroid Day on May 25th our team of board-certified endocrinologists and thyroid specialists are helping spread awareness about the common thyroid issues affecting women, like hypothyroidism (underactive) and hyperthyroidism (overactive) and Hashimoto’s Disease. 

Symptoms that may indicate you have a thyroid problem are fatigue, restlessness, change in heart beat, unexplained weight gain or loss, or irregular or absent periods. 

The greatest toll a troubled thyroid takes on a woman’s body is to her reproductive system. 

Here are the various stages and phases of the female reproductive cycle and how they are affected by the thyroid:

The Fertile Years 

Thyroid problems can affect ovulation (releasing an egg from the ovary) and impair fertility.  Thyroid problems can cause menstrual cycle irregularities (frequent cycles, no cycles or delayed cycles and increased bleeding)

Pregnancy & Post-Pregnancy

A thyroid issue during pregnancy, if left untreated, can be very serious and potentially damage the fetus (neuropsychological and cognitive impairment in the child) or lead to premature birth or stillbirth, miscarriage, preterm delivery, placental abruption, or pre-eclempsia, which dangerously elevates the mother’s blood pressure. Postpartum (after delivery), some women might have high thyroid levels due to postpartum thyroiditis.

Menopause & Bone Health

An overactive thyroid gland can bring on early menopause in some women, as early as 40 years old. It can also deplete bones of calcium and result in a common condition known as osteoporosis. 

How is thyroid disease treated? 

Successful treatment for both an overactive or underactive thyroid is often easily accomplished with medication prescribed by an endocrinologist. Adopting healthy lifestyle habits will also greatly support your thyroid treatment, such as following a well-balanced diet, getting enough sleep, not smoking, exercising regularly, and particularly for women, using weights to improve bone density. 

Contact Us to Help Manage your Diabetes, Osteoporosis and Thyroid Conditions 

If you’d like to schedule an appointment with one of our specialists at Texas Diabetes & Endocrinology and discover how our diabetes services  and other endocrinology therapies can help you lead a full and active life, please contact us at (512) 458-8400 or request an appointment online.  

Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram and check back with us each month as we provide you helpful wellness and health information.

What is Metabolic Syndrome?
Posted on by Leslie Branon


Type 2 diabetes and heart disease can stem from and are associated with a set of common factors, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, elevated blood sugar levels, obesity, and physical inactivity. 

When these conditions occur together it is defined as metabolic syndrome. 

Currently up to one-third of all adults in the United States have metabolic syndrome. 

At Texas Diabetes & Endocrinology (TD&E), our team of board-certified endocrinologists and diabetes specialists offer a variety of options to help prevent heart disease and manage weight loss in order to avoid developing metabolic syndrome and other serious conditions. 

What causes metabolic syndrome? 

One of the main contributors in developing metabolic syndrome is being overweight or obese. You are at a significantly higher risk for metabolic syndrome if your body is ‘apple-shaped,’ which refers to carrying extra weight around the abdomen. 

Other common risk factors for metabolic syndrome may include:

  • Advanced age
  • Ethnicity, with Hispanics reported to be at the highest risk 
  • A diagnosis of pre-diabetes, gestational diabetes, or a family history of diabetes
  • High blood pressure or cholesterol
  • Insulin resistance, where the body has a hard time processing sugars

What are some symptoms of metabolic syndrome? 

There are no common symptoms that point towards metabolic syndrome, that is why it is important to get evaluated with your primary care doctor every 1 to 3 years, depending on your age and risk factors. 

How can you prevent developing metabolic syndrome? 

Many of the factors associated with metabolic syndrome can be improved if not fully reversed with dedicated lifestyle changes. Some healthy habits that our endocrinology experts recommend for preventing metabolic syndrome and the risk for diabetes and heart disease are:

  • Eating a well-balanced diet full of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean proteins
  • Monitoring how much salt and sugar are in your diet
  • Aiming for at least 30 minutes of physical activity, at least five days a week
  • Losing weight as directed by your physician
  • Stopping smoking and drinking alcohol in moderation

At TD&E, we offer cardiovascular risk assessment including Advanced Lipid Testing and supportive weight loss counseling and management. 

Contact Us to Help Manage your Diabetes, Osteoporosis and Thyroid Conditions 

If you’d like to schedule an appointment with one of our specialists at Texas Diabetes & Endocrinology and discover how our diabetes services  and other endocrinology therapies can help you lead a full and active life, please contact us at (512) 458-8400 or request an appointment online.  

Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram and check back with us each month as we provide you helpful wellness and health information.

What is diabetes burnout?
Posted on by Leslie Branon

Diabetes is a chronic condition, meaning that it must be managed 24/7 and 365 days a year for those who live with it. If your blood sugar is out of balance, your body will suffer.

The level of detail you must consistently devote to what you eat and drink, and how often, coupled with administering medications and testing your blood can be draining and downright exhausting. 

The sense of feeling overwhelmed about managing this condition in particular so meticulously is known as ‘diabetes burnout,’ or diabetes distress, something that affects one in five diabetics according to the American Diabetes Association.

One of our diabetes experts and board-certified endocrinologists, Dr. Lucy Esteve, shared her thoughts on diabetes burnout in a recent article for Health Central. 

What is diabetes burnout?

“I often tell my patients that diabetes is a full-time, ‘24/7’ job without paid time off,” says Dr. Esteve.  “You must continuously be planning ahead, troubleshooting, and making decisions.” 

The burnout can come from the daily management of the disease itself, but can also be triggered by factors like the financial stress of purchasing insulin and medications, or the social ramifications of not being able to eat in the same manner as family and friends. 

“Even when you do everything “right,” she explains, “you don’t always get the outcome that you want or expect, leading to further frustration.”

What are some signs of diabetes burnout?

Common signs of diabetes burnout may include:

  • Disengagement from or apathy about your diabetes care such as neglecting to test your blood sugars or take insulin shots
  • Missing regular appointments with your endocrinologist or other physicians 
  • Difficulty coping with stress and making rash, unwise food choices that could affect your blood glucose levels
  • Feeling overwhelmed, sad, or angry 
  • Withdrawal from family and friends 

What are some ways to help alleviate diabetes burnout?

Dr. Esteve shares that “I aim to eliminate any feelings of guilt that they (patients) may have for not managing their diabetes perfectly.” 

She urges those who are experiencing this type of distress to reach out to loved ones first, or their caregivers, to let them know how they’re feeling and to:

  • Seek help from your endocrinologist or other medical professionals, such as dieticians, physical therapists, or psychologists
  • Find a support group with other diabetics so that you can lean on each other for encouragement 
  • Speak with your endocrinologist about streamlining your medications and blood testing routine so that it is as easy to manage as possible
  • Try to balance other stresses in life, like family or work obligations, with activities or hobbies that bring you personal joy and peace, as a little self care goes a long way!

Finally, remember that you are not alone on this health journey to manage your diabetes. Please reach out to someone you trust, including our team at Texas Diabetes & Endocrinology, for help if you are feeling overwhelmed. 

Contact Us to Help Manage your Diabetes, Osteoporosis and Thyroid Conditions 

If you’d like to schedule an appointment with one of our specialists at Texas Diabetes & Endocrinology and discover how our diabetes services  and other endocrinology therapies can help you lead a full and active life, please contact us at (512) 458-8400 or request an appointment online.  

Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram and check back with us each month as we provide you helpful wellness and health information.

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