Breaking the Cycle of Diabetes

Sometimes when one door closes, a better door opens. Amadeo Reyes of Fremont said that was true for him when he transferred from his long-time endocrinologist to Washington Township Medical Foundation endocrinologist Jean Huang, MD.

Reyes was diagnosed with diabetes in 2013. At 38, he had struggled with his weight his entire adult life and had a strong family history of the disease. In spring 2024, Reyes’ former endocrinologist handed back care to his primary care provider. But Reyes didn’t feel like he could face the disease on his own. A few months later, he had his first appointment with Dr. Huang. It changed his life.

“My father passed away in 2020 from diabetes,” Reyes said. “I was almost 49 and headed on that same path. I had high blood pressure, high cholesterol and my blood sugar and hemoglobin A1C were out of control. I didn’t know how to change. The minute she opened the door to the exam room for our first appointment, I knew I found someone that would help me.”

At that first appointment, Dr. Huang set her expectations for Reyes. She told him she was there to be a teacher, mentor, coach and cheerleader, but he needed to do the work. She set parameters for diet and exercise, changed medications and let him know he wouldn’t be alone on the journey to better health. The first big change was getting him to check his blood sugar every day.

“I didn’t like needles, so I had rarely checked my blood sugar since I had been diagnosed,” Reyes admitted. “I knew better, but I always found an excuse. I forced myself to get over the needle phobia and started checking daily.”

The next challenge for Reyes was his diet. “I’m Filipino and we eat rice for breakfast, lunch and dinner,” he explained. “Dr. Jean said to eat in moderation, so I decided not to eat rice for three months. I didn’t know how I was going to do that. She’s Chinese, so she understood. She helped me make better choices.”

Reyes said before seeing Dr. Huang, there were times when he was too busy working to eat and would feel shaky. He also cares for his elderly mother, who didn’t eat unless he did. He tended to eat even when he wasn’t hungry, when he was bored or felt stressed. Reyes shared with Dr. Huang that much of Filipino culture revolves around food. Where he saw potential problems, she presented solutions.

Next on the list was exercise. As a customer service representative at Oakland International Airport working the early shift, Reyes was fairly stationary. When he got home from work, the last thing he wanted to do was go for a walk or to the gym.

“Dr. Huang was straight with me about what I needed to do in addition to changing my diet,” Reyes said. “She suggested I walk around the terminal to get my steps in every day and recommended the best shoes, because diabetic foot care is especially important. Now I walk every day with no pain and feel stronger than I have in years.”

After talking about testing, diet and exercise, Dr. Huang discussed medications with Reyes. She prescribed daily oral metformin to help his body regulate his response to insulin, reduce cravings and decrease his body’s tendency to store fat. To help with his weight loss, she prescribed weekly injections of Ozempic, a GLP-1 agonist, to help him feel full faster and stay feeling full longer. This combination was just what he needed.

“I was almost 240 pounds when I first saw Dr. Huang,” Reyes said. “In the five months since, I’ve dropped below 200 pounds for the first time in more than 20 years. My A1C went from 8.5 to 5.9. My cholesterol is down to 136. My blood pressure and cholesterol medications have been cut in half and I feel better than I ever have.”

After the initial office visit, Dr. Huang connected with him weekly via email. Those emails kept Reyes motivated and encouraged. “She asked how my blood sugar levels were, if I was checking regularly, if I was keeping up with the diet, if I was walking every day,” he shared. “She monitored my numbers and reminded me she was always available.” Reyes believes that her continued encouragement made all the difference for him.

“From the first time I met her, Dr. Huang has guided me step by step,” he said. “She’s motivated me, pushed me and encouraged me—acting more like a friend than a doctor. She always made me feel like I could tackle diabetes and win. There is no way I could have done this without her guidance.”

“She talks to me like a human being, not just a patient,” Reyes continued. “She has a three-month and a six-month plan to help me be the best I can be. Next year, I’m going to start going to the gym to add weights to the cardio I do now. She’ll say, ‘These are our goals,’ and I know she’ll be there to help me achieve them.”

To learn more about Dr. Jean Huang, visit
https://www.mywtmf.com/find-a-doctor/jean-huang-md/