BILLINGS - The American Diabetes Association reports that about 5,000 Montanans are diagnosed with diabetes every year. That figure is part of the roughly 38 million Americans who currently have diabetes.
For many people learning they have diabetes, the idea of lifestyle change can feel scary or overwhelming. But one Billings man has learned that type 2 diabetes doesn't have to be a life sentence. Instead, he says, it's a condition that requires lifestyle changes and commitment.
See transformation photos and videos of Nate Porter from the past year:
Last November, Nathan "Nate" Porter, 37, began many lifestyle changes after learning he had type 2 diabetes
"It's been a lot, that's for sure... It's very easy and very normal to get emotional about everything, especially something like this, that in my opinion at that time, was very life changing," he told MTN.
Porter discovered the diagnosis after a regular check-up with his Intermountain Health primary care provider. He said that before finding out he had diabetes, he experienced extreme thirst and frequent urination.
"I have a 44 oz Stanley cup, and I was burning through nine of those a day," he said.
After Porter learned of his diagnosis, he immediately began taking control of his health, incorporating exercise and dietary changes into his daily routine.
"That day, immediately quit smoking cigarettes. (I was an) avid smoker for 15 years," he said.
Porter's primary care provider prescribed medication for his diabetes and referred him to Chelsi Hayter, a family nurse practitioner at the Yellowstone Medical Center's diabetes and endocrinology clinic.
"A year later, I would not have thought we would be as far as we are," said Hayter. "I think Nate, right when I walked in the room, Nate was ready. Nate was ready and he had already made some changes."
As an analytical person, Porter said he's been able to navigate this journey, in part, thanks to a continuous glucose monitor. Porter said he needs to be able to see physical data to move forward with his decision-making. The monitor stays in his arm and is constantly tracking his glucose levels. Through an app on his phone, he's aware of his health at all times of the day.
"I swear by it. It's hands-down amazing," he said.
After nine years as a healthcare provider, Hayter said technology, such as continuous glucose monitors, helps patients take back control of their diabetes.
Hayter said for some patients, managing diabetes can be difficult at first.
"Those dietary and lifestyle changes are sometimes challenging to make, depending on the patient," she said.
Although Porter is still navigating the difficulties of diabetes, he looks back on the past year with gratitude as he now has greater agency over his health and lifestyle.
"Change, as difficult as it is, it's required," said Porter. "Even though lifestyle changes are very difficult because they are established through those habits, you have to change them."
The Diabetes, Endocrinology and Weight Management Clinic at the Yellowstone Medical Center, where Porter and Hayter work together, is currently undergoing a major renovation.
The clinic is expanding and will eventually house 12 new exam rooms. The expansion also includes a conference room for diabetes education and weight-management courses, and will allow for four additional healthcare providers.
The clinic's manager, Katie Watson, told MTN that this expansion is an opportunity for Intermountain Health to better serve community patients who are navigating a diabetes diagnosis.
"Being able to provide them the best care in a place where we can grow and expand, but also in a place that's updated and has the capabilities, both from a technological standpoint and just a functional standpoint, to provide the best care that we can for them," Watson said.
The project is in phase two of three and is scheduled to be completed by mid‑January. Even though the clinic is under renovation, patients with diabetes can still schedule appointments at the center.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist, and portions of this article have been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
