DIABETES: a disease not to joke with

Interview with Tony: his experience with this illness

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF WHAT DIABETES IS AND WHAT THE SYMPTOMS ARE. WHAT INFLUENCE IT HAS GOT ON YOU/YOUR BODY, ITS MECHANISM

A person is diagnosed with diabetes when that person’s blood sugar level is constantly higher than the acceptable level of concentration; in simple terms, when the body is unable to use or dispel the sugar that the person is taking.

If untreated and the sugar level stays at unacceptable levels a person can loose their legs or fall into a coma and possibly die. A lot can be done to prevent this provided and only if the person is willing to make the necessary life style changes.

TREATMENT – DESCRIPTION OF TYPES OF TREATMENT AVAILABLE; DO YOU NEED TO BE UNDER YOUR DR’S SUPERVISION ALL THE TIME? TYPES OF MEDICATIONS, INJECTIONS USED

Depending on the blood sugar level in the person it will be decided to try and control the problem by either injections, tablets or a simple change in diet if the sugar level is only slightly above the normal level for a healthy person which is 4,5 – 5. Some people’s levels can go as high as 28 – 30 which is very dangerous.

The type of medication will be determined by the person’s GP who will also add her/his name to the surgery’s diabetic list which will result in regular quarterly checks to be carried out by the surgery’s diabetic nurse. These days all good surgeries have one. The nurse will want to keep a record of the patient’s blood pressure and weight and may on occasions request that the patient goes through a fasting blood test which means no food or drink (except water) for 12 hours.

WHAT ACTION DIABETICS CAN TAKE TO IMPROVE THEIR HEALTH (i.e. special diet, self-control, self-discipline, etc)?

To combat diabetes effectively it is essential to make many life style changes connected with diet and exercise.

In the majority of cases diabetics are overweight due to the poor choices in the type and amount of food and drink they consume. To change these bad habits will require a lot of self control and self-discipline but if the person can achieve this, with the support of family and friends it most definitely is achievable, then the results are very rewarding.

Getting started with your treatment plan is the hardest part, followed by being determined to stick with it once you have started.

If sugar is the problem then not taking it is the solution, or at least the main part of the solution.

In my case I stopped taking sugar in anything and refused to eat or drink anything that had sugar. This of course leads to big life style changes because cakes, desserts, sweets, chocolates, biscuits, soft drinks, flavoured water, and many other items are now excluded completely and forever from my diet.

Reducing the sugar intake is priority one but if you really need to lose weight then you need to cut out, or at least cut down the intake of alcohol, white bread, rice, pasta and dairy products (cheese, full fat milk, cream ice cream, etc).

DIABETES RISK FACTORS (Who is at more risk of developing diabetes?). CAN YOU PREVENT DIABETES IN ITS EARLY STAGES? IF SO,HOW?

Some people seem to eat whatever they want and always stay thin but others only need to look at something fattening and the weight goes on.

Now think about this simple advance warning that diabetes might be on its way. If your daily intake of food and drink is making you fat and you have been this way for at least 6 months, then get your blood tested for your sugar level. These days you do not need to bother testing as all the big pharmacies will be able to do the test for you.

People who generally do not get diabetes, firstly eat properly and healthy and secondly exercise regularly. This is the recipe for avoiding diabetes and many, many other medical problems. Excess weight on a person as they get older is simply preventing a good daily lifestyle. I recently persuaded a 74 year old woman to lose 2 stones and she is now a different person with a lot more energy, but just consider those lost years stuck under a layer of fat and being cross with yourself for being that way. Act now, don’t talk about it, do it.

DOES HOW PEOPLE COPE WITH THE FACT THEY HAVE DIABETES (when hearing the news) DEPEND ON THEIR ATTITUDE/MENTAL STRENGHT? HOW CAN THE ILLNESS/DIFFICULTIES RELATED WITH SUFFERING FROM DIABETES INFLUENCE ON YOUR MENTAL HEALTH?

This is a very important question because diabetes at the beginning is not something that you feel, nor does it affect your daily lifestyle and this can result in people not taking the news that they have diabetes, seriously at all. Many people just ignore the news and carry on eating and drinking too much and when the dizzy fits and pain start then it’s almost too late, the diabetes has a firm hold in your body.

If when you first get the news that your blood sugar level is regularly too high, you then examine your current lifestyle (with the assistance of the diabetic nurse at your GP surgery) and then make the necessary changes to your daily routine. You can prevent diabetes from adversely affecting your future.

Just imagine how cross you would be with yourself for not taking action when you should have done. Always take positive action as soon as you’re told the bad news – please do not ignore it.

THE STORYHOW IT ALL BEGAN...

When I was aged 49 (am 62 now) it was necessary for me to go into hospital for a stomach operation and when the hospital staff were doing the preliminary blood tests they found out that my blood sugar level was way too high and that I now had diabetes.

When I came out of hospital I felt fine and did nothing about the fact that I had diabetes. In the early stages you feel nothing and without the blood test I could have gone on for years not knowing that I had this medical problem.

I carried on eating and smoking and drinking too much until one day seven years later I started to have a funny tingling feeling in both my feet and legs.

I spoke to my doctor who told me that unless I made immediate changes to my lifestyle I was putting my life at risk.

This gave me a big shock and I decided to take immediate action. I gave up smoking completely, I gave up drinking

alcohol completely and I changed my eating habits

enormously. No more red meat, rice, white bread, sugar, cakes, sweets, fried food and all foods with high saturated fat levels.

When I started my new lifestyle I weighted 23 stones – 147 kilos and after 18 months of my diet I weighted 11,5 stones – 74 kilos and I have managed to remain at that weight until now. It is not easy to maintain this strict lifestyle but it is worth it because now my blood sugar level is the same as a normal person’s and my doctor has told me I can stop all medication, provided I continue doing what I am doing.

If you have any doubts at all about your blood sugar then get your blood sugar tested. This can be done at any Lloyds pharmacy or at your GP’s surgery. If you’re told you have a problem then act without delay – your future life is at risk.