When diabetes STRIKES!

Bryan (not his real name) was diagnosed with diabetes at age 31. Here is his story:

I was a regular guy. I worked as a warehouse supervisor and I have a son. I had recently bought a car, so I was not as active as before and I had gained a lot of weight. I started getting tired with doing simple things. Then I started to pass urine every few minutes and I needed to drink something all the time. I knew something was wrong with me so I went to the doctor. I could not believe it when she told me I was diabetic. It just didn't seem real. Me, a diabetic! I felt it had to be all a mistake and I just needed to get the right medicine to cure me. I was too young to have something like diabetes.

The doctor gave me a lot of pills but they upset my stomach. So I hardly took the medication. Whenever I checked my blood sugar it was 15 or 18 millimoles. It should have been 5 or 6 millimoles. I started to take all kinds of herbal supplements while my family gave me bush teas and vegetable juices. But, I noticed that I was losing a lot of weight and I worried that I might have AIDS.

Accepting a new lifestyle

One morning, on getting out of bed I blacked out. My girlfriend was so frightened she insisted on taking me to the hospital. At the hospital they said my blood sugar was very high. I also had something called ketones in my urine. This meant that my body was lacking insulin. I cried when the doctors and nurses explained that I needed insulin injections. So, I was admitted to hospital for a week.

I had to learn to give myself injections. I give myself injections twice daily. Most mornings, I check my blood sugar with a glucose monitor (glucometer) before sticking myself. I also check my sugar if I don't feel well. I am learning to eat carefully. I eat a lot of raw and cooked vegetables and try to avoid sweets, especially sweet drinks. I had to get instructions from a dietitian about what to eat and how much. It's hard sometimes, especially when I don't know what to eat or everything available seems to be the wrong thing.

Having diabetes has meant that I take better care of me. I am careful about wearing comfortable shoes and I am exercising regularly. I was told that I need to get my eyes checked every two years. I also see the doctor for checks on my cholesterol and tests for my kidneys.

I read a lot about my condition. I know about complications like kidney failure, blindness and amputations. But I don't think a lot about these things. I am just trying to help myself. It took a lot of willpower, but I realised that is just how it is. Life has to go on. I have my youth to live for!

Dr Pauline Williams-Green is a family physician and past president of the Caribbean College of Family Physicians; email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com.