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Submitted by PatientsEngage on 18 December 2019

Abhay*, 29 has been battling Type 1 diabetes to the best of his abilities. He shares his trials and tribulations.

Please tell us a bit about your condition

I am living with Type 1 diabetes in India. It is basically a condition in which the pancreas fails to produce enough insulin in the body which results in rise in blood sugar.

The blood sugar range for a normal person is 87-140 mg/dl, but in a diabetic patient the blood sugar numbers can go way beyond the range.

It is very important for a diabetic person to maintain blood sugar below 140 mg/dl through diet and medication otherwise there will be long term complication.

Type 1 diabetes is managed through external dose of insulin which is injected daily into the body. The condition can be managed easily and the person can live life normally like an average person.

When were you diagnosed?

I was diagnosed in 2017 when I was 27 years of age. Type 1 diabetes usually gets diagnosed at a very young age (around 5-18 years) but I was one of the rare few who got it in adulthood.

What were the early symptoms?

I was losing weight rapidly. Just in a month I may have shed around 15 kgs which was very strange at that point of time. Along with the weight loss, I found that my muscles were getting loose. For example, when I used to sit on chair I used to feel my hipbones as I had lost a lot of my butt muscles.

I was thirsty and urinating a lot. I remember I was going to a nearby place with my friend on a bike and I may have stopped 2-3 times for urinating in the middle of the road. I was also sleeping a lot. On Sundays, it would  go up to 13-15 hours a day. It was my grandmother who figured there was something  wrong with me. One day when she saw red ants in my room’s toilet she asked me to test my blood sugar.

I did the blood sugar check next day and it was over 300mg/dl, which was too much. A normal blood sugar reading does not go above 140 mg/dl.

Is there a history of diabetes (Type 1 or 2) related condition in your family?

Yes, my mother is Type 1 diabetic. I can say that I get this disease from my mother as genetics play crucial role in this kind of problem.

Please describe your experience of managing the condition?

I have been trying to maintain my blood sugar below 140 mg/dl and this is only possible by changing my diet habits. Every time I eat a meal, I make sure that I restrict myself to 25 grams of carbohydrate. This rule has helped me to reduce my insulin dose and get better blood sugar results.

In India, diet control is difficult because most of the food is high in carbohydrate. For example let us consider chapati, which is most common part of  an Indian meal. Only one chapatti contains around 17 grams of carbohydrate which is too much for a diabetic person. So if a person eats 3 chapatis, he consumes 51 grams of carbohydrate which is enough to spike the blood sugar beyond 200 mg/dl. Key is to reduce the number of chapatis and increase vegetable intake, this way you can live life without any complication.

This is the kind of adjustments I have done to manage my blood sugar. Apart from diet, I check my blood sugar at least 6-8 times a day to ensure that I am in the normal range.

What medications are you on?

I take insulin 3 times a day after every meal. Insulin is needed to metabolize glucose which you take from your food. Apart from insulin I also take omega 3 fish oil capsule for heart and bone health to protect myself from any related disorders in my old age.

Were there any side-effects of the medicines?

There are no side effects of insulin. However; one can experience slight weight gain after starting with insulin therapy but this is not something to be concerned about.

What were some of the challenges you faced and what is your advice to patients who face similar challenges?

There is always a fear of hypoglycemia when you play any sport. I like badminton and during the game I have faced low-blood-sugar condition, due to which I have to stop the game in between and rush to eat something sugary.

If you are into sport which is physically demanding, I will suggest you to carry a bottle of fruit juice for low blood sugar episode.

Have you learnt anything in managing in your condition that you wish you knew before?

Initially, I was too strict with my diet. In the fear of blood sugar spike I used to skip my daily meal and tried to fast as long as possible. This behavior continued for a year until I went into diabetic ketoacidosis. Diabetic Ketoacidosis is a dangerous condition in which your body starts burning fat and produces acid in the body. I was dizzy and felt nauseous all the time. When I consulted my doctor he told me about the above mentioned condition and told me the importance of a balanced diet. Since then I have been trying to get proper nutrition and have also included Omega 3 capsules in my regular regime.

What kind of specialists do you consult and how often?

I consult endocrinologists who specialize in diabetes management. I am not a frequent visitor; I visit the doctor maybe once in 6 months.

Are there myths regarding diabetes that need to be busted?

There are various misinformation about diabetes in our community, some of them are:

a. It is a lifestyle disorder
Type 1 diabetes is not a lifestyle disorder. There are multiple reasons why one gets it and genetics is one of them

b. Diabetics have short life
Diabetics can live a normal life provided they manage their blood sugar properly.
There are diabetics who have lived beyond 95 years of age.

c. Eating Sugar cause diabetes
this may be true for Type 2 diabetes but not for Type 1.
Type 1 and Type 2 are different forms of diabetes with different causes and treatments.

What are the least understood aspects of Diabetes?

When I was diagnosed some people close to my family blamed me for my lifestyle. Poor lifestyle is not the only cause of diabetes. I was lean, athletic and very active throughout the life but still I got this problem. I would just like to say that if you know any person suffering from any problem, don’t try to be judgmental about it. The patient is already suffering and there is no point playing blame game.

Have you tried complementary medicine or therapies, like homeopathy or yoga?

I have been practicing yoga even before my diagnosis. Apart from that I am highly interested in playing badminton on a regular basis. I would advise the entire diabetic community to choose some hobby for your physical and mental health. Diabetes is not only a physical problem, it also affects you mentally. Infact, 50% of diabetics are prone to depression and other mental disorders.

So make sure you choose any hobby and practice it with other community members

Has it been difficult emotionally to cope with your condition?

Diabetes can drain you emotionally. Constant blood sugar fluctuation along with strict control in diet can be emotionally draining. Multiple nights I could not sleep due to fluctuating blood sugar and fear of hypoglycemia. I must confess that good sleep is a luxury for diabetic patient as there won’t be a single night when you won’t wake up to urinate or check the blood sugar.

How has your family supported you?

I have been fortunate that my family is very supportive about my condition. They ensure that I get right food and enquire about my health on daily basis.

Did you see a counselor for support? Were you offered counselling by doctor?

No, I have been managing my blood sugar successfully so did not felt the need to get counseling.

What was the hardest part of suffering from Type 1 diabetes? And what kept you going?

Travelling is difficult with diabetes as you have to take care of your insulin supplies. Insulin is very sensitive to heat and get easily damaged with slight temperature variation. In India where temperature is usually in higher side, keeping the insulin safe during your travel is quite a challenge.

Also every time I travel I literally have to hunt for healthy food which is not so readily  available In the era of fast food, getting the right type of diet is quite a challenge in a foreign city.

How has this changed your perspectives in life?

Getting diagnosed with diabetes has definitely changed my perspective towards life; it has made me more philosophical in nature. I have understood how fragile and temporary life is. And it is very important to relish each and every moment because you don’t know what turn can life take in a second.

* name changed on request

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