Discussing your personal diabetes experience can help you view diabetes in a different light. Relating with other people about it can result in positive changes and guide you through day-to-day challenges. People can have similar experiences with diabetes or very different experiences; it all depends on how your body operates. Today we will be talking about a personal story regarding a 71-year-old man who lives with type 2 diabetes. He started taking an oral medication called Metformin for roughly ten years, which helps lower your blood sugar levels by bettering your body’s insulin. This medication is usually prescribed when exercise and diet alone have not adequately been able to manage your blood sugar levels. He has now been Insulin dependant for about 15 years and added 25 mg of Januvia for one year. Januvia is another anti-diabetic medication that aids in significantly lowering blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes. The type of Insulin that he takes is Novolog Mix 70/30 FlexPen prefilled syringe. He usually takes his Insulin right when he wakes up and right before he goes to bed. Regarding the dosage, he takes 28 units in the morning and 18 units in the evening. As for side effects that came along with the medication, he only experiences elevated blood pressure, circulation issues, a kidney infection, and diabetic retinopathy.
His diet is relatively strict, considering he never skips any of his meals. He has an egg sandwich, fruit on the side, and a cup of black coffee for breakfast. Lunch consists of a cup of soup and a salad of his choice. He considers dinner the largest meal, so he usually has chicken, beef, or fish, with vegetables and sugar-free jello. He treats himself to a few snacks such as yogurt or sugar-free jello along with a Powerade or water in between meals. This is the diet that works best for him; however, I am sure others may be different.
Regarding his physical condition, he suffers from Peripheral neuropathy, which causes weakness and numbness in the hands and feet. To help with this, he takes 75 mg of Plavix and has been for some time now. His kidneys are monitored for decreased function, and he has nocturia 2-3 times a night. For those who are not aware of what nocturia is, it is a condition that causes frequent urination in the middle of the night, which can be highly inconvenient and bothersome. Another condition that he experiences is diabetic retinopathy, a complication that affects your eyes and is common for many people with diabetes. Due to this complication, he had to get cataract surgery in 2010. This surgery results in removing the lens of your eye and replacing it with an artificial lens. Luckily this surgery is painless due to the numbing eye drops placed onto the eye’s surface before the operation. Unfortunately, in 2019, he had his right big toe removed and had a partial amputation of the right 3rd toe in 2021.
Never let diabetes change who you are; allow it to shape who you are. Although talking about it can be hard and challenging, opening up could ensure you get help if you need it. An open ear can alleviate the stress caused by diabetes and help you cope with it more positively. Educating yourself on the topic is also very important and can aid in relating to others to form stronger connections.