CEBU CITY (Jan. 24, 2024) – Do you get tired easily? Do you eat non-stop? Do you frequently go to the bathroom to urinate?
If you have these symptoms, you might have diabetes and must seek medical intervention immediately, said Dr. Anton Oliver Reposar, the chief of clinics of the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC).
Reposar, an Internal Medicine specialist, said Cebuanos must be mindful of the early symptoms of diabetes to avoid health complications later.
“Importante gyud ang early detection kay once ma-detect nato nga early stage pa ang diabetes, dili siya moabot nga mokomplikar pa siya,” Reposar said during CCMC’s Punto Medikal program over Sugboanon Channel on Jan. 12.
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines diabetes as a chronic disease that occurs either when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces.
Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood glucose.
“Normally, food goes to the stomach, then digested into glucose. Glucose goes to our blood, once glucose enters the pancreas, it releases a hormone called insulin,” Reposar said.
“Pero kung diabetic ka, dili effective ang insulin nga mo-react didto sa glucose. Ang mahitabo sa diabetic kay dili epektibo ang insulin, so ang glucose mag-standby siya sa atong dugo,” he added.
Types, complications
Reposar said there are two types of diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2.
Patients with Type 1 diabetes experience deficient insulin production and requires daily administration of insulin.
Reposar said Type 1 diabetes often occurs on persons below 20 years old.
While Type 2 diabetes stops the body from using insulin properly, which can lead to high levels of blood sugar if not treated.
The WHO said Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes and has affected more than 95 percent of people worldwide.
Over time, patients with Type 2 diabetes could have serious damage to their body, especially nerves and blood vessels, Reposar said.
“If naa’y congestion sa dugo, mas makaapekto kini sa gagmay nga vessels. That is why some diabetics mohanap ang panan-aw,” he added.
Aside from blurred vision, Type 2 diabetes could also cause other major ailments such as heart and kidney diseases; and nerve damage.
Reposar said that stress can increase the risk of diabetes.
He said stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, when released on the body, could cause insulin resistance.
“Kung naa tay stress, dayun mogawas ning mga stress hormones, apektahan sad nga mo-increase sad ang sugar sa imung dugo. So maka-cause sad na og complications, madelikado na noon nga ma-diabetic ang pasyente,” Reposar added.
Early prevention
Reposar said Type 2 diabetes can be preventable through early detection and clinical management.
“Bisan walay cure ang diabetes, we can control it within its normal values,” he said.
Reposar said early detection can be done through laboratory diagnostics such as getting tested for random blood sugar, fasting blood sugar, and HbA1C or glycated hemoglobin.
The American Diabetes Association said a patient must have fasting blood sugar that does not exceed more 126 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl) which is considered under pre-diabetic levels.
Reposar also advised suspected diabetics to consult a medical professional first before using test kits for diabetes.
He also urged suspected diabetics to avoid self-medication.
But he continue to emphasize that proper diet and exercise remained the best ways to prevent diabetes.
“Mobalik gyud ta sa basic which diet modification. Mao gyud na ang first line of defense. Ang uban basta makainum lang og tambal, pwede na mokaon og daghan. Once naa kay exercise ug balanced diet, basin moabot sa punto nga ma-control nimo imung sugar,” Reposar added. | PPRMN / jkv
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