DO YOU KNOW YOUR DIABETIC STATUS?

Ademowore Adetola

Health issues in Nigeria is a serious issue that need serious attentions.

In Nigeria, we all walk up and down, wake up very early in the morning to set for work, to set for our daily needs and come back home late at night just to rest for few hours before setting out the following day, and we do this from Monday to Friday.

On saturday, we attend different functions again and to some, they still work on weekends. We work like this for months and even years sometimes without checking up ourselves medically.

This medical checkup is call "Routine Checkup" but only few Nigerian knows about it.

What is even Routine? To me, this is a way or process of doing something regularly to make sure its up to standard and fit to work.

Let us use vehicle or machine as an example. Some people believe so much that their vehicle or machine must always be serviced every six months of use without any excuses so that it can be fit to work or serve them better.

I now looked at this very well, why can't we apply this same act, action and thinking to our own selves too so that our system can be up to standard for the stress we face day by day in Nigeria.

So many Nigerian don't even know this kind of a thing exist or happen. And to those who knows about it, what is the percentage of the people who always do it?

I am an example of those who are ignorant of this, even as I work in health sector (Lagos State Ministry of Health).

The truth is that every government (Lagos) staffs always have the opportunity of this routine checkup yearly but must of us always ignore it which is really affecting us health wise.

So many illness are pilling in our system due to work stress, due to what we eat, drink and so on but must of us don't know and when we do this routine checkup, so many thing will be checked in our system.

Things like X-ray will be done for us, ultra sound, blood test of different types, eye check and many more.

Government even go to the extent of helping those residing in the State (Lagos) by giving them Free Healthcare popularly called "Free Health Mission" at various locations. But still must people look at it that, its a lie, they want to use it to campaign for election and some do say do they really have drugs to give them.

To me, why not know the status of your health first, after that, you'll look for a way of treating your self or you seek for help if necessary in a situation where by you're not buoyant of treating yourself. Some even always say they are sound and good health wise so they don't need any routine check up.

Just because you're fit to move up and down, you're able to do your daily task doesn't mean you're sound health wise some times.

Let's look at one of the silent killing disease in the world now, "DIABETES".

Diabetic happens to be a very silent killing illness. All human are prone to have this illness called Diabetes because it's a metabolic disorder (Disease) that all human being have that develop in our system depending on everyone's life styles.

What do I mean by life style? Because I know most people may start saying thank God I don't drink beer, I don't take any thing liquor that contain alcohol and I don't smoke. Yes you may not be doing all this, and at the same time what I meant still based on it and to everyone generally, how is your diet and how do you manage it?

Do you know all foods we take have quantity we should take at each seating, and hours that should be between each meal. How we should take our fruits and how it should be taken, especially in Africa.

What is even DIABETIC? Diabetes is a life - long common health condition. Is a condition where the amount of Glucose in your blood is too high because the body can not use it properly and this is because your Pancreas doesn't produce any insulin to help glucose enter your body cells.

- Glucose comes from digested food ( Carbohydrate ) and is also produced by liver.

- Insulin is the Hormone produce by the Pancreas that allows glucose to enter the body's cells where it is used as fuel for energy so we can work, play and live our live generally.

Diabetes is a serious complex condition which can affect the entire body. Like liver, kidneys, stroke, nervous system, arteries, blood vessels, amputation and total blindness. And it do cause Erectile Disfunction (ED) too.

Today, Diabetic take more live than AIDS and Breast cancer combine.

Let me quickly tell you story of how my own started  or how I discovered mine so that you'll how helpful routine check up can be.

It all started some times in August 2016, when I notice some changes in my system and I could only figured this out just because I always study the way my system works. This changes occur in me and I stared feeling what medical people call Polyuria, Polydipsia and Polyphagia. i.e I drink fluid more than normal, I urinate more than normal and I eat more than normal.

I watched and studied myself for like two weeks to know if my system will come back to normal but I realized the problem persist. I have to run to our staff clinic for checkup. They couldn't check me that day because it was already afternoon so I was given appointment for the following day but main while, I was questioned by one of the Doctor on duty that day due to what I complained about.

Question: are you a diabetic patient before?

Ans: No

Question: In your family history, do anybody have it? Either your parent or grandparent?

Ans: No

Question: How many times do you pee before day break?

Ans: like 5 to 6 times

Question: How frequent do you drink water?

Ans: At every short interval.

The following day, I work up very weak and tied with body pains and it is fasting sugar test (FBS) i will be doing ( i.e I must not eat or drink any thing before the test, the last food that will be taken a day before the test must be taken latest 9pm ).

I manage myself down to the clinic. On getting to the clinic, the nurses saw it on my face how weak I was, immediately, I was admitted. My blood sample was quickly taken before any treatment for the test to be carried out and treatment for me was commence. I was given some infusions and some injections for me to be stable.

Not long, the result of my test came out and shows that my blood glucose is high (medically called Hyperglycemia). Some diabetes drugs were giving to me for starting to see if it will crash it down but it was unfortunate the drugs didn't. I went back to the clinic after two day to complain about my strange feelings. After the complains and some questions, my drugs given to me to crash the blood glucose was increased.

The following week that i went back to complained again, I was referred to the closest General Hospital (Lasuth). It was from there I have been on so many Medical test to know the exact cause(s) of it since its not in my family history. Ever since then, I have become a patient of diabetes centre ( Endocrine or Endocrinology ) where they have been managing it for me and I keep doing medical test.

How are you risking your life too by ignoring some medical advise, how often do you check your self up in a year? Please don't be ignorant of right things at this develop period of computer age.

I am alive and able to tell you this just because I observed my self and I quickly take the proper actions about my health.

Because I followed all medical advises, instructions and I take all my medications, I have being living very fine and doing everything other people can do.

Help your self so that you can be helped!

Health is wealth.