HEALTH Learning to live with diabetes

Learning to live with diabetes


The latest figures from the International Diabetes Federation Report show that in Ireland over 180,000 adults in the 20-79 age group (5.7 per cent of the population) are currently living with diabetes – and a further 60,000 are in a ‘pre-diabetes’ state. 
According to Elaine Newell from the Diabetes Federation of Ireland, “people with diabetes are confronted daily with the self-management of their condition, which has been described as one of the most psychologically and behaviourally demanding of the chronic medical conditions.”
Effective diabetes management lies almost entirely in the hands of the person living with the condition. On average, people with diabetes spend around three hours per year with a health care professional. This means that the person is left to manage his or her own condition for the other 8, 757 hours of the year.
It is paramount, therefore, that people with diabetes receive the necessary knowledge, skills and self awareness to feel confident about living with and managing the condition.
To find out more on diabetes self-management, the Diabetes Federation of Ireland are holding a free public meeting in the McWilliam Park Hotel, Claremorris, on Wednesday, March 24, starting at 7.45pm.
Dr SeΡn Dinneen, Consultant Endocrinologist, University Hospital, Galway, will speak on understanding diabetes test results and how to get the most out of your clinic visit; Laura Kelly, a podiatrist, will discuss diabetes and footcare; and Marie Fraser, a dietician, will talk about diet and diabetes.
For more information, please contact the Diabetes Federation of Ireland, 1 Wine Street, Sligo on 071 9146001 or email wro@diabetes.ie.

About diabetes

• Diabetes affects all sorts of people, from the very young to the very old. It is now considered an epidemic by the World Health Organisation.
• Diabetes occurs when the sugar (glucose) level in the blood is too high due to a defective pancreas, the gland that produces insulin. Insulin is the hormone that regulates our blood sugar.
• Many people are unaware that they have diabetes and will only be diagnosed when they suffer an acute medical event caused by complications from long-term untreated hyperglycaemia.
• 40 per cent of people with prediabetes – impaired glucose tolerance – will develop diabetes in the next five years if lifestyle changes are not made.
• The symptoms of diabetes vary in intensity, but may include lack of energy, tiredness, excessive thirst, frequent passing of urine, weight, blurred vision and/or recurrent infection.
• Diabetes is detected by a simple blood test that detects how much glucose is in the blood.
• Some people are more at risk of developing diabetes than others. The known risk factors include a family history of diabetes, being overweight, age (the likelihood of developing diabetes increases with age), lack of physical exercise.