StemCell Therapy

Bossier, La. - More than 7-million American adults have diabetes and don't know it. That's about one in four people. And with diabetes, what you don't know can kill you.

There is absolutely no way to tell who in this crowd has diabetes, "You don't just go to bed one day and wake up the next and you're diabetic," says Endocrinologist, Laura E. Kimball-Ravari, M.D.

There are symptoms that go unnoticed leaving one-third of diabetes cases undiagnosed, "Changes and differences in your body from having high blood sugars can start early on," says Ravari. She adds, the sooner a person discovers they're diabetic the better.

"Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in adults, the leading cause of kidney failure requiring hemodialysis, the leading cause of lower limb amputation," says Ravari.

Tiffany McCallister was just a toddler when her mother suspected something might be wrong, "She took me to the doctor and they said there was nothing wrong."

At that time, blood glucose tests weren't as accurate. Her mother got a second opinion, "And immediately smelled my breath and said she's a diabetic."

Tiffany has Type1. Diabetes typically considered the type that affects children, "But, they can also be diagnosed when they're much older, even 30's and 40's. But, they're usually a more slender build and are normally more fit," adds Ravari.

Still the first step is diagnosis which means knowing the symptoms. "You do have to look for the symptoms of diabetes, and some of the symptoms are being very hungry, being very tired, and maybe having some blurry vision," says Ravari.

Frequent urination is also a symptom. A person might also have cuts that don't properly heal.

Diagnosed as a toddler, to Tiffany managing diabetes is a way of life. Whether you're a Type 1 or Type 2 diabetic, going undiagnosed could be deadly, "I've had it a long time. And the best thing, take care of yourself and don't limit yourself."

If you are experiencing any of the symptoms - make an appointment with a doctor. The longer diabetes goes undiagnosed, the more damage it can cause. Prevalence of the disease is expected to increase by 54-percent in the next 10 years.

More:
Defeating Diabetes: What you don't know can kill you. Take the test - KTBS

This entry was posted on March 15, 2020 at 9:42 pm and is filed under Diabetes. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed. |