Desre Williams was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes six months ago. She shares how she is adopting a new lifestyle and processing the diagnosis.  

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Desre wasn’t feeling at her optimal health for a while so she went to see her doctor. “I was always feeling dizzy and otherwise, it’s hard to explain but you know you just don’t feel yourself, brain fog, swollen ankles,” she explains.

“My blood pressure was extremely high. My doctor did a full blood count and then checked my blood glucose. When I did my fasting glucose test, my first reading was high but not out of the park, but once I did the test after the two-hour glucose test, my readings were sky high and thus the diagnosis began.”

After trying a few different oral medications, Desre and her doctor were happy with the impact of gliclazide. “Thankfully, I’ve had very few side effects on this medication, but my body does protest when I eat badly,” explains Des.

Overcoming the shock

Even though Desre says she hasn’t been healthy in a while, the diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes still came as a suprise. “I think I knew something was bound to happen, maybe not diabetes but my body was starting to feel like it was shutting down,” she says.

Before her diagnosis, Desre says she had a fair bit of knowledge on diabetes as a close friend was diagnosed a few years back with Type 2 diabetes. “He went through a very difficult time and nearly lost his life twice, and has had his leg amputated below the knee, all caused from the complications of diabetes.”

Adopting a new lifestyle

Desre consulted with a dietitian and was put on a special diet. “I also have a thyroid problem, so I was taken off dairy and now consume lactose-free foods. I still have a way to go with eating, and exercise which is so difficult to get into. Every day you learn something new and how to handle the situation. I’ve had to learn about eating regular meals and how to react when my blood glucose drops very low. It wasn’t a nice experience at all. But I will persevere; I don’t want it to progress or have to use insulin,” Desre says confidently.

For now, Desre has three-monthly check-ups with her doctor. “Once she is happy that I have stabilised then I will only see her every six months.”

Des is happy with how she is managing her blood glucose levels. “I check it before every meal and then two hours after. If I see it’s higher than it should be, then I make a note of what I’ve eaten and change it,” she says.

Support

Thankfully, Desre’s family have been really good in supporting her in this journey and help her where they can. “I read material on the subject but haven’t as yet joined any support groups, but I’m sure as time goes on and things change, I will,” she says.

The fact that the diabetes nurse educator is always at the doctor’s room and just a phone call away gives Desre peace of mind.

Desre adds, “I’ve told my colleagues and bosses and they have been super supportive. My very close friends (colleagues) watch me like a hawk and give me a mouth full if I stray.”

Festive season strategy

When asked if she has a festive season strategy in place with all the family feasting, Desre responds, “My family understands, and I have to be disciplined with all the yummy foods. Luckily, we don’t usually have a very big Christmas and this year the kids and their partners will be away, so a very small Christmas this year.”

Walking for a cause

Desre hopes to start taking part in walks for good causes once she gets into the flow of her exercise regime. Even though she is not a fan of summer (the heat and her aren’t the best of friends) she does love the early sunrises and enjoys taking in the early mornings.

Her advice is, “It’s important to be aware of your health. When something doesn’t feel right, check it out. Whatever it is, if it’s caught earlier enough, there is a good chance of preventing it from getting to the next stage. Like any disease, don’t ignore the warning signs, and most of all, don’t take life for granted.”

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Claire Allison reflects and appreciates how far she has come during her Type 1 diabetes journey.

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Claire Allison (23) lives in Alberton, Gauteng with her parents and two sisters.

Diagnosis

Claire was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, in 2011, at the age of nine. “I was drinking excessive amount of liquids as I was continuously thirsty, which caused me to wet the bed during the night. I was always nauseous and had body flu-like symptoms, so my mom took me the doctor on numerous occasions. However, I was given antibiotics and sent away,” Claire explains.

“Closer to my diagnosis, I lost a lot of weight, struggled to eat, and got thrush. My parents were very concerned. Thankfully, my mom had read an article on Nick Jones and his journey with Type 1 diabetes, where the signs and symptoms were listed. Due to my severe weight loss in a short period of time, she took me to a pharmacy clinic, where my blood glucose was checked. It was so high that the nursing sister said we needed to go to the GP right away. My HbA1c showed that my average blood glucose was 16 mmol/L. The GP referred us a paediatric endocrinologist who practices specifically in juvenile diabetes.”

Treatment

Claire was put on insulin; a fast-acting insulin that needs to injected 15 minutes before she eats as well as a slow-acting insulin at night.

“When I was first diagnosed, the insulin was in cartridges, and I had to use syringes to extract the insulin and inject myself. A few years later they made the insulin pens, which I still use today,” she explains.

“In the beginning of my diabetes journey, I went through what is called the honeymoon period. I seemed to be back to normal and not needing much insulin. However, this period doesn’t last long and soon after my dosages needed to be increased due to high blood glucose,” Claire explains.

Throughout the years, Claire’s insulin dosages have changed, according to the insulin she was on and their effect on her blood glucose. Currently, her fast-acting dosage is 6 units and her slow-acting is 22 units.

She also started using a continuous glucose monitor sensor in 2021. “I wear a sensor on my arm, which links to my phone, using Bluetooth, and it keeps me up-to-date on my blood glucose reading. If I’m experiencing hyperglycaemia or hypoglycaemia my phone alerts me.”

Five years ago, she was prescribed cholesterol tablets as the diabetes was affecting her cholesterol. She also checks her thyroid annually.

Support

“My parents both played a major role in my diabetes journey, even to this day. For many years, they would do the majority of my injections. They still inject me occasionally. When I was diagnosed I was in Grade 4, so my teacher learnt how to read my blood glucose levels and inject me accordingly. She would look after me during the school day and on school camps. She did this until the end of Grade 5, once I had learnt to inject myself,” Claire explains.

“Most of my support comes from my diabetologist and my mom. At the age of 20, I transitioned from the paediatric endocrinologist to the diabetologist. She has been incredible and has taught me so much about diabetes that I was unaware of before becoming her patient. I stopped seeing the diabetes nurse educator as my doctor is very informative and available.”

Claire adds, “My mom has been my biggest supporter. She always tries to help me in any way that she can. She listens to me when I feel frustrated with my blood glucose levels and tries to give the best advice she can. If I need to change my eating plan, she will do it with me; this is so encouraging. My dad and twin sister also support me to the best of their ability. They inject me when I can’t inject myself and if I have low blood glucose they, including my mom, take action and help me.”

Learning what works and what doesn’t

Claire adds that throughout the years she has learnt what food works for her and incorporated them into her eating plan. “Every person with diabetes is different; different foods affect us in different ways. I have found that certain cereals, breads specifically white bread, and grapes spike my blood glucose. I’m a very simple and routine eater. I stick to the foods that I have found help me manage my diabetes and avoid food that spikes my blood glucose. However, I do have moments where I eat those foods, but I keep it to a minimum. I’m not a big sweet eater, I prefer savoury foods and snacks.”

Managing her studies

Claire says she tries to be as active as possible but due to this year being her last of university, she has been spending the majority of her time sitting behind a computer. “My aim is to do more exercise in the future.”

As part of her practical, she spent time teaching at a school and shared with the learners that she has diabetes. “This sensor is visible as I wear it on my arm and many of the students asked me about it, which led me to explain diabetes and my journey with them,” she says.

Accepting her diagnosis

Due to being diagnosed at such a young age, Claire says she really didn’t understand what it meant for her. “As I’ve gotten older, it has become part of my daily life, so I don’t dwell on it. The only time I realise I’m still processing it, is when I lose control of my blood glucose levels. There are moments when I do feel extremely frustrated with my condition and feel saddened by it. I’m a Christian, so I process my emotions of having diabetes through prayer. I like to speak out how I’m feeling and discuss what is happening with my parents, normally by discussing it I find my own solutions. These moments don’t last long, and I don’t allow myself to dwell long on these thoughts.”

Content, well-managed, and helpful tips

Claire is happy with how she is controlling her diabetes. “My blood glucose is well-managed the majority of the time. My HbA1c level sits between 6.9 and 7.9,” Claire says.

She goes on to share tips that work for her, “One of my biggest tips is have a daily routine. I’ve found that knowing when I need to inject and how much I need to inject keeps me in control of my blood glucose throughout the day. When my routine changes, I notice I struggle to control my blood glucose and have to find a way to adapt my routine accordingly.”

“Take note of food that spikes your blood glucose and try to avoid eating them or eat a minimal amount of it. Stick to food that don’t spike your blood glucose, bring down your carbohydrates, and incorporate more protein into your eating plan. Plan how much you are going to eat before you inject. Many times, I would inject myself with my usual dosage, but then would eat less and experience hypoglycaemia, especially at night.”

Every six months Claire consults with her diabetologist but is grateful that if she needs advice or help, her doctor is just an email away.

Festive season and summer dresses

Thankfully the festive season isn’t a cause of distress for Claire. “My blood glucose levels normally remain the same even during the festive season, but if I need to, I increase my insulin dosage accordingly.”

Claire is looking forward to wearing beautiful summer dresses and most of all appreciating summer. “I love seeing and looking at the beautiful flowers, green grass, and how bright the sun is during summer, it lifts up my mood.”

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