Durban North resident’s 16 year journey with diabetes
Doctors were shocked when Dale Charter's sugar level reading was 42, miles above the usual reading of 4.
DIABETES awareness drives that span across the month culminate on 14 November with World Diabetes Day which aims to raise awareness about the ‘silent killer’ that affects some 3.5 million South Africans – about six per cent of the population. In a bid to raise awareness, Durban North resident, Dale Charter shared her story with the Northglen News recently. She was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at the age of 19 when she was a university student.
“I remember my symptoms prior to my diagnosis very well. I lost a lot of weight, about 10kgs. I was thirsty all the time. I landed up failing some of my exams, just because I couldn’t function properly. I got sick all the time and I was also going to the toilet often,” she said.
She first noticed these symptoms in April that year and visited three different doctors, none of whom could diagnose her. Months later, in September, she went to another doctor and had a glucose test. Her doctor was shocked when the results revealed that Charter’s sugar levels, were at 39, a staggering number compared to the usual 4 or 6.
Also read: Support diabetes awareness walk
“The doctor phoned me and said she was sure the reading was incorrect and she asked me to go in the next day for another test. The next day my sugar level had risen to 42,” she said.
Charter explained that Type 1 diabetes is insulin dependent. Her sugar levels can rise very high, but also drop very low. To manage this, she ensures she eats regular, protein richmeals; monitors her stress levels; exercises daily and medicates herself with insulin injections. She takes a shot of slow release insulin each night and then further injects fast acting insulin prior to breakfast, lunch and dinner.
“Monitoring it is very important. Most people prick their finger to check their insulin levels, if you are not monitoring it all the time, you don’t know what spikes are happening in your sugar levels. You need to monitor it in order to know how much medication to give yourself. I do carbohydrate counting, so based on what I eat, I know how much insulin to inject,” she said.
Also read: Firwood Road pool to reopen in 2021
Diet is also important and Charter maintains a low GI menu.
“I stay away from high GI foods which tend to spike sugar levels. Low GI fruits in moderation are fine. Its basically eating less processed foods which contain too much cane sugar,” she added. Raising awareness about diabetes is important to address misconceptions and stigmas, said Charter.
“One of the first things people say when they find out I’m diabetic is that I’m not over weight. I’ve never been overweight and I think there’s a big stigma around diabetes where people assume it is a result of an unhealthy diet. This is not true, I have always eaten very well,” she said.
You can also sign up for news alerts on Telegram. Send us a Telegram message (not an SMS) with your name and surname (ONLY) to 060 532 5532. 
Here’s where you can download Telegram on Android or Apple.
