Diabetes special: Common questions about a common disease

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2: According to the most recent statistics from the Bermuda Diabetes Association, one in four Bermudians are living with or are at risk of diabetes.

Diabetes is a group of diseases characterized by high blood glucose levels that result from defects in the body’s ability to produce and/or use the hormone insulin, which regulates carbohydrate and fat metabolism in the body.

Diabetes can affect everything from the heart to the eyes. When the body is not able to convert sugars that are obtained from foods into energy because of low insulin levels, excessive levels of sugars build up in the blood. This elevation of sugar in the blood can affect a person’s health greatly.

With such a large community affected by diabetes in Bermuda, I’ve gotten a lot of questions over the years so I thought I would take this opportunity to talk about the some of the most frequently asked.

Metformin is an oral antidiabetic drug and is the first-line drug of choice for the treatment of type two diabetes.

Some patients with diabetes have reported mouth and dental pain and wonder if the metformin is causing it. While not listed as an adverse reaction to metformin, people with diabetes, who have poor blood glucose control, are more likely to develop serious gum disease and lose more teeth than those without diabetes.

Other oral problems associated with diabetes include fungal infections, dry mouth which may cause soreness, ulcers, infections and/or cavities. Good oral hygiene and blood glucose control may help to prevent these issues from occurring.

Part of living with diabetes is monitoring blood glucose levels and patients often wonder why their readings are higher in the morning than when they go to sleep the night before, even when they don’t have anything to eat or drink before going to bed.

This is known as the dawn phenomenon and occurs because hormones released in the middle of the night trigger the liver to secrete glucose into the blood. Typically, the blood glucose level rises between 4am and 8am. However, I always tell patients to discuss their blood sugar results with their physician to determine if any adjustments in their current treatment are needed.

As a pharmacist I also get a lot of questions about vitamins and supplements. One myth out there is that there are benefits to taking fish oil in treating diabetes. According to researchers, fish oil is not effective in the treatment of diabetes and taking it by mouth does not appear to have an effect on fasting glucose levels or serum hemoglobin A1C in people with type 2 diabetes.

However, fish oil is thought to be effective in preventing heart attacks, strokes and hardening of the arteries. This could be helpful since people with diabetes are considered to be at higher risk for heart disease and stroke.

As with any product, side effects and drug interactions can occur, thus I recommend consulting with your physician before adding supplements or other medications to your regimen.

Properly treating diabetes is just as important as preventing it, therefore I urge anyone living with the disease to pay attention to their body and ask lots of questions to help ensure optimal health.

Stephanie Simons is the head pharmacist at Lindo’s Pharmacy in Devonshire. For helpful information, visit Lindo’s at www.lindos.bm.