Merrill Osmond shares his personal story on Living with Diabetes

How long have you known that you have had diabetes? I have known that for literally 10 years.   What symptoms did you first notice? I had a lot of conditions such as gout that were causing me problems. When I started to get light-headed I went into an internist who said that my blood sugars were high (around 150). What did you do when you found out? At first I did not do anything because I was scared. I really was not into nutritional types of programs or exercise. I continued on with my life. When did you decide to make a change? I felt so bad that I could not go on any longer and I did not understand what was happening to me. That is when I went to the hospital to be diagnosed. My doctor warned me about my body and that scared me. The medical tests showed major indicators that I was getting ready for insulin. The blood sugars were 250 to 350. Something told me that I had to do something. I had to make changes in my life so I started to read and educate myself on diabetes.

• How were you treated?
  They placed me on 2 different types of diabetic medications.

• What changes have you made in your life?
  I had to drop some weight and I began to exercise 30 minutes everyday. I also had to keep my stress levels down.  Message therapy has helped me to relax. The scriptures keep me grounded and I use meditation and prayer daily. My brother Virl has helped me to eat better by drinking healthy juices that contain essential vitamins.

• Do you check your blood sugars?
  Yes, I do everyday. Because I was doing so well, my doctor allowed me to do a trial off my diabetic
  medications. My blood sugars have now been running from 105-110.

Living with Diabetes

What do Merrill Osmond and celebrities like the actress Mary Tyler Moore and blues singer Pattie LaBelle have in common?  They are just three well-known faces amid the nearly 16 million Americans (5.9% of the population) who suffer from diabetes mellitus. Diabetes is a group of chronic diseases in which the pancreas produces too little or no insulin. Insulin is necessary for the body to turn sugar into usable energy.

Statistics

While it is treatable, diabetes can still be fatal. An estimated 178,000 lives are claimed each year due to diabetes, making it the fourth leading cause of death in America. The Diabetes Research Foundation reports that diabetes kills one American every three minutes and a new case of diabetes is diagnosed every 40 seconds.

Types of  Diabetes

There are two major types of diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 (juvenile) is caused by the autoimmune destruction of the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas and is usually, though not always, diagnosed in childhood. People with Type 1 make up about 5% to 10% of all diagnosed cases of diabetes and must take insulin to live.

People with Type 2 diabetes produce insufficient insulin to meet the body’s needs. The cells of the body can sometimes become resistant to insulin’s effect. Many people suffer from milder forms of the disease and are unaware of it. Often it is diagnosed only after complications are detected such as:

Type 2 diabetes is usually diagnosed in people over 40, and it often runs in families. Type 2 diabetes is often linked to obesity and inactivity and can many times be controlled with diet and exercise alone.  Sometimes, type 2 diabetics use insulin, but usually oral medications are prescribed if diet and exercise alone do not control the disease.
 

The New Diagnostic Criteria for Diabetes

The routine diagnostic test for diabetes is now a fasting plasma glucose. Usually a fasting plasma glucose of greater or equal to 126 mg/dl indicates a diagnosis of diabetes. Previously the value was set at 140 mg/dl.   When symptoms are present, a confirmed nonfasting plasma glucose value of greater than or equal to 200 mg/dl may indicate a diagnosis of diabetes.

The goal of treating diabetes is dietary management and drug treatment.  It has become increasingly more important to eat a healthy diet, and to keep a close watch over blood sugar levels.  Currently, there is no cure for diabetes, but the good news is that the disease can be managed.  With the wide range of new therapies now available, people with diabetes can live near-normal, happy lives.

Dr. Milligan received her medical degree from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. She completed her Familiy Practice residency there as well, and was honored with the Clinical Excellence Award from the Department of Family and Community Medicine. Before attending medical school she worked with Dr. Nancy Snyderman of "Good Morning America." A native of Batesville, Arkansas Dr. Milligan is a Diplomate of the American Board of Family Practice. When Dr. Milligan is not busy working as a physician, she spends her time volunteering with the Association for Retarded Citizens of Arkansas where she serves as a board member. She is the president of a fan club for her good friend Chris Burke of "Life Goes On" and "Touched by An Angel." Dr. Milligan is an active member of her church where she participates by playing the trumpet and French horn in the orchestra. She enjoys spending time with her young nephew and her hobbies include; golf, instrumental music, collecting celebrity autographs, and anything to do with the Osmond family.

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