This year, we are featuring a story from one of our patients living with type 2 diabetes who took part in a research study, sharing how her involvement in the trial transformed her life.
Alia, a patient in her 50s, has been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes for about 20 years. She was referred to the Diabetes Research Team by her clinical care team after being supported by the Community Diabetes Nurse team and then the LTHT Diabetes Specialist Nurses (DSN) Team. Alia had high blood sugar levels for around a decade, causing her to decline eye surgery due to the high risk associated with her condition. She was later diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy and maculopathy, caused by high blood sugar levels damaging the small blood vessels at the back of the eye. Her condition led to her discontinuing work due to poor eyesight, causing her financial and health-related stress and anxiety.
At the beginning of the study, Alia had a high blood sugar level, a BMI of 29.3, and was experiencing symptoms associated with diabetes. Several positive changes occurred over 6 months of the study, with frequent monitoring using the Freestyle Libre 2 blood glucose monitoring system and visits with the research nurses. Her oral medications were optimised with the addition of another medication for her diabetes. She received support and education about insulin and other factors influencing glucose levels. Based on her glucose profiles at study visits, she was given feedback regarding her food and drink patterns. Alia’s daughter was involved as her main carer with her consent.
As a result, her sugar levels decreased, and she no longer experiences symptoms associated with diabetes. Her BMI also decreased to 28.6. Alia gained more confidence in adjusting insulin doses independently and could undergo eye surgery and other necessary pre-surgical investigations and treatments.