Disponible en / Available in: Español
Alba tells us about her daily routine living with diabetes and CF in this new informative capsule of the Respiralia Group.
Diabetes associated with Cystic Fibrosis
Diabetes associated with Cystic Fibrosis can occur in the population with CF and pancreatic involvement. In this case, it is a problem of lack of insulin, so it is necessary to take it with every food intake. It usually occurs from adolescence onwards, so this phase of life is affected by an additional burden.
Blood glucose measurement
In this regard, Alba tells us how she has normalized her life, integrating sugar control into her diet by taking insulin. Nowadays, the measurement is done very easily by means of a button, which is usually on the arm.
By simply passing over a device or the cell phone if it has the appropriate application, we can know the level of glucose in the blood without the need for that annoying prick that was used in the past.
With this information and, very importantly, with a good training by the health care team of the reference hospital or primary care, we can manage the intake of the appropriate amount of insulin for each type and amount of food we are going to take.
Impact of diabetes in adolescence
Alba is very clear that her diet is varied and that diabetes does not prevent her from leading an age-appropriate social life. Therefore, if Cystic Fibrosis is accompanied by diabetes, it does not have to make you change your way of life in its entirety. It is possible, being aware of the situation, to live with it without having to change your life habits.
What is Cystic Fibrosis?
Cystic Fibrosis is a genetic, serious and degenerative disease that to date has no cure.
It mainly affects the respiratory, digestive, reproductive and sweat glands.
The treatment for Cystic Fibrosis includes antibiotherapy, a healthy and hypercaloric nutrition and respiratory physiotherapy combined with endurance exercises.
You can see the infographic published by the Cystic Fibrosis Spanish Federation in this link (Spanish version) or see how Dani tells us what this disease is for him in this vídeo (Spanish version).
Currently, more than 2000 mutations are known in the gene that is defective in people with Cystic Fibrosis, although only about 150 mutations are described as causing the disease.
Statistics show that 1 in 5,000 people in Spain has Cystic Fibrosis (1 in 6,400 in the Balearic Islands) and 1 in 35 people is a carrier of a gene that causes the disease (1 in 40 in the Balearic Islands).
In the Balearic Islands there are 76 known diagnosed cases, but statistics speak of between 85 and 90 possible cases.
The awareness project of the Respiralia Foundation aims to raise awareness of this disease in order to discover those cases of people who have Cystic Fibrosis but have not yet been diagnosed.