Transmission
Diabetes is a non-communicable disease; hence it cannot be transmitted from one individual to another during close contact. Thus the belief that it can be transmitted to sexual partners is unfounded. Diabetes is not contagious. Risk factors for development of diabetes include a family history of diabetes, being overweight or obese, having a past history of pregnancy induced diabetes, excessive alcohol consumption that affects the pancreas which is the organ that produces insulin which controls the blood sugar level, hypertension, and high cholesterol levels among others.
Why a husband and wife couple may both develop diabetes is because couples tend to consume the same diet and assume the same lifestyle, which if unhealthy, greatly predisposes them to developing diabetes. For example, if a husband does not exercise, the wife is unlikely to exercise either, and both of them will likely progressively gain weight and may thus become diabetic. Another closely related myth is the one that states that for you to develop diabetes you must have a family history of diabetes. This is not true in all cases. People without a family history of diabetes can develop diabetes de novo. This is especially true in societies within the developing countries which are becoming affluent and thus becoming victims of their own success as they assume Westernized lifestyles and diet and thus greatly have an increased risk of developing diabetes.
Blindness and Amputation
A widely prevalent myth about diabetes is the ones that state that diabetes will not only lead to blindness but also to amputation of the feet. This is not particularly true. It is poorly controlled diabetes that greatly increases the risk of development of diabetes complications. It is a well known fact that people have had diabetes for well over half of a century without developing any complication. Diabetes complications are thus not inevitable. Whether individuals with diabetes will develop complications or not depends to a great extent on how the individual with diabetes cares for himself and how he puts to use the advice received from Healthcare providers. Diabetes complications can be prevented or delayed by close monitoring of blood sugar levels, regular Hospital visits to undergo tests for early detection of complications, adherence with medication instructions, exercise and a healthful diet.
Insulin
A diabetes myth that beggars belief is the one about insulin. A lot of individuals with diabetes in Nigeria and elsewhere have a very unhealthy fear about insulin and believe that once your Doctors talk about giving you insulin then your diabetes has become ‘chronic’ and you may soon die. This is very far from the truth. Insulin can be used to initiate blood sugar control is some people with diabetes and then stopped and tablets can then be commenced for continued control. In others, insulin can be commenced after the tablets used to treat the diabetes start to fail; this generally occurs after having used such tablets for about a decade. It should be realized that Type 2 diabetes is a progressive disease and forms of control like diet, exercise and tablets lose their efficacy progressively and the individual thus becomes insulin requiring. Insulin use should not be resisted by individuals with diabetes or by Healthcare providers. Insulin is the best treatment for diabetes! The current attitude of dejection and rejection that individuals with diabetes put up once they are told insulin treatment must be commenced need not be. As blood sugar levels improve on insulin injections, tablets may be tried again. It is thus not true that once you have started insulin you can no longer stop it. Another common myth about insulin is that it is a cure for diabetes. This is not true. Diabetes currently has no cure and can only currently be controlled and managed with diet exercise and medications. Insulin is currently given as an injection and the tablet form is currently not available as it is protein in nature and will be digested by the enzymes in the stomach if it is taken via the mouth.