This is an adieu to my sister who died on 8th of January 2020. I am a practising doctor, This article of mine is based on medical knowledge and more importantly on experience I gained while staying at various hospitals, and dialysis centres, for last 3 years. After reading this article even if one patient of diabetes or hypertension starts exercise, yes, just one smoker quits smoking, or tries to stop smoking, my mind will be at peace. Remember diabetes or hypertension will never kill anybody, but these are left uncontrolled, they will surely give rise to complications and can prove fatal. Here is a list of common mistakes patients of diabetes and hypertension make – based on my interaction with patients at various hospitals.
Diabetic is diagnosed with diabetes say for example 4 years back, and believe me, after initial contacts with doctors they never visited doctor all these 4 years. What’s worse is that they by themselves reduced dose of medicines, and not even did various tests like Blood sugar fasting, Urinary proteins, or Kidney function tests for years. My request is please be regular with your baseline tests. Nobody is asking you to visit endocrinologists in private sector, there are so many good doctors in government sector, and they are highly competent.
Patients with high blood pressure do the same mistakes of not visiting doctors on regular basis and avoiding baseline tests. I met many middle-aged educated patients of diabetes and hypertension who were careful with intake of salt and sugar but were regular smokers and never exercised. Now their children are already also obese.
Exercise. Make sure you are regular with your exercise, without exercise you are simply cheating your body of a natural healer. Exercise is even when you walk for 5 minutes after your dinner, exercise is not confined to corridors of gyms only.
Reduce stress. There are number of ways to reduce stress, be it meditation, reading spiritual books or best visit a counsellor who can help you. Stress reduction can do wonders with your diseases.
Childhood obesity. Instead of being harsh or abusive towards obese children, parents should take them to qualified endocrinologist, as many endocrine diseases cause obesity. If childhood obesity is untreated these children are more likely to develop diabetes or hypertension.
Health and wellness centres can play a very important role in life a common man.
Both the diseases, if left untreated can lead to many complications one of which is kidney damage, and ultimately chronic kidney disease. And finally these patients end up at dialysis centres which have opened in all districts of Kashmir valley. Here I have got a request for administrators of these private dialysis centres, kindly admit patients which you can handle very well and you have enough qualified staff to do that.
Submission to government
Government must keep a close look at these private dialysis centres and answer few simple questions like are these centres run by nephrologists or at least by qualified doctors? Many centres were opened in the name of famous nephrologists but now run by others! Although break up of Hepatitis C is not new in dialysis centres, but what steps have been taken to prevent its reoccurrence?
Submission to doctors
Out of 100 doctors 90 are cooperative. I, as a doctor, realise how hard doctors work in difficult situations, but treat all patients with a welcoming smile. Show the patient you care for him, with few encouraging words and an occasional smile. Doctors need not to prescribe placebo medicines but by their positive behaviour towards patients of all back grounds, doctors become human placebos.