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Daegoose
Joined: 07 Oct 2011
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 Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2012 12:35 am Post subject: Diabetes in Korea |
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Quick medical question
Is anyone in Korea living with type-1 Diabetes?
It was only during my health check when I arrived that I was made aware I have it. From what I could tell it's quite mild at the moment but would obviously need treatment. I can't get a full check until my alien card comes through.
I'm just wondering if anyone has any advice on what to do in the short term?
Thanks |
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Dazed and Confused
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2012 2:24 am Post subject: |
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| I've known three people who've taught in Korea and lived with diabetes. All of them went to a local university hospital's Diabetic Clinic. Luckily the doctor spoke fluent English. All three of them were very happy with the care and medicine they received. |
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denverdeath
Joined: 21 May 2005
Location: Boo-sahn
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| Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2012 3:46 am Post subject: Re: Diabetes in Korea |
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| Daegoose wrote: |
Quick medical question
Is anyone in Korea living with type-1 Diabetes?
It was only during my health check when I arrived that I was made aware I have it. From what I could tell it's quite mild at the moment but would obviously need treatment. I can't get a full check until my alien card comes through.
I'm just wondering if anyone has any advice on what to do in the short term?
Thanks |
I would recommend getting a second, and perhaps third, opinion. You might be surprised by the number of athletic people who are considered "obese" when they get their physical done here. If in fact the diagnosis was correct, it's good that you know now and not later.
You can see from this link, that the testing procedure is somewhat important, and an accurate diagnosis likely can't be acquired from a single blood-test, which is likely what you received for your physical here.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000305.htm
Anyway, get an accurate assessment done quickly and save all receipts as I'm pretty sure you can get refunds from the NHIC later. As D&C said, the university hospitals can be good, and you can usually get as good, sometimes better, help at larger(non-university) hospitals. Diabetes is "dang-nyo-byung" and endocrinologist is "nae-bun-bi-hak-ja" in Korean. |
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Daegoose
Joined: 07 Oct 2011
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| Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2012 7:58 am Post subject: |
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Thanks a lot for your advice guys...appreciated  |
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sbp59
Joined: 01 Apr 2009
Location: Somewhere in SK
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| Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 10:23 am Post subject: Re: Diabetes in Korea |
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| Daegoose wrote: |
Quick medical question
Is anyone in Korea living with type-1 Diabetes?
It was only during my health check when I arrived that I was made aware I have it. From what I could tell it's quite mild at the moment but would obviously need treatment. I can't get a full check until my alien card comes through.
I'm just wondering if anyone has any advice on what to do in the short term?
Thanks |
I'm pretty confident you don't have type 1, as this is a very serious condition where your body can not make insulin on it's own. And you would feel very sick all the time.
You more than likely have type 2 diabetes, which is caused by poor diet, millions and millions of people have type 2. It's really not a big deal, you just have to start eating healthy, fruits and vegetables, cut out the sugary crap and your type 2 diabetes goes away.
If you have type 1, you would feel beyond awful, and need to have insulin injections every day to live or you would get very sick and die.
You need to educate yourself on the differences between type 1 and type 2. Then go back and get another test. This is should help.
Get reading.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/7504.php |
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denverdeath
Joined: 21 May 2005
Location: Boo-sahn
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| Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 10:52 am Post subject: Re: Diabetes in Korea |
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| sbp59 wrote: |
| Daegoose wrote: |
Quick medical question
Is anyone in Korea living with type-1 Diabetes?
It was only during my health check when I arrived that I was made aware I have it. From what I could tell it's quite mild at the moment but would obviously need treatment. I can't get a full check until my alien card comes through.
I'm just wondering if anyone has any advice on what to do in the short term?
Thanks |
I'm pretty confident you don't have type 1, as this is a very serious condition where your body can not make insulin on it's own. And you would feel very sick all the time.
You more than likely have type 2 diabetes, which is caused by poor diet, millions and millions of people have type 2. It's really not a big deal, you just have to start eating healthy, fruits and vegetables, cut out the sugary crap and your type 2 diabetes goes away.
If you have type 1, you would feel beyond awful, and need to have insulin injections every day to live or you would get very sick and die.
You need to educate yourself on the differences between type 1 and type 2. Then go back and get another test. This is should help.
Get reading.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/7504.php |
Both agree and disagree with what you have said. Both Type-1 and Type-2 can be considered serious conditions, especially if left untreated. As shown in the link I posted, Type-1 can actually happen at any time, while most people think it would be only for those in their early(or juvenile) years. What it all comes down to is Type-2 can easily become as serious as Type-1 as the avg Type-2er does not follow what is prescribed by his physician, which in turn often leads to daily injections and monitoring which is pretty much the same as a Type-1 diabetic's needs. |
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Daegoose
Joined: 07 Oct 2011
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| Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 10:22 pm Post subject: Re: Diabetes in Korea |
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| sbp59 wrote: |
| Daegoose wrote: |
Quick medical question
Is anyone in Korea living with type-1 Diabetes?
It was only during my health check when I arrived that I was made aware I have it. From what I could tell it's quite mild at the moment but would obviously need treatment. I can't get a full check until my alien card comes through.
I'm just wondering if anyone has any advice on what to do in the short term?
Thanks |
I'm pretty confident you don't have type 1, as this is a very serious condition where your body can not make insulin on it's own. And you would feel very sick all the time.
You more than likely have type 2 diabetes, which is caused by poor diet, millions and millions of people have type 2. It's really not a big deal, you just have to start eating healthy, fruits and vegetables, cut out the sugary crap and your type 2 diabetes goes away.
If you have type 1, you would feel beyond awful, and need to have insulin injections every day to live or you would get very sick and die.
You need to educate yourself on the differences between type 1 and type 2. Then go back and get another test. This is should help.
Get reading.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/7504.php |
I understand what you are saying and yes I do need to get a more stringent test but I probably should have laid out in greater detail as to why I think this.
My father has type-1 diabetes therefore making it more likely I have it, and I live a very active healthy lifestyle and am not overweight or have any issues with weight.
My director told me in broken English that I have diabetes 'only a little.'
Now I understand the absurdity of that comment but I'm not sure if, in the rather brief phone call she had with the doctor, that they were saying I am at greater risk of contracting it or I have a mild case. It's never once affected my life until this point so it came as a bit of a shock.
I appreciate what you are saying but I should have given a little bit more background to the story.
As soon as I get my alien card I'm straight to the hospital, this post was mainly to gauge how easy/difficult it is to treat diabetes under a simple insurance scheme |
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Yaya
Joined: 25 Feb 2003
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 11:04 pm Post subject: |
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My mother's side of the family all have diabetes and so I must watch out for that. I've cut out sugary snacks and drink diet sodas (though I hope to phase out such drinks in the end).
One good thing about Korea having a relatively high diabetic population is that the treatment and facilities to treat the disease are superb. |
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jennad
Joined: 02 Dec 2010
Location: San Diego
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| Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2012 6:42 am Post subject: |
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Yikes, what a terrible place to find out you have diabetes. Even English doctors I've seen here have very limited English ability. Or they speak to me pretty fluently.....but I still have no idea what they're saying. It's like their words are all out of order.
Anyway, my dad is diabetic and I always tell him, "Korea is a diabetic's worst nightmare!" because they put sugar in EVERYTHING. Even many of the innocuous looking crackers are sweet and coated in a layer of sugar. It's so gross. Watch out for the pre-packaged stuff here because they love their sugar. |
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denverdeath
Joined: 21 May 2005
Location: Boo-sahn
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| Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2012 7:16 am Post subject: |
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| jennad wrote: |
Yikes, what a terrible place to find out you have diabetes. Even English doctors I've seen here have very limited English ability. Or they speak to me pretty fluently.....but I still have no idea what they're saying. It's like their words are all out of order.
Anyway, my dad is diabetic and I always tell him, "Korea is a diabetic's worst nightmare!" because they put sugar in EVERYTHING. Even many of the innocuous looking crackers are sweet and coated in a layer of sugar. It's so gross. Watch out for the pre-packaged stuff here because they love their sugar. |
True, if not very true, at least for snacks anyway. Having said that, the labels on the foods allow you to count your carbs/cals pretty well. However, the best barbecue chips and most cereals should be considered as "frosted" ones, at best. |
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Smithington
Joined: 14 Dec 2011
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| Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2012 9:34 am Post subject: |
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I would keep any information concerning your diabetes to yourself in the workplace - and never mention it on job applications. It will cost you jobs. I was turned down for a job that I was perfectly qualified for because I mentioned in the 'self health check' that I took medication for high blood pressure.
Never disclose personal information of any sort to Korean employers unless it is absolutely necessary.
Smith |
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