Atienza, Theressa Mae T.

BSMLS 3-E
Caguete, Perlie Flor A.
Tanyag, Ira Angela L.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

The patient, Benita Atienza, a 69- year old, female from Lipa City, Batangas has acquired
type two diabetes mellitus. Nanay Benita experiences many signs and symptoms that are related
to a condition known as the diabetes mellitus. At first, she is just ignoring these uncommon
conditions she is manifesting because she taught that it is maybe due to stress or tiredness.
According to Nanay Benita, some of the symptoms she is experiencing are fatigue, frequent
urination, excessive thirst, excessive hunger, irritability, weariness, weakness and sometimes
feeling heavy. While the sign that can be observed to Nanay Benita is having dry lips.

There are also other signs and symptoms that Nanay Benita is experiencing in relation to
her condition having high results in her uric acid. She is sometimes suffering from having a red
urine, pangingimay and itching.

DIAGNOSIS/ LABORATORY RESULTS

Based on series of laboratory results, her blood pressure remains normal on 120/80
mmHg. Her glucose level is 160 mg/dL on a rbs test. But she was hospitalized because her
glucose level highly increased resulting 515 mg/dL. She is monitoring her glucose level by Fasting
Blood Sugar (FBS) every Wednesday and Sunday. Also, through diabetes mellitus it damages
other parts of the body that leads to other complications like kidney disease and she was
diagnosed two times because of the kidney damage. She was also advised by the Physician to
take other test for the diagnosis. The normal value of uric acid for female is 2-6 mg/dL. While our
patient's result in uric acid indicates an increase of 3.9 mg/dL. Other laboratory test result like
sodium potassium remains normal.

TREATMENT/ MANAGEMENT
With all the signs and symptoms that Nanay Benita experienced, she went to the hospital
and made an appointment with a doctor for her diagnosis. By that appointment, Nanay Benita
was diagnosed with diabetes mellitus type 2. She was given a meal plan that she would follow
every day for a period or the rest of her life. She was also given medical drugs that would lower
her glucose levels, and she also took medicines for hypertension. After several years, her
condition was controlled, and even though she was taking in all those medications, her disease
hit her kidneys and that damaged her kidneys. Her uric acid levels were above normal, and she
experienced pain and inflammation in her joints. She also had renal calculi that is why she had
undergone an operation with her left kidney. She said that her stones in her left kidney was melted
by a shockwave and had no stitches. On the other hand, she underwent an open surgery with her
right kidney to remove the renal calculi there.

For her maintenance, she always goes to the laboratory every Sunday and Wednesday
of every week for Fasting Blood Glucose testing. She also followed the meal plan every day and
even though she followed it she was not satisfied, so she lessened her food intake. With the
lessening of food, her weight rapidly degraded. The doctor said that with her drastic weight loss,
it could lead to other complications. With that, she again took the right amount of food and was
able to regain her weight. Moreover, with her high levels of uric acid, she avoided foods like
canned goods, seafood, monggo, peanuts, beans, salty foods, and legumes.
REFLECTIVE ESSAY:
Theressa Atienza:
Diabetes mellitus is caused by decreased production of insulin. Insulin is a hormone that
helps the body's tissues absorbs glucose (sugar) so it can be used as source of energy. Insulin
is necessary for blood glucose to go from the blood to the inside of the cells.
In this case given to us, I've learned the importance of diabetes care in our community.
And in this type of illness, it is advisable to immediately contact a physician. Because this can
lead to many possible complications, other signs and symptoms that may also affect the other
organs that may result damages in our health. Also, we should be serious enough in taking
instructions given by our physician. Because first of all, only ourselves will be responsible with our
health. We should develop self-control and self discipline in order for us to achieve the desired
output, a disease-free body. Visiting our doctors yearly is an advantage in monitoring our health
status. In having some knowledge about diabetes mellitus. I am already aware of the possible
outcomes or situations that may arise in this kind of disease. Because having a background in
the family about this illness. I am already starting to change my behavior into healthy lifestyle.

Perlie Caguete:
With this project in our subject Clinical Chemistry, there are a lot of things that I have
correlated with our patient, Nanay Benita Atienza, with the high levels of glucose and uric acid.
Nanay Benita told us everything that she had been through with 12 years being diabetic. She has
a type 2 DM which is noninsulin-dependent diabetes. Type 2 diabetes mellitus is more common
in adults and have no cure, but you may be able to manage the condition by eating well, exercising
and maintaining a healthy weight. Some of her symptoms like the 3ps, polyphagia, polyuria and
polydipsia, lethargy, drastic weight loss were in our lessons in our course. Nanay Benitas
diabetes affected her kidneys to the point that it led a kidney disease.
By this project, I was awakened by the fact that Nanay Benitas diabetes was not in her
bloodline but simply by her lifestyle when she was younger. With that, I want to alter my lifestyle
for the betterment of myself and my family because I told my family about Nanay Benitas diabetes
story. Taking care of ourselves and our health is important. The very core of our healthy life is our
sense of self-discipline. We must control the way we intake our foods like soft drinks, sweets,
salty foods and other unhealthy foods. For us to monitor how healthy we are, we should make
doctor appointments. But if the signs and symptoms are evident and had been diagnosed, we
should follow the physicians orders and dont stray. You dont want to get to the point where there
is no turning back when you have a severe disease. That is why we need to monitor our health
and live a healthy lifestyle, have positive vibes and bring healthiness in a word full of chocolates,
burgers, and fries. Prevention is always better than cure. Live healthily, be healthy, and be happy.

Ira Tanyag:
From the case study, we had performed, all of the information we had gained are parallel
with our discussion in the Clinical Chemistry laboratory. As we interviewed our patient, Nanay
Benita, all of the signs, symptoms, causes, findings and diagnosis of her disease like diabetes
mellitus and having a high uric acid were all related to our topic. Some of the similarities of Nanay
Benitas symptoms and to our lesson in diabetes is that patients will be experiencing the 3Ps
(polyuria, polyphagia, and polydipsia). Also, her having a Type 2 DM, she is not an insulin-
dependent patient. Furthermore, having diabetes mellitus is a very serious condition because this
may lead to other complications like in Nanay Benitas case. Being a diabetic patient, Nanay
Benita also developed kidney disease and had undergone two surgeries in both of her kidneys.
Through this case study, I have learned that having self-discipline is one of the most
important aspects that each and every one of us should developed for the sake of our health.
Self-discipline in a way that we should control ourselves in eating foods that doesn't have a benefit
for our health, like soft drinks, too much sweets and other unhealthy foods. We should also have
a proper diet and practice ourselves to eat more healthy foods for us to be healthy and for the
prevention of developing diseases. It is also important for us to consult immediately a physician if
there are uncommon signs and symptoms that we manifest, so that we could prevent it from
developing to further complications. And in line with this, every patient should follow doctors
orders in medications and opinions because they are the ones with a broad knowledge to the
disease we are having and for us to be treated immediately and be well again with the help of the
medications given to us. We should also have to monitor our blood chemistry results, particularly
if we are prone to having high results resulting in the development of diseases. Let us not wait for
us to be in a critical condition before going to a hospital and consult a doctor. Let us all remember
that prevention is better than cure.

PICTURES:

Photo opportunity with Nanay Benita Atienza

Certificate of Commitment of Benita Atienza in the Diabetes Expo 2007

Metformin medicine to control high blood sugar levels

Nanay Benitas Meal Plan

Nanay Benitas laboratory results with high levels of uric acid

Foods to avoid because of high uric acid level