A day laborer discovered that she was suffering from diabetes after losing 10 kilos without dieting in Araçatuba, in the interior of São Paulo.
Ana Maria do Vale, 58 years old, noticed the changes in her body and decided to seek medical attention. She then underwent a series of tests until she received an accurate diagnosis. Some symptoms, such as thirst and the constant urge to urinate, had also caught the woman's attention.
"I had lost more than 10 kg. I really lost a lot of weight. And I had some symptoms, blurred vision, I went to the bathroom a lot and drank a lot of water" revealed Ana in an interview with TV TEM.
After discovering the disease, the woman began treatment, a little over a year ago, with daily use of two medications, one for diabetes and the other to control blood pressure, in addition to practicing physical activity.
"I walked for three months and then she [doctor] told me to look for a gym to regain the lean mass I had lost", reported the patient.
The challenges faced by day laborers are part of the routine of a significant portion of the population. According to the Brazilian Diabetes Society (SBD), the disease affects around 13 million people in Brazil.
However, the estimate is that this number is even higher. Data from the International Diabetes Federation indicate that one in ten adults lives with the disease in the country, and at least 33% of these people do not even know they have the condition.
As it is asymptomatic in the early stages, the delay in identifying the problem significantly increases the risk of serious complications in the heart, kidneys and vision, which can be fatal if not treated properly.
Warning signs
Endocrinologist Marina Carvalho warns that, in the early stages, the disease usually acts silently. One of the few visible early signs may be acanthosis nigricans, characterized by darkening of the skin in areas of folds, such as the neck, armpits and groin.
When blood sugar levels have been unregulated for a longer period of time, the body begins to emit clear signals.
"We will experience unintentional weight loss, increased thirst, increased urination frequency — especially if the patient starts waking up more at night —, increased hunger without weight gain, tingling in the hands or feet and more sudden visual blurring", explains doctor Marina Carvalho.
Lifestyle changes
If for Ana Maria the diagnosis is recent, for Gilza Gastaldi Palácios, 38 years old, living with diabetes has lasted 16 years. At first, without understanding what was happening to her body, Gilza tried to alleviate her discomfort and thirst by consuming soft drinks and sports drinks. The condition progressed quickly until temporary loss of vision. Afterwards, a fainting spell took her to the emergency room.
"The nurse did the test and said 'HI' [excessively high glucose level]. She said: 'Insulin serum now, otherwise she will go into a coma'", recalls Gilza.
Currently, Gilza monitors her blood sugar levels with the help of medication, an insulin pump and a continuous sensor applied to her skin, which eliminates daily finger pricks, although she keeps the traditional meter for safety reasons. The treatment is provided free of charge by the Birigui Medical Center (SP).
"When the doctor said it couldn't be a pill and that it would have to be a needle for breakfast, lunch and dinner, it was an impact. Less harm than you can live well with diabetes; the key is to change your lifestyle", highlights Gilza.
Services in the public network
The advancement of the disease represents a continuous challenge for the public health network. In the first four months of this year alone, the State of São Paulo recorded more than 48 thousand outpatient visits and around 8 thousand hospitalizations related to diabetes.
During this period, 112 outpatient visits and 149 hospitalizations resulting from complications of the disease were recorded in the Araçatuba region.
For those who think that the disease only affects older people, data from the State Department of Health indicate that, between 2022 and 2025, hospitalizations for type 1 diabetes among children and adolescents up to 19 years old grew by almost 47% in the state.
According to the ministry, hospitalizations of patients in this age group increased from 1,348 to 1,980 over the same period, mainly between the ages of 10 and 14, which account for 41% of total hospitalizations.
