Monitoring blood sugar levels is a full-time job for diabetes patients and can, sometimes, lead to some developing a feeling of depression, anxiety and fatigue if they come short in reaching their treatment goals.

Rapper, actor and TV-presenter Tshepo “Howza” Mosese has lived with diabetes for more than 21 years and says adapting to the treatment of the condition can be very challenging as diabetes requires a sudden change of lifestyle. He was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and he injects himself with insulin on a daily basis.

“I was diagnosed with diabetes around 2002 and had all the early warning signs of diabetes, such as rapid weight loss, dehydration and extreme fatigue. I went to a doctor when people started making remarks about my appearance and physique.

“It was a tough learning curve and it made me realise just how little information people had about the condition,” said the former Scandal actor, who grew up in Diepkloof, Soweto. 

Mosese had to change his lifestyle to live long with diabetes. He eats healthy, lots of vegetables, he has cut down on meat, stopped drinking alcohol and exercises regularly.

Changing his lifestyle helped him manage his energy levels better and be conscious of what he eats to control his blood sugar levels. Just like many diabetics, Mosese’s everyday challenge is getting the blood sugar level within the standard, normal numbers of between 5mmol/L and 7mmol/L.

The monitoring of sugar levels in the blood in everyday life is a full-time job that needs to be done with diligence. Sometimes patients are hard on themselves on blood test results. It is every diabetic’s goal to always keep his or her blood sugar levels stable.

Sometimes this goal is not achieved and diabetics get annoyed, while others develop depression or fatigue. 

Mosese says he was not immune to this psychological conundrum and adds that diabetes burnout can be defeated. 

“You can be angry about this disease, feel frustrated and be moody if you fail to manage it. When my blood sugar levels fluctuate, this has an impact on my mood, making it difficult to manage my emotions. Because I have lived more than 20 years with the disease, I know how to be calm and figure out what the body is trying to communicate. During this feeling, I choose the best way to approach the situation.

“Living with diabetes has been a roller coaster ride, but one of the big changes I made when I was first diagnosed was to quit alcohol. This in turn, completely changed my social life,” says the father of two girls.

Mosese has a family history of diabetes. His father was diabetic, so his mom was his first caregiver at home before health workers. Mosese’s mom learnt about the condition from his father. She carried him under her arm and supported him throughout his early years of diagnosis.

“After getting married, my wife, Salamina, took over by becoming my pillar of strength. We introduced lifestyle changes at home and followed a management programme of treating the disease, which included taking medicine timeously on a daily basis, cutting down on meat and ensuring we eat a lot of vegetables. We exercise together to keep our bodies physically active and drink water,” said Mosese

Mosese advised other diabetics to read a lot about managing the disease and take full responsibility for their own lives to live longer with the disease. He encouraged fellow diabetics to be kind to themselves and set more realistic goals, especially in managing sugar levels and diabetes.

Mosese urged patients to let their family members, support groups nurses or doctors know about how they feel so they can get support. “Find the medical advice that works for you and commit to it,” concluded Mosese.

• Molemane is a diabetes activist and also a senior journalist at KayaFM.