About 10 percent of South Africans are living with diabetes, according to the Centre for Diabetes and Endocrinology in Johannesburg.

Sibusiso Ngobeni spent years battling alcoholism. He recently started taking treatment for type 2 diabetes following years of false starts.

“I remember when the symptoms first appeared my boss nephew took me to his doctor,” says Ngobeni, who was prescribed diabetes medication. “I drank the treatment for a few days and stopped because I wasn’t getting better as expected, and continue drinking and smoking.”

“I am a drinker and always have been,” he tells OurHealth. “I used to say I’d rather spend time in a shebeen drinking alcohol and smoking than drinking pills every day but now I rather put my health first.”

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition in which a person’s body either does not produce enough insulin to control blood sugar levels or resists the hormone that regulates blood sugar, according to the US health non-profit the Mayo Clinic.

Once thought to be restricted to adults, the incidence of type 2 diabetes in children has soared globally with increased childhood obesity. Symptoms come on slowly and can include increased thirst and urination, weight loss and blurred visions, according to the Mayo Clinic.[quote float= right]“My stubbornness and ignorance is the reason why I am in this situation and I regret wasting time”

People living with diabetes are at an increased risk for a number of conditions including tuberculosis, as well as problems of the heart, kidneys and eyes and are advised to quit smoking and drink in moderation.

The Mayo Clinic advises that men under the age of 65 years old like Ngobeni consume no more than two alcoholic drinks daily. The non-profit also cautions diabetics on insulin to check their blood sugar levels before going to sleep after drinking to ensure that levels do not dip to levels low enough to induce a coma.

Although Ngobeni has started treatment and curbed his drinking, he battles wounds on his feet common among patients who have gone through long bouts of uncontrolled diabetes.

“I am weak and the wound on my feet has made it difficult to continue doing so,” he says. “Now to walk and stand up on my own without holding to something is a struggle on its own.”

“My stubbornness and ignorance is the reason why I am in this situation,” he adds. “I regret wasting time because if I only continued with my doctor early I wouldn’t be this sick. “

About 10 percent of South Africans are living with diabetes, according to the Centre for Diabetes and Endocrinology in Johannesburg.