First up in our 'Diabetes & Me' feature is Tracey Leahy.

Tracey was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes six years ago after quite a long time of feeling unwell.

Age: 48

How old were you when you were diagnosed?  42

Diabetes type: Type 2 – insulin dependant

What symptoms did you have when you were diagnosed? Hair loss, weight loss, extreme fatigue, stomach pains

How do you manage your diabetes? Tablets, insulin, healthy diet and little to no alcohol.  I wear a Freestyle Libre on my arm which helps me monitor my blood sugar levels really easily. I’ve also had to brief my team at work about how to help if I have a hypo.

Have you had to adapt your lifestyle? Massively. Ensuring a Healthy diet, exercise, plenty of sleep and trying to reduce stress.  It's also really important to forecast and plan my day so that I know when I will be able to eat and inject insulin.  I carry glucose tablets with me in case a meeting runs on to prevent a hypo. 

What's the biggest misconception about living with diabetes? The biggest misconception for me is that Type 2 is only caused by lifestyle.  Mine is genetic and I will have it for life.

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Diabetes affects around 6% of the island’s population, and that is set to increase. The signs and symptoms of diabetes can develop at any time, and early diagnosis is so important to help prevent further health complications.

If you or someone you know is experiencing any of the following symptoms, get in touch with your GP: going to the toilet a lot, especially at night; excessive thirst; feeling more tired than usual; losing weight without trying to; genital itching or thrush; cuts and wounds take longer to heal; and blurred vision.