AKOM News
Contributed by Dr. Jewon Lee, Director of BM Korean Internal Medicine Clinic
: Peering into Internal Medicine, 26th
2025. 11. 19.
"My HbA1c was 11% two years ago. Before visiting, my fasting glucose was 319mg/dL, and 1 hour post-meal, it was 550mg/dL."
A 50-year-old female patient visited after having arbitrarily stopped her diabetes medication for two years.
Her fasting glucose on the day of the visit was 237mg/dL, and her lab-tested HbA1c was 12.4%.
Results of diagnostic laboratory tests during the Type 2 Diabetes patient's treatment process
Seeing the 'Person,' Not Just the 'Number'
"It is far more important to know what person the disease has than what disease the person has." - Hippocrates
There was a reason she had given up on treatment for two years:
- 1. Her blood sugar was not controlled, even with the medication.
- 2. She was hurt by the doctor's 'scolding' at every hospital visit.
- 3. Watching her father suffer from diabetic nephropathy (dialysis), she had a deep-seated fear of insulin and chemical drugs.
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) defines "Person-centered care" as care that "is respectful of and responsive to individual preferences, needs, and values... ensuring that patient values guide all clinical decisions."
Korean Medicine Treatment Based on 'Respect'
We built a treatment plan based on understanding her values.
She was diagnosed with So-jung (消中, Middle Wasting) per KM, and we prescribed a herbal decoction (Hanyak) based on Gagambaekho-tang from the Dongeuibogam, alongside a personalized diet.
The results of treatment based on 'respect', not 'scolding', were remarkable:
Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) results during the Type 2 Diabetes patient's treatment process
Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) changes during the Type 2 Diabetes patient's treatment process
- HbA1c: Dropped from 12.4% to 6.8% after 174 days.
- Average Glucose (CGM): Stabilized from over 300mg/dL to 102mg/dL.
- Pancreatic Function (HOMA2-%B): Her beta-cell function, which was only 20.8% of normal, recovered threefold to ~60%.
- Symptoms: Associated symptoms like frequent cystitis, foamy urine, severe thirst, and foot pain all improved.
Internal medicine isn't just correcting 'numbers'; it's about seeing the 'person' who has them.
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Peering into Internal Medicine 26 - AKOM News
“'My HbA1c was 11% two years ago, and my recent post-meal glucose is over 500mg/dL.'”
Internal medicine isn't just correcting 'numbers'; it's about deeply seeing the 'person' who has those numbers.
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