Blog & medical articles

Accurate information about endocrinology

Short, factual articles on the thyroid, diabetes, insulin resistance and hormonal health — straight from Dr. Şirvan Zəkəriyəyev's clinical practice.

Nutrition · Diabetes

Nutrition principles in diabetes

Dr. Şirvan Zəkəriyəyev · Endocrinologist

Nutrition is one of the most important factors in diabetes. There are four core principles:

1. Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates come first. Use complex carbohydrates — whole grains and legumes. Simple ones (flour products, white rice, sweets) should be removed as far as possible, as they raise sugar sharply.

2. Protein and fibre

Fibre helps keep blood sugar stable. Chicken, eggs and nuts are useful at every meal.

3. Fats

Excess saturated and trans fats increase insulin resistance. Prefer plant fats — avocado, olive oil, nuts.

4. The interval between meals

Well-regulated intervals reduce both the risk of hypoglycaemia from medication and the risk of hyperglycaemia.

Diabetes page →

Weight · GLP-1

What are weight-loss injections (GLP-1)?

Dr. Şirvan Zəkəriyəyev · Endocrinologist

Weight-loss injections are an analogue of a hormone synthesised in the gut. Their function is to suppress appetite, slow gastric emptying and reduce insulin resistance.

These injections should be prescribed only to specific patients under an endocrinologist's supervision. Before prescribing, certain blood tests and an ultrasound are important. A dosing error can cause complications, and after stopping, a plan against weight regain is needed.

Important: GLP-1 analogues should be prescribed after examination and tests, not from advertising or a friend's advice.

Weight & metabolic syndrome page →

Medical articles

Short facts

Not every nodule needs a biopsy

What matters is ultrasound assessment, not size. Even an 8 mm nodule with a suspicious character may require biopsy. Thyroid →

Thyroid cancer risk is only 5%

90-95% of nodules are benign. When a nodule is found, see an endocrinologist rather than panic. Thyroid →

Toxic goitre does not always need surgery

In Graves' disease the first choice is medication. Remission is possible. Thyroid →

Subacute thyroiditis is often misdiagnosed

Viral in origin; throat pain radiating to ear and jaw, low fever. Fully curable. Thyroid →

Diabetes requires daily control

"It rose once, nothing happened" is a misconception. Normal is always normal. Diabetes →

Four criteria for a diabetes diagnosis

Fasting ≥126, random ≥200 (with symptoms), OGTT 2 h ≥200, HbA1c ≥6.5% — one is enough. Diabetes →

HbA1c shows 3-month control

Average sugar over 3 months; fasting not required. ≤5.6% normal, 5.6-6.4% prediabetes, ≥6.5% diabetes. Diabetes →

Low sugar is more dangerous than high

Hypoglycaemia damages organs faster. Frequent drops below 4 mmol/l — tell your doctor. Diabetes →

Insulin resistance can occur with normal sugar

HOMA-IR = (fasting glucose × insulin)/405. Above 2.5 means resistance. Weight →

Acanthosis nigricans is a sign of insulin resistance

Skin darkening in folds is fixed by treating the cause, not by creams. Weight →

Late acromegaly causes complications

Growth of hands, feet, jaw, raised pressure and sugar. Diagnosis by GH, IGF-1, pituitary MRI. Hormones →

Don't take high-dose vitamin D on your own

High doses cause toxicity, hypercalcaemia and stones. The dose is set by a blood test. Bone →

From practice

Patient experiences

Real clinical cases — in patients' own words. Personal data is not disclosed.

Weight management and prediabetes

A patient weighed 95 kg in November, with prediabetes and abnormal labs. With an individual diet and follow-up, weight dropped to 68 kg.

"I feel much better. I kept to the diet, the weight came off, I feel light." — Patient

Fear of biopsy and a benign result

A patient who declined biopsy 6 years earlier returned; the result was benign and no surgery was needed.

"We did the biopsy, the answer came in 10 days — benign. Anyone suffering from goitre, don't delay." — Patient

No surgery, 5 years of monitoring

A patient offered surgery elsewhere was kept under dynamic monitoring; over 5 years the nodule did not change.

"I've been coming for 5 years, I don't have surgery. The doctor kept me on medication." — Patient

Note: results are individual; the cases above are examples from practice and are not a guarantee.

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