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Dr Karthiyayini

Dr Karthiyayini Mahadevan  |1145 Answers  |Ask -

General Physician - Answered on May 27, 2023

Dr Karthiyayini Mahadevan has been practising for 30 years.
She specialises in general medicine, child development and senior citizen care.
A graduate from Madurai Medical College, she has DNB training in paediatrics and a postgraduate degree in developmental neurology.
She has trained in Tai chi, eurythmy, Bothmer gymnastics, spacial dynamics and yoga.
She works with children with development difficulties at Sparrc Institute and is the head of wellness for senior citizens at Columbia Pacific Communities.... more
Rankanidhi Question by Rankanidhi on May 05, 2023Hindi
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I am 71 years old man. I am diabetic for the last 4 years. Strict dieting helped me to reduce my sugar level. The diabetic medicine was also reduced. For the last 4 months, my fbs and ppbs are in the region 120 and 190. During the last four months, I am not taking any diabetic medicine with the permission of the doctor. Presently my Hba1c is 5.8. Now the doctor is insisting that I should again start the diabetic medicine JSITA-M 50/500 since my ppbs is high. I feel that I should not take the medicine since my Hba1c is normal. Kindly suggest whether I should take a second opinion.

Ans: You are correct in your decision of not wanting to take medicines to lower blood sugar.
The value of PPBS can easily managed through appropriate diet and Physical activity
DISCLAIMER: The answer provided by rediffGURUS is for informational and general awareness purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical diagnosis or treatment.
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Dr Karthiyayini

Dr Karthiyayini Mahadevan  |1145 Answers  |Ask -

General Physician - Answered on Jun 26, 2024

Asked by Anonymous - May 09, 2024Hindi
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I am 54 years M ,having Diabetes and High BP (HTN) since the past 13 years. At times it has been in poor control also like in May 2021 the HbA1c was 10.10 which gradually went down to 7.70 and then remained constant between 7.90 and 8.10 with the medications and 'not so strict' diet regime. Plus the body weight was also increasing and i gained around 10 kgs (101.2 Kgs) in a span of around 06 months. Recently in March 2024, the test reports indicated it as 8.70 causing me some concern and in April 2024 the reports showed a value of 9.20, which made me think about the reliablity of Lab report as well as made me change the doctor. My medicines were changed from Glimepiride (2 mg),Metformin (500 mg) Pioglitazone (15 mg) and METFORMIN-500MG + VILDAGLIPTIN-50MG twice daily ( taking for about 20 months) to GLIMEPIRIDE-2MG + METFORMIN-500MG + VOGLIBOSE-0.2MG and Dapagliflozin 5 mg+Metformin 500 mg twice daily recently in Mid April 2024. I was asked by the doctor to report after a month with Fasting and PP readings. However after few days,I started realising that my blood sugar was approaching higher and then I experienced needle like sensations in feet and hands plus sticky urine with a heavy head and hot face. I again went for a checkup three days back and the randomn sugar was 291 mg/dl. The medications have again been changed to Dapagliflozin (10mg) + Metformin (500mg) + Sitagliptin (100mg) + Saroglitazar (4mg) in the morning and METFORMIN-500MG + VILDAGLIPTIN-50MG since yesterday (08.05.2024) and I have been asked to take daily readings and report after 10 days. All this has lead to a panicky feeling in me, resulting in increased HTN. I am worried that how this hit and trial or permutations and combinations will help me in achieving a perfect set of medicines to lower my blood sugar to normal levels. Kindly advice. I shall be highly obliged.
Ans: Medicines alone cannot work in these Lifestyle diseases.
Lifestyle modification plays a vital role
So start with your dietary discipline. Strict no to Sugars and refined carbohydrates.
Have less portion of Carbohydrate in a complex form
Timely meals with early dinner before 7 pm

..Read more

Latest Questions
Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |8333 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on May 12, 2025

Money
i wish to purchase new car i10, should i purchase the same through own money or should i take a vehicle loan from bank and the money own by my to be kept as FDR or liquid mutual fund
Ans: It’s a good sign that you’re thinking before buying a car. You’re not rushing into it. That shows maturity and smart thinking.

We will now evaluate own money vs vehicle loan — from every angle.

 

Understanding the Nature of a Car Purchase
A car is not an investment.

 

It is a consumption asset, not a growth asset.

 

It depreciates every year. Its value goes down, not up.

 

So the cheaper the total cost, the better for your wealth.

 

Option 1: Use Own Money Fully
Pros

No interest cost. You save on total expenses.

 

You are free from monthly EMI pressure.

 

Car becomes fully yours from day one.

 

No need to deal with bank, forms, hypothecation etc.

 

Cons

Your liquid money reduces.

 

You may not have enough cash for emergencies.

 

Opportunity loss if you had invested that money.

 

Option 2: Take Vehicle Loan & Keep Own Money in FDR or Liquid Mutual Fund
Let’s evaluate this with care.

Vehicle Loan Pros

You can preserve your savings for emergencies.

 

EMI can be budgeted monthly, if income is stable.

 

Some banks offer competitive interest rates.

 

Vehicle Loan Cons

You will pay interest on a depreciating item.

 

Loan adds to your monthly obligations.

 

You must pay insurance, EMI, fuel, and service together.

 

FDR and Liquid Mutual Funds give lower returns than loan cost.

 

So you will likely lose more in interest than you gain.

 

Let's Compare: Interest Rate vs Investment Return
Vehicle loan interest is usually 9% to 11% per year.

 

FDR gives around 6% to 7% before tax.

 

Liquid mutual funds give 6% to 7.5% on average.

 

So you pay more to the bank than you earn from investment.

 

Tax on interest or gains reduces actual return further.

 

This means taking a car loan and investing your own money leads to net loss.

 

Best Option for You: Smart Compromise Approach
Let me share a wise solution.

 

Don’t use full own money. Don’t take full loan either.

 

Instead, pay 70–80% from own funds.

 

Take a small car loan for the remaining 20–30% only.

 

This keeps EMI low and retains some liquidity.

 

You reduce interest cost and also keep Rs.50,000–Rs.1 lakh aside.

 

Park that in liquid fund for any urgent need.

 

Repay this small loan fast in 1–2 years.

 

Only Take a Car Loan If:
Your job income is stable.

 

You already have 3–6 months emergency fund ready.

 

You don’t have big loans running now.

 

You can pay EMI without affecting savings.

 

You commit to close the loan early.

 

Avoid This Mistake:
Never buy a more expensive car because loan makes it “feel affordable.”

 

Loan should not expand your car budget.

 

Whether you buy with loan or cash, pick a simple car within limits.

 

i10 is a wise, middle-ground choice. Good thought.

 

Tax Angle (If Business Use)
If you are using the car for business, vehicle loan interest may be tax-deductible.

 

But for personal use, there is no tax benefit.

 

So do not take loan just for imagined tax saving.

 

Final Insights
A car is a need, not an investment.

 

Using your own money fully keeps things simple and cheap.

 

Taking a full car loan and investing the money gives net negative return.

 

Best option is a split approach — pay major part from own funds.

 

Take small loan only if needed and close it early.

 

Always keep emergency money aside before buying.

 

Avoid emotional buying or overbudget cars.

 

Your financially balanced approach is very appreciable.

 

Best Regards,
 
K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,
 
Chief Financial Planner,
 
www.holisticinvestment.in
https://www.youtube.com/@HolisticInvestment

...Read more

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