Doctors are warning diabetics about the overconsumption of a popular drink after a teenager fell into a coma.
The 18-year-old, whose parents have described as a Bubble Tea addict, was rushed to Ruijin Hospital when she was found unresponsive in her home in east China.
Also called Pearl Milk Tea or Boba, the drink contains little balls called Tapioca pearls, which are made from the cassava plant and are usually used in food thickener.
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The teenager was reportedly drinking two Bubble Teas every day for a month, causing her blood sugar levels to dramatically spike. Doctors discovered there are nearly 99 grams or 20 packets of sugar in each 750ml drink.
The drinks caused the teen to have blood sugar levels 25 times higher than normal and was directly responsible for her going into a diabetic coma, caused by hyperglycaemia.
In the week before she was admitted to hospital, she reported feeling thirsty, nauseous and had to frequently use the bathroom, which are all signs of diabetic ketoacidosis or DKA.
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When she presented at Ruijin Hospital, she was placed on a ventilator and a dialysis machine to help repair the damage done to her kidneys. She woke from her coma five days after being admitted.
It took a month before her condition stabilised and she was transferred to Nanxiang Hospital for follow-up care. Incredibly, during her time at Ruijin Hospital, she had lost 35 kilograms.
The teen has promised never to drink Bubble Tea again.
There have been warnings from doctors about the popular drink in the past but they haven't focused on their high sugar content. A teenager had to be taken to hospital because there were dozens of the pearls blocking his intestines.
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9News reports the teen had two Bubble Teas within the space of a couple of days and began experiencing sudden abdominal pain. Paediatric surgeon Zhang Haiyang treated the 13-year-old and says his case should be a lesson for everyone.
"Around 3am while I was on call, a 13-year-old boy was brought in with sudden abdominal pain," Doctor Zhang said.
"X-rays pointed to bowel obstruction. While inspecting his intestines, we discovered two solid objects, one larger and one smaller. These two objects were causing his obstruction."
Surgeons had the option to remove the objects however decided against it and allowed the teen to pass them naturally, which he did about two or three days after the surgery. Dr Zhang says anyone who consumes this drink needs to chew them so they don't end up like the 13-year-old patient.
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