Symptoms and Signs of Diabetes

Detecting diabetes early is essential to starting a person on the path to better health. Many of the signs and symptoms of type 1 diabetes are the same as type 2 diabetes even though the reasons the person develops the diabetes are different. This is due to the ultimate effect of having extra glucose or sugar in the blood stream. Both type one and type 2 diabetes can be diagnosed in all age groups. Type 1 diabetes is usually detected in children and young adults and type 2 diabetes usually is diagnosed at an older age.

Signs and Symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes for quick reference

1. Extreme thirst
2. Frequent urination
3. Sudden vision changes (increased blood glucose causes the lens of the eye to change in shape and swell. This causes vision changes)
4. Glucose or sugar in the urine
5. An odor found on the breath that is sweet and fruity (this is a sign that the body is using fat as energy since the glucose is not available for the cells. The term for this is diabetes ketoacidosis and can be life threatening.
6. Increased appetite with sudden weight loss
7. Sleepy, drowsy and lethargic (the body is not getting enough glucose in the cells)
8. Breathing that is heavy and labored and going into a stupor, lethargic and perhaps unconsciousness (these are signs of ketoacidosis.)

Signs and Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes for quick reference

1.Extreme thirst
2.Frequent Urination
3.Weight change (for type 2 this could be a weight loss as in type 1 or a weight gain. People with type 2 diabetes increase their resistance to insulin when they gain weight. This will decrease the ability of cells in the body to use insulin and the result is an increased blood glucose.)
4. Fatigue
5. Vision changes and blurring of vision
6. Frequent infections (bacteria tends to thrive when blood glucose is high, this may include urinary tract infections and yeast infections)
7. Wounds and cuts that take a long time to heal
8. Tingling and numbness in the extremities (fingers and feet) High blood glucose over time can lead to damage to the nerves. This is a type of neuropathy common in diabetes.
9. In men, trouble with erections. See my past blogs on erectile dysfunction and diabetes.
As you can see, it is important to know the signs and symptoms of diabetes. Do not delay in calling your physician if you think you may have diabetes. The only way to be sure is to be tested. Talk to your health care team and get further guidance about this very important issue. If there are signs and symptoms of type 1 diabetes, treat this as a medical emergency. Get help immediately!

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