Signs and Symptoms of Type 1 & 2 Diabetes
Many people don’t know they have diabetes until they get problems from long-term damage caused by the disease. Some signs can be difficult to detect as they are just a part of everyday life but identifying these symptoms could save you difficulties down the road.
The symptoms of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are similar in many ways.
- Increase in hunger and fatigue – When your body does not make enough insulin, or if your cells resist insulin, the glucose from the food you eat can’t get to them and it results in no energy being made for you to use, causing you to be tired. This signals your body to eat more in order for it to give you energy, which leads to hunger.
- Frequent urination and excessive thirst – Normally, your body would reabsorb glucose as it passes through your kidneys, but when diabetes raises your blood sugar, your kidneys are not going to be able to bring it all back in. Your body will then make more urine, taking more fluids from your body. This makes you urinate more, and because your body is dehydrated, it makes you even more thirsty. More water = more urine.
- Dry mouth/Dehydration/Dry and Itchy Skin – These 3 things are all connected. Due to your body using all your fluids to make urine, there is less fluid in your body for other things, making you dehydrated and making your mouth feel dry. When your body is dehydrated, it sucks the moisture from your skin, making it itchy.
- Blurry Vision: As the fluid levels in your body fluctuate, it could make the lenses in your eyes swell, and become out of focus.
Symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes
- Unintentional weight loss – Your body usually gets all its energy from food, and if your body can’t get energy from food, it will start burning fat and muscle instead.
- Feeling Nauseous or Vomiting – When your body burns fat, it makes molecules called ketones. These can then build up in your body, causing a dangerous condition called Diabetic Ketoacidosis, which can make you to feel nauseous and is sometimes life-threatening.
Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes
- Yeast infections – Men and women with diabetes can get these, and its usually when your glucose has been high for a long period of time. Yeast thrives on glucose and having an excess amount in your body creates a perfect environment for yeast to multiply. Yeast infections like warm, moist folds of skin such as in between fingers/toes, under breasts, and in/around sex organs.
- Cuts/Sores that are slow-healing – When your blood sugar levels are high for a long time, your blood flow can be affected, which can cause nerve damage, making it more difficult for your body to heal a wound.
- Pain and/or Numbness in lower extremities – This is another result of nerve damage.
Hypoglycemia
Low blood sugar or Hypoglycemia happens when the glucose in your blood drops too low in order to fuel your body. Which can make you feel a variety of things such as:
- Shaky
- Sweaty/clammy
- Anxious
- Confused, lightheaded, dizzy
- Hungry
- Sleepy
- Fast heartbeat
- Blurred vision
- Headache
- Nightmares
- Coordination problems
- Seizures
Hyperglycemia
High blood sugar, or Hyperglycemia happens when the glucose in your blood is too high, which can cause symptoms such as:
- Excessive thirst
- Blurry vision
- Frequent urination
- Hunger
- Numbness/tingling in feet
- Fatigue
- Weight loss
When you should call your doctor:
Detecting diabetes symptoms early can help you avoid nerve damage, heart problems, and other complications. If you’re feeling unwell, tired, thirsty, or have frequent urination, a bad stomachache, or are breathing more deeply or quickly than usual, see your doctor right away to get tested for diabetes.
