Diabetes is a condition in which too much sugar builds up in the blood. Over time, high levels of sugar in the blood can lead to serious health problems in the eyes, feet and hands, kidneys, and heart. However, many signs and symptoms of diabetes can occur long before before these complications develop.
Diabetes symptoms and signs often vary among individuals. Some people will have many symptoms when first diagnosed, while others have no symptoms at all. Instead, these people are diagnosed with diabetes after a routine lab exam identifies high levels of sugar in the blood (this is more often the case with type 2 diabetes).
In this article, we will discuss the common diabetes symptoms seen in type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes.
Symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes usually begins in young children and teenagers. People with this type of diabetes have a pancreas that doesn’t produce enough insulin or that stops producing it altogether. This means they need to have insulin shots on a regular basis to help keep their blood sugar at the right level.
Type 1 diabetes symptoms usually develop over a short time. Unfortunately, most signs and symptoms do not begin until almost all insulin-producing cells are destroyed. By the time a person is diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, damage to these cells is nearly complete.
Type 1 diabetes symptoms can include:
- Increased thirst and urination
- Constant hunger
- Weight loss
- Blurred vision
- Excessive tiredness.
If not properly diagnosed and treated with insulin, an individual with type 1 diabetes can lapse into a diabetic coma, known as diabetic ketoacidosis, or DKA. Diabetic ketoacidosis can be life-threatening.
Often, children will experience vomiting, a sign of DKA, and mistakenly be diagnosed as having gastroenteritis (commonly known as the stomach flu). New-onset diabetes can be differentiated from a GI (gastrointestinal) infection by the frequent urination that accompanies continued vomiting; a GI “bug” would normally cause decreased urination due to dehydration (see Stomach Flu Symptoms).
Type 2 diabetes happens in people whose pancreas does make insulin. However, in a person with this type of diabetes, their cells do not respond to the insulin anymore, so sugar stays locked out of the cells and remains in the blood. Type 2 diabetes is usually seen in older people. Also, things like being overweight and smoking can make a person more likely to get type 2 diabetes. This is especially true for those who are African American or Hispanic.
Type 2 diabetes symptoms often develop more gradually and are not as noticeable as symptoms of type 1 diabetes. Signs and symptoms seen with type 2 diabetes include:
- Blurred vision
- Frequent infections
- Slow-healing wounds
- Frequent urination (especially at night)
- Feeling ill or very tired
- Being very thirsty
- Increased hunger
- Weight loss (and you are not trying to lose weight).
A person may have one or more of these symptoms before being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Or, he or she may have no symptoms at all. A blood test to check blood sugar levels will determine if the person has pre-diabetes or diabetes (see Diagnosing Diabetes).
Gestational diabetes is diabetes that is found for the first time when a woman is pregnant. It affects about 5 percent of all pregnancies. If not treated, gestational diabetes can cause health problems for the mother and the fetus.
Often, women with this type of diabetes have no symptoms. If a woman does have gestational diabetes symptoms, they can include:
- Feeling ill or very tired
- Being very thirsty
- Frequent urination, especially at night
- Weight loss when you are not trying to lose weight
- Blurred vision
- Frequent infections.
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