Extreme hunger, involuntary weight loss, fatigue and weakness, blurred vision, irritability, and other mood changes are all potential warning signs of diabetes. If you or your child has any of these symptoms, it is important to speak to a doctor. The best way to determine if you have type 1 diabetes is through a blood test. Sudden blurred vision may also be caused by a sudden drop in blood sugar.
In addition, diabetes increases the risk of developing other eye conditions that can cause blurred vision, such as glaucoma. People with type 1 diabetes may experience involuntary weight loss or flu-like symptoms. Those with type 2 diabetes may experience extreme thirst or urinate frequently. Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in childhood, while type 2 diabetes is more likely to be diagnosed in adulthood.
Initial symptoms of type 1 diabetes may include involuntary weight loss, nocturnal enuresis, and flu-like symptoms. Initial symptoms of type 2 diabetes may include extreme thirst, frequent urination, and slow wound healing. According to some estimates, the rate of diabetes among American adults exceeds 10%, meaning that it is likely that you or someone you know will have diabetes. Could you have diabetes without knowing it? Unlike other medical conditions, the initial signs of diabetes can be as subtle as needing to drink more water than usual.
The early signs of diabetes are quite subtle and may not be recognized by most people. Fortunately, if you know what to look for, the warning signs of diabetes can give you time to avoid the most damaging symptoms of this disease, such as diabetic neuropathy. Three of the first signs of diabetes you may notice are frequent urination, increased thirst, and unexplained hunger. As your body tries to cope with rising blood glucose levels, your kidneys must work harder to filter glucose, which means you'll have to urinate more often.
This leads to dehydration and explains why you are thirsty. The first signs of insulin resistance usually appear very slowly in people with high blood sugar levels. Blurred vision, increased urge to urinate, feeling hungry, extreme thirst, and a feeling of itchy and dry skin are all warning signs that you may be in the early stages of type 2 diabetes. Some other signs may be more difficult to pinpoint.
For women, an increase in the frequency of urinary tract infections may be a sign of high blood sugar levels but this is just one of the possible causes of a UTI. In the case of type 1 diabetes, unexplained weight loss and vomiting can also stem from a number of gastrointestinal conditions and diseases including serious conditions such as cancer. Similarly, dry itchy skin could be a sign that you're progressing through the stages of prediabetes but there are also a number of other skin conditions that could be at play. Since the rates of prediabetes are almost three times higher than the number of confirmed cases of type 2 diabetes, it is likely that you are at risk for developing diabetes or that you are already in the early stages of the disease.
Initial symptoms such as frequent urination may not seem alarming but if they appear along with risk factors such as obesity then it is important to visit your healthcare provider as soon as possible. Having to go to the bathroom more than usual especially at night is a sign that your blood sugar level may be out of control. Frequent urination and excessive thirst which are telltale signs of type 2 diabetes are usually mild and can easily be attributed to other factors. Many people get tested for diabetes because they have symptoms that are possible early warning signs.
The telltale signs of type 2 diabetes such as frequent urination and excessive thirst are often subtle especially at first.