Detecting diabetes early on can help you avoid some of the more severe complications associated with this disease. For example, type 1 diabetes has symptoms that come on quickly, while type 2 diabetes has more subtle signs. Fortunately, both types share many of the same symptoms of low blood sugar that you need to be able to recognize.
Hunger and Fatigue
When you eat food, your body converts that food into glucose that it needs to make you feel energized. The cells in your body have to have insulin to absorb that glucose. If your body doesn’t have the necessary insulin or your cells resist insulin, the glucose can’t get where it needs to go. When this happens, you will find that you don’t have any energy. As your body fights to create more energy, you will notice that you feel hungrier and more tired than normal.
Increased Thirst and Urination
You should typically urinate between four to seven times a day. Those with diabetes will urinate more often. Normally, the body will absorb glucose as it goes through the kidneys. Diabetes will push your blood sugar up, resulting in the kidneys not being able to absorb the glucose.
When this happens, your body will produce more urine. Urine requires fluids. You may begin to notice that you are stuck in a vicious circle where you are more thirsty and drink more liquids, which results in more frequent urination.
Dry Mouth and Itchy Skin
Dry mouth and itchy skin go hand in hand with increased thirst and urination. However, since your body needs more fluid to urinate with diabetes, it will take moisture from any area. Once this happens, you will notice that your mouth feels drier than it usually does. That dry sensation adds to the feeling of always being thirsty.
You might also notice that your skin is becoming drier. Dry skin can feel itchy and irritated. All of this together will leave you feeling quite uncomfortable. Don’t hesitate to discuss all of these signs with your doctor.
Blurred Vision
If you think your vision is blurred in addition to any of the other signs of diabetes, make sure you make an appointment with your doctor to discuss your concerns. Once the sugar in your blood reaches a certain level, your vision does become blurred. Don’t ignore this sign that you may have diabetes. Loss of sight is one of the complications people experience after suffering from diabetes for many years. Watch for a sensation of having clouded vision. It will seem like you have a film over your eyes that you are trying to look through.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, contact your doctor to see about having your blood sugar tested. Early detection allows your doctor to help you develop a treatment plan, and Tandem Diabetes Care can help you manage this disease with the right products.