5 signs you might have diabetes Symptoms, risk factors and tests Diabetes is one of the most manageable conditions, but only if you're diagnosed quickly enough. Here's the in to find out.
Before being diagnosed with the signs of diabetes many people wait months or even years before diagnosing themselves because they just tell the words "I am just getting old" when they are feeling tired. The signs of diabetes and knowing how to tell if you have diabetes is the answer!
Why Early Recognition of Diabetes Matters
What is diabetes? Diabetes is a lifelong (chronic) condition where the body either doesn't produce enough insulin or it can't use the insulin it produces efficiently. Over time high blood sugar can damage your eyes, kidneys, nerves and heart if it is not diagnosed and treated effectively. Because the symptoms of high blood sugar can be mild and may seem like symptoms of other conditions such as tiredness – it's estimated between 80-90% of people with diabetes have lived with undiagnosed diabetes for several years.
Common Diabetes Symptoms
Type 2 diabetes may take years to happen - meaning you may not even realize you have it. But type 1 diabetes comes on quickly and worsens fast - and that's even more true in kids and teenagers. Here are some key warning signs of diabetes to watch for:
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Extreme drinking not quenched by drinking more
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Urinate frequently while drinking fluids, urinate when you wake up at night.
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Persistent fatigue
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Any loss of weight - even an insignificant amount - can be a warning sign of disease. The initial warning signs can occur when one is ill - you've lost your appetite and/or dropped some weight.
For instance: you should not lose weight without a good reason.
Blurred vision
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Slow-healing cuts or wounds
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Dark-coloured patches in the neck or in the armpit region.
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Tingling or numbness in the hands and/or feet.
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Severe or repeated infection especially skin infection, infection of gums and infection of urine
Symptoms of High Blood Sugar
Some of the symptoms of hyperglycaemia are the same as the ones previously listed because hyperglycaemia produces the majority of the symptoms of diabetessome, examples are: You get a headache, you are unable to concentrate and you get a 'fruity' odour on your breath (an indication of one of the most dangerous conditions associated with hyperglycaemia-diarobic ketoacidosiswhich is common in type 1 diabetics). Just feeling a bit thirsty or tired would not generally be considered a cause for concern but if this was to happen together with the other symptoms, then action should be taken.
Common Misconceptions
We do get a little bit of a bad rap around here when it comes to diabetes, but maybe you aren't aware of this list of all the things the disease is NOT responsible for:
1. You can't "become" diabetic- even if you are at a healthy weight.
2. Even if you're healthy, you might have it- Loads of people out there have elevated blood sugars but no symptoms, which is why a simple Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS) Test or HbA1c Test can be so revealing.
And no - Diabetes is not only caused by eating too much sugar.
It's a little complicated- you may think of more than you can shake a stick at, like: Genes. Insulin. Bodyweight.
Risk Factors Worth Knowing
The risk factors for type 2 diabetes are:
A parent, brother, sister, grandfather or grandmother with diabetes.
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Body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more.
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Excess fat around the waist.
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Lack of physical activity.
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Diabetes during pregnancy.
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Age over 40 (risk increases over 40).
Blood Sugar Levels and Diabetes Diagnosis
Having no symptoms does not have to have diabetes mellitus. It is only when the blood glucose levels are measured on standarised tests and these tests are:
Test Normal Prediabetes Diabetes
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Fasting plasma glucose- Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS) Test FPG less than 100 mg/dL FPG 100-125 mg/dL FPG of 126 mg/dL or more.
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2 hour value (after OGTT)- PPBS (Postprandial Blood Sugar) Test Less than 140 mg/dl 140 - 199 mg/dl 200 mg/dl or more
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Glycated Haemoglobin- HbA1c Test Less than 5.7% 5.7 - 6.4% 6.5% or greater
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Random Plasma Glucose (Most common symptoms)- RBS (Random Blood Sugar) Test 200 mg/dL or higher
Usually, high results are checked with a further sample taken on a different day unless the level is very high and you are displaying symptoms – i.e. you're drinking large amounts of water, urinating more frequently, and you've lost weight without trying. This is known as an HbA1c test.
What to Do if You Notice Symptoms
Having one or two of these for a day or two isn't to say you have diabetes - but it is a warning. Watch your thirst, urination and energy levels over a week or two, and also remember if there's a history of diabetes in the family - but you can't check yourself with finger-prick testing, only a specialist can with a lab test such as an HbA1c Test or Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS) Test.
When to See a Doctor
Sudden weight loss, vomiting, difficulty breathing, dizziness or breathlessness. These are all symptoms that indicate you should head to an ER because they also indicate the possibility that you might have diabetic ketoacidosis. Your doctor can explain to you how your history might make you risk for other conditions. Fatigue, changes in vision, frequent urination for weeks, tiredness or sudden thinness.
How It's Diagnosed
Your doctor takes your history and does a physical exam, takes your blood for a fasting blood sugar (FBS) test, and then confirms the blood sugar with one of the Tests above such as the RBS (Random Blood Sugar) Test or PPBS (Postprandial Blood Sugar) Test. Usually your doctor will start with FPG or HbA1c and then use the OGTT for borderline cases (if needed). It can be the very best to use the order your test from your diagnosis partner as the tests Standardised blood tests so does matter who you order it from as your diagnosis partner.
Conclusion
Diabetes is a silent disease, even the symptoms may be silent but they are no less loud if you know them. Constant thirst, frequent urination, fatigue or that sore that isn't healing, If you see these early signs of diabetes or have risk factors like weight, family history etc., get yourself tested with an HbA1c Test or Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS) Test.
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