Diabetes is such a growing epidemic, that we should all know what diabetic indications to watch out for whether we are at high risk of developing the disease or not. According to the National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) 26 million Americans have diabetes and an estimated 79 million adults in the U.S. have pre-diabetes. The worst part is that it is estimated that 7 million people with diabetes don’t even know they have it.
Diabetes indications can be fairly discrete and easily overlooked, if you don’t know what to look for. If the disease goes unnoticed, however, it can lead to severe complications and even death. Keep a watch out for the following diabetic indications, for yourself, your loved ones, and those who surround you:
- Increased thirst
- Frequent urination
- Increased hunger
- Unexplained weight loss
- Vision Problems
- Fatigue or Irritability
- Tingling and/or numbness is the hands or feet
- Recurring skin, gum, or bladder infections
Diabetic Indications of Complications
You may or may not know that you have diabetes when diabetic complications start occurring. Diabetes is a systemic disease, which means that it could essentially affect any part of your body. The most common diabetic complications that manifest are:
Diabetic Neuropathy – Nerve damage due to high blood sugar. Diabetic indications of neuropathy include: numbness and tingling in your hands or feet, burning, sharp, jabbing, or electric-like pain in your extremities, extreme sensitivity to touch, muscle weakness, lack of coordination, bowel or bladder problems.
Diabetic Nephropathy – Kidney damage due to high sugar levels; symptoms of diabetic nephropathy include: swelling which begins in the feet and legs, then later throughout your whole body; poor appetite and weight loss; weakness or fatigue; nausea or vomiting; trouble sleeping.
Diabetic Retinopathy – A serious eye disorder that results from high sugar levels. Diabetic indications of retinopathy include: spots or dark strings floating in your vision, blurred vision, dark or empty areas in your vision, vision loss or fluctuating vision, difficulty with color perception.
Diabetic Foot Complications – Often the result of diabetic neuropathy, but also may be due to poor circulation or infections that may lead to amputation. Symptoms of diabetic foot complications may include: skin changes, dry skin, calluses,corns,foot ulcers, blisters, numbness, sharp pains,tingling.
Heart Disease – Heart disease is the #1 cause of death in type 2 diabetics. Some general symptoms of heart disease include: shortness of breath, palpations, a fast heartbeat, weakness,chest pain,dizziness, nausea, sweating and much more. Visit WebMd.com for more detailed information.
Diabetic Coma – Coma brought about by either hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) or hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). Symptoms of hyperglycemia include: increased thirst, frequent urination, fatigue, shortness of breath, stomach pain, nausea or vomiting, fruity breath, fast heartbeat. Symptoms of hypoglycemia include: shakiness or nervousness;\, tiredness or fatigue, nausea, irritability, or hostile/aggressive behavior, confusion.
Ketoacidosis – Similar to a diabetic coma, ketoacidosis is caused by high amounts of ketones (byproducts which are formed from the breakdown of fatty acids) are in your bloodstream. This mostly affects type 1 diabetics, but can affect type 2 in cases of very high blood sugar levels. This is a very serious condition which can come on very quickly. Diabetic indications of ketoacidosis are: excessive thirst, frequent urination, nausea and/or vomiting, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, weakness or fatigue,shortness of breath, fruity-scented breath, confusion, hyperglycemia, and high ketone levels in urine.
Diabetic Seizure – A diabetic seizure could be the result of hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia. Indications of a diabetic seizure may (but not always) include: violent convulsions, loss of muscle tone, involuntary movements, altered awareness or behavior, numbness on parts of the body, brief memory loss, slurred speech, talking gibberish, person may describe flashes of light, smelling a strange odor, or seem generally confused.
