Warning Signs Of Possible Diabetes

Diabetes is a disease that affect how your body processes carbohydrates like sugar. It’s a silent killer, affecting 30 million Americans. Many people who have it don’t even know it. Whether you have Type I, Type II, or gestational, you need to know the warning signs.

Fatigue
Fatigue is one of the worst symptoms of diabetes.

High and low blood sugar levels can both cause fatigue, as your body isn’t processing the carbohydrates in your body for the energy it needs.

Frequent Urination

To deal with high blood sugar levels, your body will attempt to use your kidneys to flush out the extra sugar, this causes a person to drink a lot more water.

Because you’re drinking more water, you end up having to urinate a lot more often.

Lack of Sleep

A side effect of frequent urination is that it interrupts sleep patterns.

Many people who are diagnosed as diabetic report problems with sleeping.

Dry Mouth

As your kidney uses more water, it can also cause dry mouth.

It’s important to keep you mouth hydrated as a dry mouth can cause damage to gums and teeth.

Vision Changes

Another side effect of high blood sugar, is that fluid will be pulled from all parts of your body.

This includes the fluid in the lenses of your eyes causing them to be deformed which will affect your vision.

Sudden Weight Loss

Because diabetics can’t produce enough insulin to process the carbohydrates in their blood stream, their bodies will turn to fat and protein energy.

Your body will go into ketosis, which in the short term will cause some people to lose weight.

Increased Appetite

Not being able to process carbohydrates for energy, your muscles and organs will often become starved.

This will trigger intense hunger.

Fruity Breath Odor

When ketosis occurs chemicals known as ketones will be created.

Acetone is a ketone will be exhaled and can be smelled. Some people describe the smell as fruity or bad.

Nausea

A build up of ketones from ketosis will make some people feel nauseous and sick.

Though not all people who are diabetic or pre-diabetic will suffer from it.

Ketones in Urine

Ketones is not only exhaled through the breath, but is also urinated out.

You can get ketone tests strips from your pharmacy.

Difficult Breathing

When your body goes into ketosis because of diabetes, a condition can occur called Kussmaul breathing due to diabetic ketoacidosis.

This is caused when you have very high blood sugar level followed by a high level of ketones in the blood.

Tingling in Hands and Feet

Though, not completely clear why, diabetes and high blood sugar will cause damage to nerves and interfere with nerve signals.

The first warning signs of this are a tingling sensation in hands and feet.

Foot Sores and Ulcers

Tingling in your hands and feet can be extremely dangerous in diabetics.

Because of nerve damage and poor blood circulation, as the body can’t fight off even small infections from small cuts. Nerve damage will sometimes prevent diabetics from realizing there’s anything wrong with their feet until too late.

Slow Healing Sores

Because of poor blood circulation any sore will take much longer to heal.

Healing need fresh blood flow from red and white blood cells to reach a damaged area.

High Blood Pressure

Another consequence of diabetic damage to blood vessels is high blood pressure.

Blood vessels will harden and often narrow. This is also known as atherosclerosis and is a leading cause of strokes and heart attacks.

Fainting

Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to dehydration and damaged blood vessels

The combination of damage to blood vessels and dehydration can lead to fainting and dizzy spells.

Frequent Infections

Diabetes can slow down your bodies ability to fight off infections.

High blood sugar also creates a good environment for germs and other pathogens.

Gum Disease

Also, because of poor blood circulation, dry mouth, infections, and nerve damage, people with unmanaged diabetes are much more susceptible to gum disease and loss of teeth.

Though people who manage their diabetes well are no more prone to gum disease then other people.

Headaches

Low and high blood sugar will cause headaches.

When blood sugar is too low, your blood vessels will sometimes spasm causing headaches. When blood sugar is too high, kidneys will produce more urine leading to dehydration, which can also cause headaches.

PCOS

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome or PCOS is a syndrome that affects women and their menstruation cycle. It is also the most common cause of female infertility.

Though no one knows the relationship between diabetes and PCOS, the two seemed to be linked as many Type I and Type II diabetic females have PCOS.

Fat and Fat Distribution

You do not have to be overweight to get diabetes. Slim celebrities like Tom Hanks and Halle Berry both developed Type 2 diabetes.

But, if you’re overweight and especially if the extra fat is concentrated around your abdomen, your chances of getting Type 2 diabetes is greatly increased.