Living With Diabetes – Listen to Your Body

If you’re living with diabetes, your doctor may schedule periodic appointments to monitor your condition and check your blood glucose level. If carefully managed, people with diabetes can live relatively healthy lives. But if a person with diabetes maintains a poor diet or makes other unhealthy lifestyle choices, this can spell trouble.

While you may take your medication as directed by your doctor and adhere to periodic lab work, managing diabetes also involves knowing your body and recognizing changes that can indicate problems.

If you’re living with diabetes, it is important that you closely monitor your thirst. It’s normal to feel thirsty after a workout or after you’ve eaten a salty meal. Furthermore, if you haven’t had a beverage in hours, it’s also normal to feel unusually thirsty. But if you cannot pinpoint the cause of extreme thirst, and you’re feeling unusually weak or tired, make a doctor’s appointment. This can indicate changes in your blood glucose level, and if not corrected, this can trigger complications with your diabetes.

Top Symptoms for Diabetes

Your doctor can order a blood glucose test to see whether you have diabetes. Diabetes is a serious medical condition in which the body has difficulty processing or breaking down sugar. Poorly managed diabetes increases your risk of blindness, stroke and coma, but the sooner you’re diagnosed with diabetes, the sooner you can start managing your disease.

If you have a family history of diabetes, it is important that you keep an eye out for symptoms for diabetes. You can develop diabetes as a child or an adult. If you recognize the early signs, you can bring these symptoms to your doctor s attention and receive the necessary medical treatment.

Here are three classic symptoms for diabetes:

1. Frequent urination is common when there is too much glucose present in your body. If you have not increased your consumption of liquids, yet you have frequent urges to urinate, speak with your doctor. This can be an early sign of diabetes.

2. Frequent thirst is one of many symptoms for diabetes. This is usually described as the inability to quench your thirst. This symptom is triggered by frequent urination.

3. Constant and unusual weakness or fatigue is another sign of diabetes. If you go to bed tired and wake up tired, consult a doctor and ask him to check your blood glucose level.

Recognizing the Symptoms for Diabetes

The challenges of detecting the symptoms for diabetes can be many but understanding the disease, and its symptoms can help those who are afflicted live normal lives. It all starts with glucose and the fact that there is not enough in the body’s cells. Instead, there is an overload of glucose in the blood.

There are two types of diabetes. For Type 1, the challenge is that the abundance of glucose in the blood is due to the fact that insulin produced by the cells have broken down and been decimated. For Type 2, the cells have, somehow, become resistant to the insulin that gets produced.

Recognizing the symptoms for diabetes can be challenging if one is not alert to one’s own body reactions.

The major symptoms include:
- Too much urination due to an increase in the glucose. The kidneys are constantly filling up due to no insulin and too much glucose. The kidneys are unable to effectively filter the glucose back into the blood.
- A loss of weight without dieting or exercising and weakness are definite symptoms for diabetes. The pancreas begins to break down in its ability to produce insulin. The body’s cells are not getting their energy from glucose so the cells begin to feed on fat and muscle.
- Constantly being thirsty. The kidneys are pulling out as much water as they can, and many trips to the bathroom eventually cause a continuous dehydration.
 

Other symptoms for diabetes include:
- tingling in the extremities
- dry and itchy skin
-blurry vision
- constant and prevailing fatigue

 

Blood Tests Can Identify Onset of Type 1 Diabetes as Much as a Decade Before Symptoms Appear

As America grapples with an ever-growing diabetes epidemic, more researchers are looking at the “other” diabetes — Type 1 diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes affects close to three million Americans, and is far more difficult to manage than Type 2 Diabetes. Type 1 diabetes has been growing at an annual rate of three percent, and experts are not sure why, although the typical theories abound: lack of exercise, poor diet, and other lifestyle choices.

However, the greatest factor in determining if an individual gets Type 1 diabetes is their family history: people who have a family member with Type 1 diabetes have a 15-times greater risk of developing it compared to the general public.

Fortunately, a simple blood test can identify the onset of Type 1 diabetes — sometimes as much as ten years before symptoms appear — which is far more preferable than finding out you’re diabetic after slipping into a “critical insulin deficiency” (e.g. a “diabetic coma.”)

While typical symptoms for diabetes include increased thirst and frequent urination, individuals — especially those with family members with Type 1 diabetes — shouldn’t take any chances. Get tested today.

Living with Diabetes

Type 2 Diabetes Can Strike Adults, So Know the Warning Signs

For many health-conscious adults in their 30s, 40s, and 50s, their primary concerns are things like high cholesterol and blood pressure, heart disease, and other ailments. And that’s a good thing: heart disease remains the leading cause of death in America, and the more people watch their diets, exercise, and get regular checkups, the better.

That said, adults may not be aware of the alarming fact that they’re susceptible to Type 2 Diabetes. Unlike Type 1 diabetes, where children are diagnosed at a young age and subsequently spend their lives managing diabetes, Type 2 can strike later on in life. That’s because while adults naturally produce insulin, they suddenly cannot process it due to the combined ingestion of sugar foods, unhealthy meals, and alcohol.

In other words, a poor diet and lack of exercise can also contribute to the onset of Type 2 diabetes, so it is important to be aware of diabetes symptoms when they arise: frequent trips to the bathroom, chronic fatigue, persistent thirst and hunger, and a general feeling of full-body weakness. If any of these symptoms resonate, get tested immediately.

Excessive Thirst is a Sign of Diabetes Mellitus

Becoming thirsty is our body’s way of telling us that the balance of fluids in our body is off and needs to be replenished. When this happens the brain will signal thirst.

Excessive thirst can be a symptom of diabetes mellitus. Excessive sugar builds in the blood and the kidneys work extra hard to filter and absorb this excess. If the kidneys are unable to maintain their function properly, the excess sugar will be eliminated in the urine along with other fluids from various tissues. This will generate a frequent need to urinate and leave you dehydrated. However, as you drink more fluids to compensate for this thirst, you will urinate more and begin a cycle, one that can never be quenched.

If you have a family history of diabetes, are feeling tired and very thirsty, it is important that you seek medical attention. Because diabetes can’t be diagnosed by the symptoms alone, your physician will need to test your urine and your blood to check the levels of sugar.

If you do have diabetes mellitus it is important that it is diagnosed as early as possible so that you can begin your treatment. You will be prescribed the necessary diabetes medication and given a clear understanding of how to manage your diabetes so that you don’t suffer any of the long-term effects.

Common Symptoms of Diabetes

Diabetes is a serious, chronic condition, one that affects over 150 million people in the world today. In many cases persons with diabetes may not realize they have it, especially if they ignore the diabetes symptom the body is giving them.

One of the most common diabetes symptom is the need for frequent urination. Which in medical terms means Polyuria Excess sugar in the body is excreted through kidneys. So glucose that is filtered draws water from tissues. This causes frequent urination. Diabetics wake up in the nights more than normal 1 or 2 times.

Another symptom known as Polydipsia where high blood sugar levels stimulates brain thirst centers so to take intake of water. Same time there is frequent urination, further depleting the body from water which also stimulates thirst.

Though there are high levels of glucose in blood it is not utilized by body and person always feel hunger. Though there is increased food intake, person may gain very little weight. Sometimes he or she loses weight because they are unable to utilize the calories in food and loss of glucose and water in urine. In type 1 diabetics, they use fat as their energy supply so they lose weight.This symptom is known as Polyphagia

Another common symptom is Fatigue. Body is unable to use glucose in proper way because of the lack of insulin. Insulin pushes glucose in to cells where it is used as fuel. So low glucose in the cells and body lacks energy source leading to fatigue.

There are few conditions that affect the CNS causing irritability, altered mental status, confusion, convulsions etc. These are severe hyperglycemia, ketoacidosis, hyperosmolar nonketotic coma (HONK), hyperglycemia etc. These are medical emergencies and patient needs immediate medical attention.

Blurry vision can also be a result of high glucose level. High blood glucose causes osmotic changes in the lens (reversible) leading to blurred vision. Other affects are cataracts, glaucoma, proliferative retinopathy etc leading to loss of vision.

Numbness and tingling happen in the extremities of Diabetes. Here symptoms consists of pain, numbness and tingling which are typically worst at night. Hands are less commonly involved. These sensory symptoms produce ‘stocking and glove’ type sensory loss. Complications include unrecognized trauma due to loss of sensations leading to ulcerations.

Blood vessels get thickened in diabetics that impairs circulation and wound healing. High blood sugar levels impairs natural defending processes and slows wound healing.

High blood sugar levels impairs function of polymorpho nuclear leukocytes which fight against germs that harm our body. This increases the risk of infections especially urinary tract and skin. In women vaginal infections are also common.

Foot problems are major cause of morbidity in diabetics. Increased risk of infections, slow wound healing, impaired sensations due to neuropathy will contribute to tissue damage. Patients should be educated to take are of their feet with well fitting shoes, careful inspection of feet every day, keeping them clean, approach their doctor if there is any small non healing abrasions or wounds.

Other symptoms depend on the organ affected, like urinary symptoms in nephritic syndrome, gingivitis, fever etc.

Symptoms of Diabetes

Diabetes is a disease in which the production of insulin in our body is affected. This results in some bodily functions not performing well due to the lack or deficiency of this hormone. There are three basic types of diabetes which are Type 1 diabetes, Type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes. Of all the forms of diabetes, gestational diabetes is the easiest to treat. It goes away when the mother gives birth.

What Are The Various Symptoms Of Diabetes?

Some diabetes symptoms are easy to recognize while others are a bit difficult to spot. The most obvious symptoms of diabetes are elevated blood sugar levels. This can only be seen during blood tests which have to be administered by licensed doctors and nurses.

Other symptoms of diabetes which may lead you to get a blood test done because you suspect you might have diabetes is to be extremely thirsty most of the time, excessive tiredness, feeling of fatigue or excessive hunger, sudden weight loss and frequent urination. Be careful regarding these symptoms because these are not as noticeable as the others. You could credit extreme thirst to the heat of the day or excessive exercise. While rapid weight loss may be treated as a blessing for obese people and not treated as a warning.

Symptoms of diabetes listed above are the symptoms that may also occur in other diseases or disorder so it is best to consult a doctor to be sure. Other symptoms of diabetes which may seem minor to you are numbness in the peripherals of the limbs, dry itchy skin, blurred vision, recurrent or difficult to treat yeast or skin infections in women and wounds that heal slowly. These symptoms of diabetes can lead to complications such as blindness and gangrene if left unattended.

If You Have Some Symptoms Of Diabetes:

Many people experience these symptoms of diabetes but ignore them or take them for granted. Anything out of the ordinary that you might experience in your bodily functions should be treated as something that you should consult with your doctor. Of course, there are sicknesses that are very common like colds and allergies but it is better to be safe than sorry. Getting a general check up yearly is advisable for individuals who have a family history of diabetes. This is to be able to prevent and control any inclination you might have towards diabetes and to ensure that you remain healthy and strong.

Signs And Symptoms Of Diabetes Type 2

If there is history of Type 2 diabetes in the family, being aware of its signs and symptoms can allow for early detection and treatment. Diabetes, if left untreated can have disastrous effects on a person’s health, affecting many systems and can lead to heart attack and stroke, along with other serious complications.

If your father or mother had diabetes, there is a good chance you will also develop the disease in your lifetime. While diabetes Type 2 signs and symptoms may seem unimportant or insignificant to many people, but still if your family history indicates you could be a target,it would be good to tell your doctor and undergo testing on a regular basis. Early detection can lead to early treatment often reducing the toll diabetes can take on your body.

Frequent urination with excessive thirst are two of the most common diabetes Type 2 signs and symptoms andt they can be accompanied by feelings of always being hungry. Add to these, unexplained weight loss and increased fatigue can also be diabetes Type 2 signs and symptoms. Irritability and detoriation of vision are other signs that the disease is present and may already be causing problems.

Understanding The Symptoms Meaning:

When a person has diabetes, their body is not producing enough insulin. It is the insulin that catches on to the sugar in the blood and leads to the cells in the body that uses it for energy. If the cells cannot get the sugar, or the sugar cannot be processed proeprly, the body will have a loss of energy. The loss of energy is one of the major diabetes Type 2 signs and symptoms that may indicate the disease has progressed beyond pre-diabetes.

If the sugar cannot be processed into the cells, it will be cast aside from the body, usually through the urine. As the body’s ability to produce insulin fails and more sugar is left floating through the blood, the body will attempt to move it out, making frequent urination another of diabetes Type 2 signs and symptoms of which to be wary.

Additionally, the more frequent you urinate, the more your body will demand, hence increased thirst, another of the diabetes Type 2 signs and symptoms. Without sugar getting into the cells thereby providing energy we feel tired all the time, which tends to make a person irritable, which is another sign that something is wrong in the sugar department.

Ignoring Diabetes Symptom Can Be Dangerous

Many times persons with diabetes may not realize they have diabetes, especially if they ignore the symptoms the body is giving them. Some of the signs are so illusive that unless a person has risk factors of developing the disease a diabetes symptom may not ring any bells that something is wrong. By being aware of the symptoms, even being without many of the risk factors, the onset of the disease can be caught quickly.

One of the most common diabetes symptom is the urge for frequent urination. When sugar builds up in the blood, the kidneys have to work overtime to flush it away. This frequent need to urinate also draws fluids from the cells, causing excessive thirst, which is another diabetes symptom. Improper processing of sugar in the blood into the cells, starves them for energy often leaving a person feeling tired and lethargic. Excessive exhaustion along with weakness and appetite can also be a result.

When sugar in the system is discarded through frequent urination, the calories are also going with it, resulting in possible weight loss. Similar to the frequent urination and excessive thirst problem, having the calories flushed away before they can be burned can lead to exigent appetite. This can lead to weight gain and the development of more fatty tissue, which cannot use the insulin effectively. As a diabetes symptom, weight fluctuations should be considered a warning sign, many times seen in Type 1 diabetes.

Don’t Ignore Vision Problems:

Frequent urination pulls fluids from cells and tissue, the lenses in the eyes are also affected. This can damage the blood vessels in the back part of the eye, the cornea, and the body will attempt to grow new ones, resulting in burred vision. As a diabetes symptom, if left untreated diabetes can in future lead to blindness.

When the level of glucose levels in the blood reaches a high point, it can affect the body’s ability to heal itself, causing sores or cuts to heal considerably slower and can also result in the the person suffering frequent infections. Another diabetes symptom is a tingling feeling in the hands and feet. An elevated level of blood sugar can cause nerve damage and may result in pain as well as the tingling sensation.

Another diabetes symptom caused due to the inability to fight infection is swollen or sores gums and other tissue in the mouth. This can be very troublesome for those with gum problems prior to the onset of diabetes. Regardless of risk factors, any of the symptoms should be enough to consult a physician about the possibility of diabetes.