Things That Happen When You Have Diabetes The Diabetes symptoms aren’t only one disease; it’s a term used to describe several different conditions that affect the way your body processes blood sugar, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).

The two main types of diabetes are type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes, but there are other less common forms as well.

If you have diabetes, you’re probably experiencing at least some of these common symptoms: excessive thirst, frequent urination, fatigue, weight loss or gain without dieting, slow-healing sores, and blurry vision.

1) Fasting glucose levels above 125 mg/dl Diabetes Symptoms

If your blood glucose levels are consistently above 125 mg/dl (7.2 mmol/l), you might have diabetes. This can also be caused by other conditions such as alcoholism or an underactive thyroid gland, so it’s not always diagnostic of diabetes. For example, during pregnancy and breastfeeding, some women experience high blood glucose levels but do not have diabetes symptoms per se.

2) Glucose levels between 100–125 mg/dl after two hours

If your blood sugar is higher than 125 mg/dl but less than 200 mg/dl after two hours, you are at risk for diabetes. Your doctor will most likely prescribe an oral glucose tolerance test.

If you don’t take action at a fasting level of 100 to 125 mg/dl, you run a much greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes symptoms can lead to heart disease, kidney failure, and many other serious health problems.

3) Unexplained weight loss Diabetes Symptoms

Most people who have signs of diabetes symptoms notice they’re losing weight but they don’t know why. Sometimes their medication is to blame; sometimes their eating habits are to blame. For most people with type 2 diabetes, though, there’s another culprit: a condition called gastroparesis that prevents food from properly moving through your stomach and intestines.

4) Increased thirst Diabetes Symptoms

Because your body isn’t using glucose as a fuel source, it will start storing extra sugar in your liver and muscles. Since these are limited storage areas, you’ll often feel thirsty. It can also lead to frequent urination—another sign of diabetes. A good test for increased thirst is to drink some juice and then check in with your urine output 15 minutes later; if you find that you’re drinking more than usual, that could be a sign of diabetes.

5) Frequent urination

As your body’s cells need more and more glucose for energy, you begin to urinate often to get rid of all of that excess sugar. This can be a sign that you have diabetes. Diabetics often have to relieve themselves as many as six times a day! A sudden increase in thirst: All that water helps reduce blood sugar levels by keeping them from getting too high and causing damage to body cells.

6) Tingling or numbness in hands or feet

The poor circulation caused by diabetes can result in numbness and tingling, particularly in the hands and feet. This condition is called neuropathy, and it’s a major problem for many diabetic patients. Neuropathy makes daily tasks like opening a door or using cutlery more difficult than they should be. If you notice any unusual sensations in your hands or feet, speak to your doctor as soon as possible.

What are the first signs of diabetes symptoms?

First, it’s important to understand that having one or more of these symptoms doesn’t necessarily mean you have diabetes. But since they’re often associated with high blood sugar levels, they could be an indication that you should schedule a doctor visit.

The first signs of type 2 diabetes are usually mild and don’t always require treatment, but some early warning signs include: feeling very thirsty; going to urinate more frequently than usual; feeling very hungry; losing weight without trying; experiencing blurred vision; and sores that heal slowly.

Diabetes symptoms and Vision Loss

Often, diabetes symptoms and vision loss are connected—and there are a few different ways that they can come together. Whether you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, it’s important to get regular eye exams to check for any issues.

If your low blood sugar symptoms are not under control, for example, you may be at risk of developing diabetic retinopathy (DR), which is a leading cause of blindness in adults. If left untreated, DR can lead to bleeding in your retina (the light-sensitive tissue at the back of your eye) and damage to your optic nerve (which connects your eyes to your brain).

How can I check if I have diabetes symptoms?

To know for sure, you need to test your blood glucose. While there are several different tests you can have done (fasting plasma glucose, hemoglobin A1c, and oral glucose tolerance test), it’s common for people to use a fasting plasma glucose level to help detect diabetes.

To check your fasting plasma glucose level, you’ll need to fast—not eat or drink anything—for at least 8 hours before your test. Then, on two separate days, you’ll go without food from 8 p.m. until early morning (about 7 a.m.).

If your fasting plasma glucose levels are greater than 126 mg/dL on both days, then you likely have diabetes symptoms and should see your doctor as soon as possible to discuss treatment options like medication or lifestyle changes that may be able to keep it under control.

How to prevent Diabetes symptoms

The most important thing you can do to prevent Type 2 diabetes symptoms is to maintain a healthy weight by following a balanced diet and engaging in regular physical activity. And if you have prediabetes, losing just 5-7% of your body weight may lower your risk of developing diabetes by 58%.

In addition, several medications can help delay or prevent Type 2 diabetes, including metformin (Glucophage), pioglitazone (Actos), rosiglitazone (Avandia), dapagliflozin (Farxiga), and empagliflozin (Jardiance).

But even with medication, it’s essential to make lifestyle changes like eating healthier foods, cutting back on portion sizes, and exercising regularly.

Conclusion

Prevention is key to managing diabetes. If you catch it early, there are many steps you can take to reverse its effects and prevent long-term complications. It’s important to know how to recognize the symptoms of type 2 diabetes, what its risks are, and how to treat it.

Start by taking our quiz to see if you have any risk factors for developing diabetes. And if your score indicates that you may be at risk, talk with your doctor about getting tested for prediabetes or type 2 diabetes.

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