What are the most common symptoms? – No individual is the same. The symptoms you experience won’t exactly match those of another person. However, the most common diabetes symptoms experienced by many people with diabetes are increased thirst, increased urination, feeling tired and losing weight. To find out more about common diabetes symptoms and what causes them, watch our video.
What happens if you are diabetic and don’t know?
Could You Have Diabetes and Not Know It? According to the American Diabetes Association, of the 30 million Americans who have diabetes, 7 million don’t know it. So, yes, you most certainly can have diabetes and not know it. Without treatment, diabetes can increase your risk of developing other health issues, such as kidney disease, peripheral neuropathy, or heart disease.
What can diabetes be mistaken for?
Misdiagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes Written by: Shideh Majidi, MD Assistant Professor, Pediatric Endocrinology Approximately 18,000 youth are diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes every year and nearly 50% of Colorado children with newly diagnosed diabetes present in Diabetes Ketoacidosis (DKA). Classic symptoms of type 1 diabetes include extreme thirst, frequent urination (including urinating at night or bedwetting) and constant hunger,
- Other symptoms include weight loss, lack of energy and blurry vision.
- All of the symptoms of diabetes are often seen in other, more common, illnesses.
- Therefore, a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes can be easily missed or misdiagnosed.
- Type 1 diabetes is commonly confused with urinary tract infection, stomach flu, strep throat, or viral infections (like mononucleosis), as these conditions all have symptoms that overlap with diabetes.
Stomach flu (gastroenteritis) —The stomach flu results in stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, and dehydration. Doctors and nurses recommend patients with the stomach flu to drink fluids to help with dehydration so if someone says they have been drinking well and going to the bathroom a lot, it can be seen as a “good” sign. Mononucleosis (mono) —Mono is a virus that leads to chronic fatigue, sore throat, and swollen glands. Someone with type 1 diabetes can be tired and have low energy before extreme thirst and frequent urination are appreciated. People with undiagnosed type 1 diabetes can also have concurrent illnesses, such as a common cold or strep throat, that can mask the symptoms of diabetes.
- When people have a cold or strep throat, they often feel fatigued, have stomach pain or feel nauseous.
- If you are worried that you or your child have diabetes and have been misdiagnosed, talk to your doctor about your concerns.
- Make sure to tell your doctor if you are having increased urination (including waking up overnight to go to the bathroom) and increased thirst, as these are the classic symptoms of diabetes.
Ask your doctor if you should be tested for diabetes. Most doctor’s offices can test urine for glucose and ketones, which can help diagnose or rule out diabetes. : Misdiagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes
How long can you stay prediabetic?
Being diagnosed with prediabetes doesn’t mean you will develop diabetes. Your doctor can help you come up with an effective plan to keep your blood sugar low, so that you can keep diabetes away for good. – Prediabetes, the common precursor to diabetes, affects more than 86 million Americans, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
An estimated 90% of people with prediabetes don’t even realize they have this condition. Experts also estimate that three out of four people with prediabetes will eventually develop diabetes. The good news, however, is that once your doctor determines that your blood sugar is high enough to be classified as prediabetes (but not high enough to be diabetes), there are plenty of preventive measures you can take to stop the onset of full diabetes.
The window of opportunity to prevent or slow the progression of prediabetes to type 2 diabetes is about three to six years. Make sure you take the following steps to be on the right path to fight prediabetes and take the appropriate steps to lower your blood sugar level.
How many times does a diabetes urinate at night?
Frequent Urination Could Be Related to Diabetes – When there is excess glucose present in the blood, as with type 2 diabetes, the kidneys are not able to handle all of it and have to flush some out of the blood and into the urine, Ovalle says. This results in more urine production and increased urinary frequency and urgency, called polyuria.
How often should you pee at night?
Many things can negatively affect your quality of life. One that may not be on your radar is how frequently you use the bathroom at night—but it should be. Waking up frequently to urinate can be frustrating and exhausting. If it happens often enough, it can leave you feeling sleepy and less able to concentrate throughout the day.
The frequent need to urinate at night is called nocturia,” explained Dr. John Danella, Geisinger urologist. “It becomes more common as you age and if you have certain medical conditions.” What’s normal at night? The body naturally produces a hormone called antidiuretic hormone (ADH), which tells your kidneys how much water to retain.
It’s your body’s way of balancing the amount of water in your blood to keep you functioning normally. At night while you sleep, levels of ADH increase to keep you from waking up to go to the bathroom. As you age, ADH levels decrease, which is why it’s more common for older people to have to urinate at night.
People without nocturia can usually make it through a full night—six to eight hours of sleep—without having to use the bathroom. If you have to get up once during the night to urinate, you’re likely still in the normal range. More than once can indicate a problem that will leave you feeling tired. “Drinking too much before bed, especially diuretic beverages such as alcohol or caffeine, can cause you to wake up a few times at night,” said Dr.
Danella. “Certain medical conditions can also lead to the need to urinate frequently when you should be asleep.” These medical conditions include urological infections, bladder and prostate tumors, bladder prolapses and problems with sphincter control.
Nocturia is also more common in pregnant women and people with heart failure, liver failure and poorly controlled diabetes. Too much salt could be the culprit, too Researchers studied the effects of high salt intake and the frequency of nighttime urination to see if there was a connection. The first group of study participants reduced their daily salt intake from 10.7 grams (g) to 8.0 grams.
They saw a corresponding drop in the average number of times they needed to use the bathroom, from 2.3 to 1.4 times per night. The second group of participants increased their salt intake from 9.6 g to 11.0 g and saw a corresponding increase in their average nighttime bathroom trips—from 2.3 times to 2.7 times.
- Your body gets rid of most excess salt and the water it causes you to retain through urination.
- This means more trips to the bathroom at night.
- Eeping your sodium intake at or below 2,300 milligrams per day—and ideally closer to 1,500 mg—can help combat nocturia.
- This study shows that a simple dietary change may help with frequent nighttime urination,” said Dr.
Danella. “Making a change to reduce your salt intake will not only help with this problem, but also helps to reduce your risk for heart disease and high blood pressure.” If you’re experiencing frequent nighttime urination, reduce your salt intake and also talk to your doctor about other health issues that could be contributing to the problem.
Is clear pee good?
Is clear urine always a good thing? In most cases, clear urine is a sign that you’re well hydrated. And that’s a positive thing because good hydration helps your body function at its best. But, in some cases, clear pee may mean that you’re drinking too much water and you’re too hydrated.
Can diabetes cause hair loss?
Conclusion – The findings from this large study support the hypothesis that type 2 diabetes increases the risk of severe central scalp hair loss in AA women. Clinicians should caution women with type 2 diabetes that their risk of severe central hair loss may be increased and should recommend early screening.
Do diabetics get sleepy easily?
Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms associated with poorly controlled blood sugar. Wind up your energy levels by paying attention to your blood glucose levels. If you have type 2 diabetes and you’re feeling tired, you’re not alone. Fatigue is a symptom that’s often associated with the condition.