Diabetes Symptoms: Warning Signs You Should Watch For

Diabetes is a condition diagnosed in hundreds of thousands of people throughout the world. These people share the need to watch what they eat, and when they eat it. They have to check their blood sugar often, sometimes more than six times a day, and some of these people have to inject insulin into their body after every meal in order to make sure that the body can break down the sugar that they just put into it. Often, people do not realize that they are headed down a path for diabetes until it is too late.

There are some diabetic symptoms to watch out for. A person who is knowledgeable about these symptoms and approaches a doctor early may be lucky enough to catch diabetes before it becomes very difficult to control. If diabetes is diagnosed early enough, it is called "pre-diabetes", and diet and exercise can often stop it from progressing. Caught a little later and it is called Type 2 diabetes. This diabetes may be helped with diet and exercise as well.

The first sign, or diabetic symptom, is usually excessive thirst and frequent urination. When somebody has diabetes, the usual methods for the body to deal with glucose in the blood does not work properly. The kidneys will try to help out by excreting some of the glucose in the urine. In order to dilute the glucose, the kidneys will draw more water from the body, especially from the blood. To replace this water, you will need to drink a lot more than usual. You are likely to feel very thirsty. Of course, you will also be going to the bathroom often, to empty the bladder of all of this extra glucose-carrying urine.

There are other diabetic symptoms to watch out for including unexplained weight loss and a feeling of fatigue. When you have diabetes, you either do not have any insulin (type 1 diabetes) or the insulin that you have is insufficient or ineffective (type 2). Therefore, glucose is not reaching the cells where it is needed. You are likely to lack energy, feeling run down, lethargic and perhaps depressed.

Blurred vision is also one of the many diabetes symptoms that you should watch out for. The vision starts to blur generally when there is something serious going on, so instead of heading for the optometrist, head for the physician.

Neuropathy is a tingling feeling in the hands, legs or feet. It is one of the later signs of diabetes and it could mean that your blood sugar has been high for a long time without you having other symptoms. It is important to see your doctor if you have neuropathy or any of the other diabetic symptoms.

If your doctor does discover that you have diabetes or pre-diabetes, you will likely be put on a diet that will help to keep your sugar in check. It can be difficult to learn how to eat the right things, however, after a lifetime of eating whatever you wish.