Introduction
Diabetes is a serious health condition that affects millions of people around the world. It is important to be aware of the signs and symptoms of diabetes so that you can take steps to manage your condition and prevent further complications. In this article, we will discuss when you may begin to feel symptoms of diabetes and what you can do to manage your condition. We will also provide some tips on what to eat and what to avoid if you have diabetes. By following these tips, you can help to keep your blood sugar levels in check and reduce your risk of developing serious health complications.
If You Have Diabetes, This Is When You’ll Begin to Feel Symptoms
Diabetes is a serious condition that affects millions of people around the world. It can cause a variety of symptoms, including fatigue, increased thirst, frequent urination, and weight loss. But when do these symptoms typically start to appear?
The answer depends on the type of diabetes you have. For type 1 diabetes, symptoms usually appear quickly, within a few weeks or months. Type 2 diabetes, on the other hand, can take years to develop, and many people don’t even realize they have it until they are diagnosed.
If you have type 1 diabetes, you may start to feel symptoms such as increased thirst, frequent urination, and fatigue. You may also experience weight loss, even if you haven’t changed your diet. If you have type 2 diabetes, you may not experience any symptoms at all, or you may experience mild symptoms such as increased thirst and frequent urination.
If you think you may have diabetes, it’s important to see your doctor right away. They can help you determine the type of diabetes you have and provide you with the necessary treatment. Eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and monitoring your blood sugar levels can help you manage your diabetes and reduce your risk of complications.
In terms of health news, COVID and cancer tend to dominate the headlines. Rightly so. Those ongoing health crises demand awareness, because prevention and early detection can significantly reduce their capacity to kill. But the same is true for another epidemic which is less discussed but equally serious: Diabetes. Today, more than 11% of people in the U.S. have diabetes, and more than 8.5 million Americans have the condition but are undiagnosed. Untreated diabetes is dangerous, because it can have severe, wide-ranging effects on the body. Read on to find out more about when you might begin to feel symptoms, and what those might be—and to ensure your health and the health of others, don’t miss these Sure Signs You’ve Already Had COVID.
Type 1 diabetes, which is usually diagnosed in childhood, can come on quickly, with noticeable symptoms developing in just a few weeks or months.
But the American diabetes epidemic is predominantly driven by Type 2 diabetes, a type of diabetes that is directly influenced by diet and lifestyle choices. Those symptoms can develop over a long time—and you may not recognize them at first.
“Type 2 diabetes symptoms often take several years to develop,” says the CDC, which calls the symptoms “hard to spot.” “Some people don’t notice any symptoms at all. Type 2 diabetes usually starts when you’re an adult, though more and more children and teens are developing it.”
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“High blood sugar can sneak up on you without any obvious symptoms,” says the Cleveland Clinic. “Even mild blood sugar elevation can damage your nerves, kidneys and retinas. And the higher your blood sugar levels and the longer you go without treatment, the worse the damage can get.”
A number of the most common symptoms of diabetes might be the first ones you experience. Here’s what the experts say you should watch out for.
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Someone with diabetes might urinate more often than usual, and have to get up in the middle of the night to urinate. That’s because when blood sugar rises in the body, urine output naturally increases to try and flush out the excess. Your urine might also seem cloudy, or smell sweet or fruitlike.
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Frequent urination can cause dehydration, which can leave you feeling constantly thirsty. Compounding the situation: As excess blood sugar leaves the body, it pulls water from the body’s surrounding tissues along with it, making you even more dehydrated. If you’re thirstier than usual and drinking water doesn’t satiate you like it used to, that’s a red flag that should be reported to your doctor.
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At the same time that diabetes increases the level of glucose in the bloodstream, it actually blocks cells from using that glucose for energy. That can have two effects: You may feel constantly hungry as energy-deprived muscles clamor for fuel, and the body may start to burn excess fat stores for energy, causing you to lose weight without trying.
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Rising blood sugar can damage nerves throughout the body, a condition called diabetic neuropathy. The most common form is peripheral neuropathy, which affects the feet, legs, hands and arms. It can produce tingling, burning, numbness, decreased sensitivity to pain or temperature or sharp pains or cramps in the affected areas. The symptoms tend to get worse at night.
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Blurry or double vision can indicate a condition called diabetic retinopathy. Diabetes can cause blood vessels in the retina to leak, or abnormal new blood vessels to grow, leading to vision problems. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, it’s the leading cause of blindness in American adults. And to get through this pandemic at your healthiest, don’t miss these 35 Places You’re Most Likely to Catch COVID.