Signs of Diabetes
Signs of diabetes can include constant hunger, weight loss, and blurred vision. In the case of type 1, signs of diabetes can develop relatively quickly, although beta cell destruction can begin much earlier. For people with type 2, signs of diabetes usually appear more gradually. In many cases, women with gestational diabetes have no signs of diabetes.
Signs of Diabetes: Type 1 Diabetes
Signs of type 1 diabetes usually develop over a short period of time, although beta cell destruction can begin months -- even years -- earlier.
Common signs of type 1 diabetes include:
- Constant hunger
- Weight loss
- Blurred vision
- Increased thirst and urination
- Extreme fatigue.
It's vital that type 1 diabetes be properly diagnosed and treated; otherwise, a person may lapse into a life-threatening coma, known as diabetic ketoacidosis, or DKA.
Often, children with type 1 diabetes will exhibit vomiting, and mistakenly be diagnosed as having gastroenteritis. Type 1 diabetes can be differentiated from a GI infection by the frequent urination that accompanies the continued vomiting. If the vomiting were caused by a GI infection, there would likely be decreased urination due to dehydration.
Signs of Diabetes: Type 2 Diabetes
Many people show no signs of type 2 diabetes. Signs of diabetes can also be so mild that you might not even notice them. More than 5 million people in the United States do not know they have type 2 diabetes.
If you do have signs of diabetes, they might include the following:
- Increased thirst
- Increased hunger
- Weight loss
- Fatigue
- Increased urination, especially at night
- Blurry vision
- Sores that do not heal.
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