Yes, type 2 diabetes can often be managed without insulin, especially initially, through lifestyle changes like diet, exercise, and weight loss, plus oral medications, but it's a progressive condition, and many people eventually need insulin as their body's insulin production declines, which is a normal part of the disease. Effective management focuses on diet, regular activity, monitoring blood sugar, and potentially non-insulin injectables, with insulin becoming necessary over time for many to keep levels stable.
Life expectancy is known as the number of years a person is expected to live. At age 50, life expectancy is 6 years shorter for people with type 2 diabetes than for people without diabetes. By meeting type 2 diabetes treatment goals, life expectancy can increase by 3 years, or for some, as much as 10 years.
Insulin can make your blood glucose levels fall too low (hypoglycaemia, or hypos). Symptoms include: sweating. trembling or shaking.
Even in type 2 diabetes, severe hyperglycemia can lead to unconsciousness and can be life-threatening. Signs of such an emergency situation may include, for example, severe fatigue, nausea, dizziness, visual disturbances, increased thirst and frequent urination.
EMERGENCY – You are in the danger zone if you have:
Blood glucose that is still less than 4 mmol/L after 3 attempts to treat low blood sugar. Blood glucose that is greater than 20 mmol/L for more than 8 hours and you are symptomatic (if you have Type 2 Diabetes).
Check for signs and symptoms.
At first, symptoms of diabetic hypoglycemia include:
Peripheral sensorimotor neuropathy
Studies have demonstrated that patients with diabetes mellitus who receive metformin have a lower risk of developing Parkinson's disease (PD). However, studies have also suggested that metformin may increase the risk of PD.
While diabetes is a serious condition, it is not a terminal illness. People with diabetes have a greater risk of dying earlier than people without diabetes. But only a small number of deaths of people with diabetes is directly because of their diabetes.
Safe driving requirements Don't drive if your glucose (sugar) level is 4.0mmol/L or below. If your glucose (sugar) is between 4.0 mmol/L and 5.0mmol/L, eat a fast-acting carbohydrate snack, for example, glucose tablets, sweets or a sugary drink. You must stay in full control of your vehicle at all times.
Losing weight can reverse type 2 diabetes, but is rarely achieved or recorded. Type 2 diabetes is generally perceived as progressive and incurable, but for many patients it can be reversed with sustained weight loss of around 15 kg, say experts in The BMJ today.
Vestibular dysfunction (VD) is a general term for inner ear impairment. VD often causes dizziness and loss of balance, and according to a large study conducted in 2009, it is more likely to occur in people with diabetes.
Serious side effects
Insulin can sometimes cause severe hypos, where your blood glucose falls very low and you can become unconscious. Speak to your doctor or diabetes nurse if: you've had severe hypos. you do not always recognise the symptoms when you have a hypo.
There are some signs of insulin resistance that your doctor may look for. These includes a waistline over 40 inches in men, and a waistline over 35 inches in women. Skin tags or patches of dark velvety skin called acanthosis nigricans. A blood pressure reading of 130 over 80 or higher.
Historical Context of the Cardinal Signs
For centuries, doctors have known about the 4 Ps of diabetes. Polyuria, or too much urine, was one of the first signs noticed. “The disease diabetes is a syndrome characterized by the four cardinal signs: polyuria, polydipsia, polyphagia, and weight loss.”
Leg pain can be a symptom of diabetic neuropathy, this is when diabetes causes damage to your nerves. It can affect different nerves in your body, including in your legs. Neuropathy is one of the long-term complications of diabetes. Leg pain can also be a symptom of reduced blood flow in the legs.
If you have diabetes, you can develop nerve problems at any time. Sometimes, neuropathy can be the first sign of diabetes. Significant nerve problems (clinical neuropathy) can develop within the first 10 years after a diabetes diagnosis. The risk of developing neuropathy increases the longer you have diabetes.
If you have severe hypoglycemia, you may become confused, pass out (lose consciousness), or treatments for a low blood glucose aren't working.
An insulin overdose happens when you receive more insulin than your body needs. This leads to hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar. This condition can cause a wide range of symptoms, from fatigue and confusion to severe complications like seizures and unconsciousness.
Physical symptoms: reduced activity, low energy, tiredness, decreased physical endurance, increased effort to do physical tasks, general weakness, heaviness, slowness or sluggishness, nonrestorative sleep, and sleepiness.
When to Go to the ER for Diabetes. If you have diabetes, certain symptoms might indicate your condition is spiraling into a crisis: Severe Hypoglycemia (Low Blood Sugar) Signs include confusion, blurred vision, fainting, or seizures. Left untreated, hypoglycemia can be life-threatening.
Medicines that can cause drug-induced low blood sugar include:
Diabetes Burnout refers to when someone is fed up with dealing with diabetes. They might have problems with their diabetes or problems in other areas of life that get in the way of diabetes care. In burnout the person usually neglects their diabetes care and feels they can't cope with it.