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. Because symptoms are hard to spot, it's important to know the risk factors for type 2 diabetes. Make sure to visit your doctor if you have any of them.
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. Diabetes is a chronic health condition, but it can be managed.
Type 1 diabetes can develop quickly over weeks or even days. Many people have type 2 diabetes for years without realising because the early symptoms tend to be general.
Common symptoms of diabetes: Urinating often. Feeling very thirsty. Feeling very hungry—even though you are eating.
People with type 2 diabetes often have no symptoms at first. They may not have symptoms for many years. According to Medlineplus.gov, early symptoms of diabetes caused by a high blood sugar level may include: Bladder, kidney, skin, or other infections that are more frequent or heal slowly.
Symptoms include sexual problems, digestive issues (a condition called gastroparesis), trouble sensing when your bladder is full, dizziness and fainting, or not knowing when your blood sugar is low.
“Diabetes starts as a silent disease, advancing painlessly, almost imperceptibly,” says Dr. Ferrer, who sees 25 to 30 diabetic patients per week. “It mainly attacks the small blood vessels, damaging the kidneys, eyes, and nerves.” It can also affect larger blood vessels.
Dark urine is deeper in color than urine that is usually straw to yellow in color. Darker urine can be different colors, but is usually brown, deep yellow, or maroon.
Apart from doctors diagnosing a patient with the wrong type of diagnosis, they may also wrongly diagnose diabetes as flu, chronic fatigue, viral infections, pancreatitis, or other illnesses. This is why it is important to conduct blood tests for diabetes type 2 or type 1 to avoid misdiagnosis.
If your breath smells like acetone -- the same fruity scent as nail polish remover -- it may be a sign of high levels of ketones (acids your liver makes) in your blood. It's a problem mainly of type 1 diabetes but also can happen with type 2 if you get a serious condition called diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).
Some people may notice they have to get up every couple of hours during the night to urinate and that they produce more urine when they do go. The presence of excess glucose can also cause the urine to have a sweet smell. This is most common in advanced cases of type 2 diabetes, he says.
Sweet-smelling urine: As the body tries to remove excess glucose via the urine, it may have a sweet scent. Foamy urine: This typically occurs when there is protein in the urine. This may be due to high blood glucose levels from diabetes damaging the kidneys and affecting their ability to filter blood.
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.
Prediabetes puts you at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.
Symptoms of diabetes
increased thirst and hunger. frequent urination. weight loss or weight gain with no obvious cause. fatigue.
What Is Prediabetes? Prediabetes is a serious health condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough yet to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes. Approximately 96 million American adults—more than 1 in 3—have prediabetes. Of those with prediabetes, more than 80% don't know they have it.
Early detection and treatment can reverse the condition and prevent type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes, in which the body doesn't use insulin properly, is on the rise in the United States. There are more than 35 million people with the condition, and many are diagnosed when they are young, even in adolescence.
Some sugar can be stored in the muscles and liver; however, most sugars are stored as fat when they have nowhere else to go. Thus, people with diabetes are more likely to be overweight or obese than those without the disease. While weight gain is one of the most common side effects of diabetes, it is not inevitable.
If you find yourself waking up to urinate more than twice each night, you may have a condition called nocturia. This is most common in people over the age of 60. Nighttime urination isn't the same as a related condition called enuresis (bed-wetting). Enuresis is when you can't control your need to urinate at night.
Early symptoms can include extreme thirst, frequent urination, and slow wound healing. Often, symptoms of untreated diabetes get worse and are either mild or unnoticeable in the early stages. A diabetes diagnosis can be confirmed with one or more blood tests. Talk with your doctor if you believe you have diabetes.
When it comes to hydration, water is the best option for people with diabetes. That's because it won't raise your blood sugar levels. High blood sugar levels can cause dehydration. Drinking enough water can help your body eliminate excess glucose through urine.
Diabetes can cause anemia, kidney and circulation problems, which can lead people to feel cold.
Sweet-smelling urine may be a sign of uncontrolled diabetes or a rare disease of metabolism. Liver disease and certain metabolic disorders may cause musty-smelling urine. Some conditions that can cause changes in urine odor include: Bladder fistula.