Could I be living with diabetes and not know it?

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.

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Is it possible to live with diabetes without knowing?

Often called a "silent disease," diabetes can develop in people without initially producing symptoms. If not properly managed, diabetes can lead to serious complications, including heart, kidney, vision, and circulatory problems that can lead to permanent disability or even premature death.

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How common is it to have diabetes and not know it?

More than 37 million people in the United States have diabetes, and 1 in 5 of them don't know they have it. 96 million US adults—over a third—have prediabetes, and more than 8 in 10 of them don't know they have it. Diabetes is the eighth leading cause of death in the United States (and may be underreported).

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How long can you live with diabetes undetected?

It is not uncommon for people to live with type 2 diabetes for years without being aware of their condition. These cases of undiagnosed diabetes may sometimes only be picked up during a routine medical check-up.

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What are the 3 most common symptoms of undiagnosed diabetes?

Feeling very thirsty. Feeling very hungry—even though you are eating. Extreme fatigue. Blurry vision.

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What It's Like to Have Type 1 Diabetes | UC San Diego Health

26 related questions found

What does untreated diabetes feel like?

The symptoms of diabetes include feeling very thirsty, passing more urine than usual, and feeling tired all the time. The symptoms occur because some or all of the glucose stays in your blood and isn't used as fuel for energy. Your body tries to get rid of the excess glucose in your urine.

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What is often mistaken for diabetes?

Type 1 diabetes is commonly confused with urinary tract infection, stomach flu, strep throat, or viral infections (like mononucleosis), as these conditions all have symptoms that overlap with diabetes.

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What happens if diabetes goes untreated for years?

Over time, high blood glucose levels can damage the body's organs. Possible long-term effects include damage to large (macrovascular) and small (microvascular) blood vessels, which can lead to heart attack, stroke, and problems with the kidneys, eyes, gums, feet and nerves.

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What happens if you ignore diabetes?

Left untreated, diabetes can lead to heart disease, stroke, nerve and kidney damage, vision loss and more. Even if you have mild blood sugar elevations, you can damage your organs. Diabetes is a common condition.

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What does undiagnosed diabetes do to your body?

The Dangers of Undiagnosed Diabetes

A significantly increased risk of cardiovascular disease, including coronary artery disease, heart attack, stroke, and narrowing of the arteries. Nerve damage, which is also called neuropathy, which causes tingling, numbness, burning sensation, and pain.

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What are the red flags of diabetes?

Diabetes symptoms
  • Toilet - going for a wee a lot, especially at night.
  • Thirsty - being really thirsty.
  • Tired - feeling more tired than usual.
  • Thinner - losing weight without trying to.
  • Genital itching or thrush.
  • Cuts and wounds take longer to heal.
  • Blurred eyesight.
  • Increased hunger.

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What are the warning signs of prediabetes?

Symptoms
  • Increased thirst.
  • Frequent urination.
  • Increased hunger.
  • Fatigue.
  • Blurred vision.
  • Numbness or tingling in the feet or hands.
  • Frequent infections.
  • Slow-healing sores.

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What does being diabetic feel like?

Extreme hunger, unintended weight loss, fatigue and weakness, blurred vision, irritability, and other mood changes. If you or your child are experiencing any of these symptoms, you should talk to your doctor. The best way to determine if you have type 1 diabetes is a blood test.

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What color is urine in diabetes?

If you have diabetes insipidus, you'll continue to pee large amounts of watery (dilute), light-colored urine when normally you'd only pee a small amount of concentrated, dark yellow urine.

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How long can you live with type 2 diabetes without treatment?

The average life expectancy of a type 2 diabetic patient is between 77 to 81 years. However, it is not uncommon for diabetics to live past the age of 85, should they be able to maintain good blood sugar levels and lengthen their lifespan.

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How long before prediabetes turns into diabetes?

Without intervention, many people with prediabetes could develop type 2 diabetes within 5 years, which puts them at risk of serious health problems, including: Heart attack. Stroke. Blindness.

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Can undiagnosed diabetes cause weight gain?

The short answer is yes, gaining weight with diabetes is possible. People with diabetes indeed often struggle with weight gain due to medications plus a sedentary lifestyle. Lack of exercise can contribute to weight gain, which results in higher blood glucose and unhealthy cholesterol levels.

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What does diabetic itching feel like?

What does diabetes itching feel like? If you have diabetes, itching can be intense. It's an irritating feeling that makes it hard not to scratch, but scratching can make the itch worse. You can itch anywhere, but if you have nerve damage (neuropathy) associated with diabetes, your lower legs may itch.

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What does it feel like when you first get diabetes?

Blurry vision, increased urination, feeling hungry, extreme thirst, and finding that you have itchy, dry skin are all warning signs that you could be in the early stages of type 2 diabetes. Some other signs may be harder to pin down.

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Am I on the verge of diabetes?

Normal if your blood sugar is less than 100 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) Prediabetes if your blood sugar is 100 to 125 mg/dL. Diabetes if your blood sugar is 126 mg/dL or higher.

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What is the 3 day rule diabetes?

We recommend that you adjust your insulin using the '3 day' rule. The '3 day' rule can help you to regulate your blood sugar levels. If your blood sugar levels are above or below target levels for three days in a row, then adjust your insulin using the charts on the pages overleaf. range for three days in a row.

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Is 6.6 blood sugar normal?

Fasting blood sugar test

In general: Less than 100 mg/dL (5.6 mmol/L ) is normal. 100 to 125 mg/dL (5.6 to 6.9 mmol/L ) is diagnosed as prediabetes. 126 mg/dL (7.0 mmol/L ) or higher on two separate tests is diagnosed as diabetes.

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How fast does diabetes progress?

Symptoms of type 1 diabetes can start quickly, in a matter of weeks. Symptoms of type 2 diabetes often develop slowly—over the course of several years—and can be so mild that you might not even notice them.

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Is 8.2 sugar level high?

For most people without diabetes, normal blood sugar levels are: between 4 and to 6 mmol/L before meals. less than 8 mmol/L two hours after eating.

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