Many of the early symptoms of diabetes are more subtle – or not there at all – it is often called the “silent killer”. Some of these include non specific tiredness, drowsiness, blurred vision, sexual difficulties, poor healing of minor wounds, and fungal infections and boils.
Low blood sugar in the mornings, also known as morning hypoglycemia, can make people feel faint, light-headed, or confused when they wake up. Having low blood sugar in the mornings is common in people on medication for diabetes, though it can also happen for other reasons.
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.
But if you have diabetes, you may not make enough insulin or may be too insulin resistant to counter the increase in blood glucose. As a result, your levels may be elevated when you wake up. The dawn phenomenon does not discriminate between types of diabetes.
Feeling very thirsty. Feeling very hungry—even though you are eating. Extreme fatigue. Blurry vision.
feeling or being sick. abdominal (tummy) pain. rapid, deep breathing. signs of dehydration, such as a headache, dry skin and a weak, rapid heartbeat.
If you have diabetes, your body doesn't release more insulin to match the early-morning rise in blood sugar. It's called the dawn phenomenon, since it usually happens between 3 a.m. and 8 a.m. The dawn phenomenon happens to nearly everyone with diabetes.
Test your blood sugar
Testing your blood sugar is an essential part of managing your diabetes. Test your blood sugar first thing in the morning to get a baseline reading for the day. This can help you adjust your diabetes management plan as needed.
One of the most common changes in urine color associated with diabetes is a darker yellow color. This is because high blood sugar levels can cause your kidneys to work harder to filter out excess glucose, leading to more concentrated urine. In some cases, urine may even appear orange or brown.
In rare cases, it's possible for a person who doesn't have diabetes to experience hypoglycaemia. It can be triggered by malnutrition, binge drinking or certain conditions, such as Addison's disease.
Many people have type 2 diabetes for years without realising because the early symptoms tend to be general, or there are no symptoms at all.
Early morning dizziness can be a symptom of low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia. Low blood sugar is more common in people with diabetes, particularly those who take insulin, than in those without this condition.
Fatigue is a common symptom of diabetes that is not limited to uncontrolled diabetes. Persons may complain of fatigue along with a variety of symptoms, which may together herald comorbid psychological, medical, metabolic or endocrine, and acute or chronic complications.
Among diabetic, higher blood glucose, or hyperglycemia, has historically been associated with anger or sadness, while blood sugar dips, or hypoglycemia, has been associated with nervousness. Persons with diabetes are not the only ones vulnerable to mood disturbances as a result of blood sugar fluctuations.
A skipped meal alters the balance between food intake and insulin production, and can cause your blood sugar levels to eventually drop. “For diabetic people dependent on insulin or blood sugar–lowering medication, skipping meals can be more dangerous because it can lead to low blood sugar,” says Pearson.
Know the Signs of Low Overnight Blood Sugar
They include shakiness, sweating, confusion, erratic behavior, headache, and lightheadedness. With nighttime hypoglycemia, you may wake up with these symptoms or with a higher blood sugar reading that results from the body's response to an overnight low.
One type of headache caused by high blood sugar is known as occipital neuralgia, and may feel like the scalp, upper neck, back of head, or behind the ears is inflamed or in stabbing, throbbing, or shock-like pain.
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.
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.