Long-term effects of diabetes The most common long-term diabetes-related health problems are: damage to the large blood vessels of the heart, brain and legs (macrovascular complications) damage to the small blood vessels, causing problems in the eyes, kidneys, feet and nerves (microvascular complications).
These problems can affect major organs and organ systems, such as your heart and blood vessels, kidneys, lungs, pancreas, digestive system, and brain. Uncontrolled blood sugar can also affect your mouth and teeth, eyes, skin, and sexual organs.
Skin. A skin issue is often the first sign that you have diabetes, and most issues are caused by damaged blood vessels.
Over time, the high levels of sugar in the blood damage the millions of tiny filtering units within each kidney. This eventually leads to kidney failure. Around 20 to 30 per cent of people with diabetes develop kidney disease (diabetic nephropathy), although not all of these will progress to kidney failure.
Pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, and trauma can all harm the beta cells or make them less able to produce insulin, resulting in diabetes. If the damaged pancreas is removed, diabetes will occur due to the loss of the beta cells.
“Post-meal blood sugars of 140 mg/dl [milligrams per deciliter] and higher, and fasting blood sugars over 100 mg/dl [can] cause permanent organ damage and cause diabetes to progress,” Ruhl writes. For nerve damage, University of Utah researchers studied people with painful sensory neuropathy, or nerve damage.
Eye diseases that can affect people with diabetes include diabetic retinopathy, macular edema (which usually develops along with diabetic retinopathy), cataracts, and glaucoma. All can lead to vision loss, but early diagnosis and treatment can go a long way toward protecting your eyesight.
Many people with diabetes have peripheral artery disease (PAD), which reduces blood flow to the feet. Also, many people with diabetes have neuropathy, causing you to not feel your feet. Together, these problems make it easy to get ulcers and infections that may lead to amputation.
In later stages of the disease, blood vessels in the retina start to bleed into the vitreous (gel-like fluid that fills your eye). If this happens, you may see dark, floating spots or streaks that look like cobwebs. Sometimes, the spots clear up on their own — but it's important to get treatment right away.
Symptoms can include: Blurry or wavy vision in the center of your field of vision. Floaters. Noticing colors appear faded or washed out.
High: Skin Problems
Your body takes water from all over to get rid of extra blood sugar. That may cause dry, itchy, cracked, skin, especially on your legs, elbows, feet, and hands. In time, high glucose levels also can damage nerves. This is called diabetic neuropathy.
Many people with diabetes will describe themselves as feeling tired, lethargic or fatigued at times. It could be a result of stress, hard work or a lack of a decent night's sleep but it could also be related to having too high or too low blood glucose levels.
Diabetes symptoms
Thirsty - being really thirsty. Tired - feeling more tired than usual. Thinner - losing weight without trying to. Genital itching or thrush.
People often experience headaches, dizziness, sweating, shaking, and a feeling of anxiety. However, when a person experiences diabetic shock or severe hypoglycemia, they may lose consciousness, have trouble speaking, and experience double vision.
If you suspect hyperglycaemia (high blood sugar), they need urgent treatment. Call 999 or 112 for emergency help and say that you suspect hyperglycaemia. They may be wearing a medical bracelet or medallion, or have a card on them which can alert you to their condition.
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.
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.
If you are wondering: Can diabetes be diagnosed by an eye exam, the answer is a partial yes. Opticians can detect signs of vision loss or eye problems caused by diabetes. A blood test run by your GP will confirm the diabetes diagnosis and provide treatment for blood sugar control.
It usually takes between 5 to 10 years to develop a diabetic eye disease. However, that doesn't mean that you're in the clear before then. Uncontrolled blood sugar can result in eye damage long before symptoms appear, and diabetic eye disease can result in severe sight loss or even blindness at any stage.