How to know if you have diabetes

The symptoms that many of you know about, including the “funny smell”, urinating a lot, drinking a lot of water and losing weight are more often associated with Type 1 diabetes, which can have quite a dramatic entrance into someone’s life.

So, if Type 1 is the drama queen, then Type 2 is more like the quiet, sneaky sister, because often there are no symptoms that point to a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes. It just sort of sneaks up on you most of the time, to be honest.{{more}} In fact, it is estimated that most people have had abnormal blood sugars for an average of SEVEN YEARS before they’re actually diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. SEVEN YEARS!!!

It is not that there are NO symptoms at all, but rather that the symptoms are not very specific to diabetes, so often people assume something else is going on instead. Some of the more common symptoms that could be caused by undiagnosed Type 2 diabetes include:

• Tiredness (you see the problem with this one— who out there is NOT tired?)

• Numbness or tingling in the feet and hands

• Frequent yeast infections in women

• Urine infections in men or more frequent ones in women

• Cuts and bruises that take a long time to heal

• Extra darkening of the skin in neck and underarm folds (looks a like a dirt smudge)

• Increased thirst

Be aware that again, many people do not have ANY symptoms for many years, so truly the best way to catch diabetes early is to be on the lookout for it, instead of waiting for it to announce its presence, because by then it has been hanging around for quite some time.

No one wants to hear bad news, and having diabetes is not good news, but an earlier diagnosis is better than a later one. You can totally change the course of the disease if it is caught early.

Until next week, stay safe and healthy, Vincies!

Anita Ramsetty, MD endodocs@endocrinehelp.com

Medical Director Endocrine Care Group

www.endocrinehelp.com

Tel: 843-798-4227