9 Signs You Might Have Diabetes

New studies showed that 25% of people with type 2 diabetes do not even know it. If you experience some of the subtle symptoms and signs below, consult your doctor about getting tested.

1. You Feel Tired All the Time

Of course you get tired every now and then. But, ongoing fatigue is an important symptom you should pay attention to, it might mean the food you are eating for energy is not being broken down and used by cells as it is supposed to.

“You’re not getting the fuel your body needs,” accodrding to Melissa Joy Dobbins, RD, a certified diabetes educator in Illinois and a spokesperson for the American Association of Diabetes Educators. “You’re going to feel sluggish and tired.” But in cases of type 2 diabetes, your sugar levels can be elevated for awhile, therefore, these symptoms could come on slowly.

2. Your Feet and Hands Fall Asleep a Lot

Neuropathy, which is a condition characterized by weird sensations or numbness like pins and needles in your legs, arms, hands, and feet, occurs in more than half of people suffering from type 2 diabetes, according to a 2017 Diabetes Care review.

Why so common? Diabetes reduces the blood flow to your extremities and, over time, damages your nerves and blood vessels, according to Kellis.

3. Your Scrapes and Cuts Heal More Slowly

The immune system and the processes that help your body heal do not work so well when your sugar levels are high, as per Dr. Cypess.

4. You Have to Pee All the Time

When you have excess sugar running through your blood stream, your body instinctively tries to get rid of it, as per Mary Vouyiouklis Kellis, M.D., an endocrinologist at Cleveland Clinic. “Water follows sugar, therefore, you end up having high-volume urine loss,” she explains.

5. You’re Thirstier Than Usual

Urinating a lot will also make you feel thirsty. A common symptom Dobbins sees with patients is that they use drinks such as soda, juices, or chocolate milk to quench their thirst. But, these sugary beverages pack your bloodstream with excess sugar, which can lead to the problem all over again.

6. Your Vision Gets Blurry

Do not be alarmed: This is not diabetic retinopathy, wherein your blood vessels in the back of the eye are getting destroyed, according to Dr. Cypess, MD, assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and staff physician at Joslin Diabetes Center.

In the early stages of diabetes, your eye lens is not focusing well because of the glucose building-up in the eye, which temporarily changes its shape.

“You’re not going blind from diabetes,” Dr. Cypess says he assures patients. “In about 6-8 weeks after your blood sugars are stabilized, you’re not going to feel it anymore; the eye will adjust.”

7. You’ve Lost Weight

Unexplained weight loss can happen for many reasons, and diabetes is one of them. Poorani Goundan, M.D., an endocrinologist at Boston Medical Center, explains that insulin helps your body move sugar from your blood into your cells, therefore, when you have an insulin resistance, you do not get enough energy into your cells despite all that sugar flowing through your body.

“Because you are unable to get enough energy from sugar, your body burns your own fat and muscle for energy,” Mary Vouyiouklis Kellis, M.D., an endocrinologist at Cleveland Clinic, says. “Weight loss can be pretty significant, sometimes 10-20 pounds (4.5-9 kg).”

Generally, doctors recommend seeing the doctor if you unintentionally lose between 5-10% of your body weight over the course of six months.

8. You’re Prone to Yeast Infections

High blood sugars create an environment in your vagina that is prone for yeast infections. “Glucose is fuel for yeast. The more that Is around, the more they can multiply,” according to Kellis.

If you are having 2-3 yeast infections every few months or if the standard treatments are not working, it’s time to see a doctor. “Once the blood sugar is controlled, the frequency goes down,” as per Goundan.

9. You Get Weird Dark Spots on Your Skin

Darkening skin under your armpits, around the nape of your neck, or even in your groin area is a surprising and common early sign of insulin resistance, this is the precursor to diabetes, and the medical name for the condition is acanthosis nigricans (AN).

“We see this often in women suffering from polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS),” according to Kellis, who noted that women with PCOS are at an increased risk of insulin problems. If you notice new dark spots on your skin, they are worth looking into with your doctor. (Readers Digest, Womens health Mag, photo by Pixabay)