What Are the Signs of Diabetes?

Diabetes Mellitus is an increase of blood sugar called glucose in the body and is due to lack of insulin production in the body. Diabetes is one of the highest risk diseases in the world and it is also constitute one of the highest percentages of death every year. How can we tell if what we are going through is already a sign of diabetes? It is important for us to check the different signs of diabetes to assess and prepare ourselves of all the possibilities of acquiring the disease.

There are three main types of Diabetes: Type 1DM, Type 2 DM and Gestational Diabetes. Diabetes categorized as Type 1 takes only a few weeks to develop. Each of the types has different approaches. Symptoms of the first type include a massive urine production increase, increased appetite, fatigue, excessive thirst, weight loss, blurry vision, feel sick at times, infections and irritation of the genitals.

Type1 DM can be diagnosed using one or a combination of these test, Urinalysis, random (non-fasting) blood glucose, insulin test, blood glucose fasting, and C-peptide test. If type 1 DM will not be treated, the body produces ketones, a chemical that builds up in the blood and leads to a condition called diabetic ketoacidosis and causes additional symptoms such as vomiting, stomach ache, sleepiness, increased pulse rate and rapid breathing. If diabetic ketoacidosis is not treated this can lead to coma or eventually death. You might think that the first type of diabetes is just as simple as this, but mind you, if it will not be managed accordingly, death will eventually be the end.

Two thirds of the people with type2 DM does not show symptoms at all. If present, the common symptoms are tiredness, increased urine production, weight loss, increase in appetite, feel sick, also infections and blurry vision just like Type1 DM. Type2 DM can be diagnose by performing some blood testing like Fasting blood glucose level, random (non fasting) blood glucose level and oral glucose tolerance test.

With Fasting glucose level, a patient is diagnosed with diabetes if the glucose level is far beyond the normal which is 126mg/dL. Patients that will take this test needs to fast from 12 midnight until patients has gotten a blood sample. Using the non-fasting glucose level, suspicions will arise if the value is beyond 200mg/dl.

Using the test called glucose tolerance in oral form, diabetes is diagnosed when glucose level exceeds 200 mg/dL beyond 2 hours. If the person has Type2 DM they just simply feel a bit not well or assuming they are just aging. However, it is not as simple as that and normally, it is discovered late.

It is recommended to seek medical advice if some irregularities are felt or noticed to avoid complications. What we deemed as normal might be a manifestation of a more serious disease that we are just taking for granted the signs that we feel. So, to avoid further complications, listen to what your body is telling you. We should not let worst come to worse. It is always a positive attitude to be alert and to be vigilant with our body state. In the end, we will be the one who will suffer.