Information regarding diabetes and day-to-day living with the disease.
Fatigue signals the body is not efficiently using the glucose
for fuel. The body will switch over to burning the fat in the body as its fuel
source. This causes the body to use more energy and the result is constant
tiredness.
If you experience unexplained weight loss, even though you are eating the
right amounts of food, and even more, you may not be processing the calories.
You are also losing sugar and water by frequent urination. Dehydration also
leads to weight loss. Excessive thirst occurs when there are high blood sugar
levels in the blood. It signals the brain there is too much sugar in the blood
and the body tries to dilute it. This will make you constantly feel thirsty.
Another way to rid the body of excess blood sugar is through frequent urination.
Sugar carries water with it as it is flushed out of the body. The body gets
confused and tries to produce more insulin when the body has become resistant
to it. When the body has high insulin levels, the body thinks it needs to stimulate
hunger. You may be eating more, but not gaining weight, and could even lose
weight.
A wound not healing in the proper time is another sign you should be concerned
about high blood sugar levels. The high sugar levels prevent white cells from
functioning properly. White blood cells fight bacteria and clean up dead tissue
and cells. When the white blood cells are not working properly, it takes wounds
longer to heal and there is more of a chance of infection in the wound.
Frequent infections also may be a sign of poor blood sugar control. Yeast
infections, skin infections, and urinary infections appear because sugar levels
in the blood allow infections to attack and grow. If these infections
show up often, it should send a signal to contact your doctor, especially if you
have been diagnosed as prediabetes.
If you experience weakened or blurry vision, you should have your blood sugar
levels checked. This isn't a symptom of diabetes alone, but is widely
known as a symptom of high blood sugar levels.
One of the scariest diabetes symptoms could be how it affects your mental
status. Agitation, inability to pay attention, increased irritability, confusion,
and high sugar levels could explain inactivity and the previously listed symptoms.
If your loved one or family member has changed for some unknown
reason, you may want to contact your doctor and take them to be checked.
Symptoms of diabetes differ with each person. If someone is experiencing
any of the listed problems, your doctor may want you to have a blood sugar
test before your scheduled appointment.
