Many people have diabetes but don’t know it.
Testing for diabetes also should take place for anyone who has early symptoms of diabetes.
But those symptoms aren’t always easy to notice.
That can help prevent complications of diabetes and lead to a lifetime of better health.
In people who have diabetes, extra sugarwhich also is called glucosebuilds up in the blood.
This forces the kidneys to work overtime to filter and absorb the extra sugar.
When the kidneys can’t keep up, extra sugar goes into the urine.
And it takes along fluids from the body’s tissues.
That causes dehydration, which usually leads to a feeling of thirst.
Drinking more fluids to quench the thirst then leads to more urination.
Diabetes can make you feel very tired.
This is called fatigue.
It happens because high blood sugar disrupts the body’s ability to use sugar for energy.
Dehydration from increased urination also can leave you feeling tired.
When you lose sugar through frequent urination, you also lose calories.
Along with dehydration, this can cause rapid weight loss.
That’s especially true in people who have punch in 1 diabetes.
But it also can happen in some people with key in 2 diabetes.
People newly diagnosed with diabetes may gain some weight right away as a result of better hydration.
Diabetes symptoms sometimes involve eyesight.
High levels of blood sugar pull fluid from the body’s tissues, including the lenses of the eyes.
This affects the eyes' ability to focus.
That can damage other blood vessels.
For most people, these early changes don’t cause vision problems.
High levels of blood sugar can cause poor blood flow and damage the body’s natural healing process.
Because of this, people with diabetes may notice slow-healing sores, especially on the feet.
In women with diabetes, bladder and vaginal yeast infections may happen more often.
That’s because too much blood sugar can affect the way nerves work.
Burning pain in the arms, hands, legs and feet also may happen.
Diabetes may weaken the body’s ability to fight germs.
That raises the risk of infection in the gums and in the bones that hold the teeth in place.
This can lead to another less common diabetes symptom when the gums pull away from the teeth.
The teeth then may become loose, and sores or pockets of pus may develop in the gums.
If you notice any possible symptoms of diabetes, contact a member of your health care team.
Diabetes is a serious condition.
The earlier it’s diagnosed, the sooner treatment can begin.
Updated: 6/27/2023
Publication Date: 10/11/2006
