10 Signs You Could Have Diabetes

Learning to recognize the signs of diabetes could increase your chance of an early diagnosis. Make sure you talk to your doctor if you think you are experiencing these symptoms.

1. Going to the bathroom more than usual

Frequent urination can be an early sign of diabetes. The average person passes urine between four and seven times a day, but people with diabetes often go much more often because the body is trying to get rid of extra glucose by making more urine.

2. Feeling very thirsty all the time

People with diabetes often feel very thirsty and have a very dry mouth. This feeling can continue even if they drink plenty of fluids.

3. Having itchy skin

That same dehydration that causes thirst and dry mouth can also cause dry and itchy skin.

4. Having an increased appetite

The body converts food into glucose during the digestive process; cells then use glucose as a source of energy. But when the body doesn’t produce insulin (as in type 1 diabetes) or doesn’t respond to insulin (as in type 2 diabetes), this glucose can’t be drawn from the blood into the cells. Therefore, people with untreated diabetes often feel hungry even though they are eating enough.

5. Feeling tired or drowsy

Feeling extremely tired can simply be the result of working too hard or not sleeping enough, but it could also be a sign of diabetes. If tiredness doesn’t go away even when taking time for rest and relaxation, it’s worth seeing a doctor to rule out diabetes as a potential cause.

6. Experiencing blurred vision

Blurred vision isn’t always simply a sign of needing new glasses. Diabetes can also cause blurred vision, as changing fluid levels can cause swelling in the lenses of the eyes, which prevents them from focusing correctly.

7. Feeling pain or numbness in feet or legs

Numbness in the feet and legs can be a sign of nerve damage, which occurs when diabetes causes blood sugar to remain high for a long period. That same nerve damage can also cause pain or tingling in the feet.

8. Cuts and scrapes taking longer to heal

High blood sugar affects blood flow, which can impact the body’s ability to heal. Sores and cuts that take an unusually long time to heal may be a sign that blood sugar has been high for some time. Anyone with this symptom should see a doctor immediately.

9. Rapid, extreme weight loss or weight gain

People with type 1 diabetes may experience rapid, significant weight gains or weight loss – without trying to do so – as an early symptom of their condition.

10. Experiencing yeast infections:

This can affect both men and women, because candida, or yeast, feeds on sugar. People with diabetes have an excessive amount of sugar present in their system which makes an ideal environment for yeast to thrive.

When to See a Doctor

Doctors can test for diabetes using a simple blood test. If you are experiencing some of the above symptoms, and particularly if you are experiencing any of them in combination with one another, you should see a doctor to check whether diabetes could be the cause. Early diagnosis and careful management can prevent many serious complications of diabetes.

©Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. 2015