symptoms of diabetes 2

Read and learn more about symptoms of diabetes 2. For more, visit the Diabetes website DiabetesFAQ.org

Q: what are the first symptoms of diabetes 2 ?
what are the first symptoms of diabetes 2 ?

A: More often than not… none. I had no noticeable symptoms at all. My type two was discovered during a routine physical.

There was a question here on answers a few days ago asking what your reading was when you were diagnosed. Judging by the other answers, which were several times higher than my numbers, I would say that most people go for years undiagnosed. As I look back, I did have mild symptoms for a couple of years prior to being diagnosed. Tired and grumpy come to mind. Most of these people who are citing these symptoms are either repeating what they’ve heard or read in a book or on a website, or were so far advanced that the symptoms were more pronounced. It comes on so gradually, that most folks don’t even notice the symptoms for years. Read this:

http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-symptoms.jsp

Q: What are some diseases that have the same symptoms of diabetes type 2?

A: symptom: polyuria
Diabetes mellitus*
Fluid overload*
Drug reaction
Hypercalcemia*
Diabetes insipidus*
Psychogenic polydipsia
Anxiety
Chronic renal failure
Sickle cell anemia

symptom: polyphagia
Depressive disorder
Bipolar disorder
Anxiety
Bulimia nervosa
Pregnancy
Diabetes mellitus*
Diabetic ketoacidosis*
Drug reaction
Hypothalamic obesity

symptom: weight loss
Dietary and exercise factors
Depressive disorder
Gastroenteritis
Eating disorders
Anxiety
Hyperthyroidism
Alcohol abuse
Recreational drug abuse
Diabetes mellitus type 1*
Tuberculosis
Bipolar disorder
Chronic infection
Peptic ulcer
Inflammatory bowel disease
Giardiasis
Lymphoma
Malignancy
Malabsorption
Celiac disease
Systemic lupus erythematosus
Addison’s disease
Intestinal parasites
AIDS
Amebic dysentery
Liver failure
Myelodysplastic syndromes
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Pheochromocytoma
Polyarteritis nodosa
Manic phase of manic depression

This’ll keep you busy for a while. If you really want to know if you have DMII, you should see your doctor.

Q: What are the symptoms of type 2 diabetes and how long could you have it before you realized?
I have read that in type 2 diabetes, the symptoms can be virtually non-existent, so how can you tell?

A: 3 words – Polyphagia, polydipsia, and polyuria. They mean to eat a lot, drink a lot, and pee a lot. Those are questions we are taught to ask patients to screen for diabetes. Other things DM II can do is cause nerve damage, kidney damage, and eye damage. It raises blood pressure and can increase your risk of heart attacks. Bad thing all around. To diagnose it see your doctor and get a fasting blood glucose level.

Q: Would a normal cbc rule out type 2 diabetes? Symptoms similar to Fibro/rheumatoid issues?
I am a 33 year old female, and I have had progressive symptoms ever since a miscarriage a few months ago. The symptoms started as muscle pain and headaches, progressed to mirgraines, hunger w/ weight loss, swelling of right wrist/hand, blurred vision, left eyelid twitch, tingling/buzzing feeling in legs & feet (has gotten better), dizziness/”out of it” feeling, pain on side of throat (ultrasound showed a “mildly enlarged” thyroid, but Endocronologist said its not “large enough” to be causing issues, feeling of someone choking me/lump in throat, and now a slight tremor (gets worse when using hands/arms, and better at rest). Got a CBC and other tests (Lyme’s, Lupus), all normal- was sent to a rheumatolgist. I am waiting for a batch of test results, including rheumatoid factor, mercury poisoning, celiac disease, vitamin d deficiency, etc… She is telling me a lot of this sound neurological, so that is my next move- and I am terrified! The tremor scares me to death, thinking of Parkinsons/MS- but I am reading that tremors w/ those diseases usually are worse at rest, and get better w/ movement- mine are the opposite. Anyway, I just remembered that my grandfather has type 2 diabetes, and I’m wondering if that is hereditary, and if that would be ruled out by the standard CBC and other tests that were already done.
If anyone knows, I would greatly appreciate the help. I would also welcome any input regarding what might be going on w/ me. They are suspecting Fibromyalgia- but would that cause blurred vision & tremor? Thanks in advance for any help, as I am waiting for my results & my next doctor’s appointment.

A: Fibromyalgia is diagnosed after all other options have been eliminated.

I highly recommend a low carb way of eating to balance hormone functions & allow the body to function at optimal levels & regenerate rather than degenerate. This may alleviate many symptoms & will definitely manage any blood sugar issues.

I believe the thyroid lab tests are fairly useless & throat swelling would concern me as an issue. I would suggest you take your morning temperature at home using the instructions for the Barnes Basal Temperature test (which can be found online). I would also suggest researching iodine supplementation.

If you are using Aspartame (brand name Equal) or drink diet sodas with it – stop immediately. Aspartame poisoning mimics MS. I would suggest eliminating (at least for awhile) all artificial sweeteners & eliminating Aspartame permanently.

I have Fibromyalgia -Vitamin D3 supplementation has cleared the constant muscle pain (for the most part). I did high levels for 3 weeks & was pain free. I knocked the dose down to 2000iu’s a day & a week later the pain was back. After restarting high levels, the pain is managed again after 3 days.

I personally did 35,000iu per day for 2 months trying to refill my stores. It is highly recommended that you have your vit.D levels tested but my research shows toxicity only at outrageous, long term levels.

I originally did B12 injections daily for a couple of years & then I tried guaifenesin (Dr.St.Amand’s protocol) for 10 years but discovered vit.D3 supplementation only recently & that has worked better than anything else!

Vitamin D3 is not a vitamin at all but a necessary hormone that effects the immune system & nearly every aspect of health. Having low Vitamin D levels greatly increases risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, MS (& maybe even FMS)

I don’t think that FMS, cancer, MS, etc. is a vitamin deficiency but being deficient can create or greatly exacerbate health problems.

The prescription vitamin D supplements are the wrong type (ergocalciferol ). As warned by the National Institute of Health -

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17023693

Luckily you can buy vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) over the counter and the upper limits are extremely high. Current recommendations are for 35iu per pound – a 150# person needs minimum of 5250iu per day & the rda is 400iu. This amount is for minimal needs and does not account for depleted stores. March is when stores are at their lowest.

Vitamin D3 deficiency is becoming an epidemic. U.S. RDA are much too low. It is possible that upper atmosphere pollution is blocking the needed UVB light from the sun.

http://curezone.com/forums/fm.asp?i=1560518#i

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/10/10/Vitamin-D-Experts-Reveal-the-Truth.aspx

Dr. Joe Prendergast, an endocrinologist /diabetologist has managed over 1500 diabetic patients and, in the last decade, not one of his patients has had a stroke or heart attack. Only one has even been hospitalized! His secret—50,000 units of Vitamin D3 daily. Dr. Joe further reports:

* Reversal of advanced coronary disease
* Reversal of advanced lung disease, avoiding a lung transplant!
* Cure of multiple sclerosis
* Cure of amotrophic lateral sclerosis
* Regression of rheumatoid arthritis
* Improvement in allergies
* Control of many cancers including prostate, breast, colon, brain tumors, leukemia, myeloma, etc
* Reversal of osteoporosis
* Prevention of influenza
* Cure of depression and many other mental disorders
* Hashimoto’s hyperthyroidism

In summary, the evidence for safety and remarkable efficacy of Vitamin D3 suggests that virtually ALL adults should probably take 50,000 units of D3 daily. This is certainly true for those with virtually any illness.

http://enews.endocrinemetabolic.com/2008/05/vitamin-dthe-cure-for-many-diseases.html

Q: I have symptoms of diabetes, I tested my sugar levels today, and it was 6.2. Is that normal?
I have lost a stone in the last 3 months without dieting, and I am peeing every 30 mins and feel thirsty all the time, and I feel light-headed aswell. The reading I took was 4 hours after breakfast and it was 6.2.

A: what are the symptoms you have? your surgar level is very good… I good Blood Glucose Level (BGL) is 3mmol to 8mmol however depending on what you have done or eatten or how you took the BGL… what you should do is wipe of the first drop of blood first to take away anything that can alter the reading and squeeze out another drop, if your using an alcohol swipe wait 40 sec before pricking youself if not it is recomended you wash your hands so that you dont get a false high reading. if you get 8 or more on an empty stomach thats when you should get doc to check it out.
symptoms of Diabetes are:
confusion
frequent needing to urinate and in turn thirsty often
lithargic and dizzy

however what you stated so far sounds perfectly natural! your fine.

In your additional information… you do show the symtoms of diabetes you should check out a doctors opinion untill you get an appiontment try keep a “diary” of your BGL readings (time/score/what you eatten) try to take your BGL right after you wake up before you break your fast therefore it would make it easier on the doc to diagnose quicker or just get a feel for how your system is functioning. I wish you alll the very best
Kind regards
Sylvia

Q: what are the symptoms of diabetes? and what is the difference between type 1 and type 2?

A: The common triad of undiagnosed diabetes is polyuria (urinating a lot), polydipsia (feeling very thirsty and drinking a lot), and polyphagia (feeling very hungry and eating a lot). People also generally feel tired, run down, and generally not well. Type 2 diabetics also tend to have a lot of yeast infections or thrush (Oral yeast infection).

Type 1 diabetes was formerly known as insulin-dependent or juvenile onset diabetes. Type 1 diabetics have an absolute lack of insulin, and require insulin shots daily. Insulin transports glucose into the body’s cells so it can use it, and without the insulin, these patients cannot survive. The name juvenile onset is not accurate, because current research shows that any age can develop type 1 diabetes, not just children. Insulin dependent diabetes is not an accurate name either, because it can be used in treatment of type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is a combination of decreased insulin production and a decrease in the cell’s response to insulin. These patients can be treated with oral medication to increase the production of insulin within the pancreas and to help the cells be more sensitive to the insulin they already have. Sometimes oral medication is not enough, and these patients need insulin. This type of diabetes is more common in families. In some cases, patients who are overweight can ‘get rid’ of this type of diabetes, but not always. You are never born a type 2 diabetic

The only way to check blood sugar is through the blood. So yes, you must prick your finger. There are newer glucometers that are made to check from a blood sample in the forearm, but medical experts are not sure these work as well.

Insulin dosing is patient based, and depends on a host of factors, from what you eat to how often you exercise, to what your baseline metabolism is. Often insulin dosing is a trial and error process until doctors are able to find a regimen that works best. There are 4 different types of insulin: ultra fast acting, fast acting, regular, and long acting. The difference is how long they remain in your blood stream for. Generally people take ultra fast acting or fast acting prior to meals and take the longer acting once a day.

Q: symptoms of diabetes.. in your own words, not copy and pasted i mean for type 2 thanks.?
what are symptoms to look for if you possibly have type 2 diabetes and dont know it yet.

A: How about a copy and pasted testimonial cure?

Testimonials
1.Diabetes and Hypoglycemia Both Cured by Dr. Christopher’s Pancreas formula: (Panc Tea) One day a man and his sister, both middle-aged adults, came into Dr. Christopher’s office. She had severe diabetes, and his hypoglycemia was so bad that doctors’ tests indicated that he could not get any worse, without offering any hope to help him. They both were told to use the mucusless diet and to take the pancreas formula, although they took the lower bowel formula and blood cleansing formula [Red Clover Combination] before they began on the pancreas formula.

The woman was using around 80 to 85 units of insulin a day, being a severe case. Despite her initial condition, within a year her pancreas was furnishing its own insulin, and she tapered off gradually until she didn’t need it at all. Her brother took a glucose tolerance test in six months and received a clean bill of health; his hypoglycemia was completely cleared.

Despite the fact that they had opposite diseases, diabetes and hypoglycemia, both were cleared because each had a family weakness in the pancreas. When their pancreas was cleared, the diseases were removed.

2.Parsley and Juniper Berries: One gentleman in his sixties was in great distress because he was unable to urinate. The doctor catheterized him several times and told him that he would have to undergo an operation. It was then discovered that the man had sugar in his urine and the operation was deemed too dangerous until the diabetes was under control. The patient’s osteopath finally prescribed Parsley tea. The results were astonishing. Not only was he able to urinate freely but every trace of sugar disappeared from his urine. After first drinking the tea a lot of offensive substance came away in his urine. But it soon became normal and the patient was soon playing his normal rounds of golf with enjoyment and with no further thoughts of an operation (Luc:84). To void urine Dr. Christopher specifically recommended combining the Parsley with Juniper berries.

3.Dr. Christopher Discovers Cedar Berries Will Cure Diabetes: I had been concerned for years about how to get to the cause, in this condition, and get the pancreas, and other assisting glands, to become healthy and again make its own insulin and control the high or low blood sugar on its own, or as was originally intended.

The breakthrough came a number of years ago by accident (divine providence, I believe). A patient came to me with the problem of “having trouble in voiding his urine.” This was years ago when I would mix my formulas, as needed, in my own herb laboratory. As I was in a hurry that day and did not have time to mix up a regular diuretic formula for him, I told him to use some juniper berries, and, if they were fresh to chew them, or make them into a tea. His response was that he had some growing in his own backyard and would use them.

Weeks later he returned and said the juniper berries were not giving him much help in voiding his urine. Knowing how efficient they really were in doing this, I asked him to let me see the juniper berries he was using. He took some from his pocket (as he carried them around, chewing on them during each day) and showed them to me. I laughed and said those are not what I meant. The true juniper berry I had recommended to him would have five or seven small stones in each berry, but the ones he had been using had only one. It was actually of the juniper family but was a “Utah monostone” cedar berry (Juniperus monosperma). It grows in the West such as in Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Texas, and in the national cedar forests but entirely different from our regular juniper berry (Juniperus communis; Pinaceae).

When I told him about the “mistake,” I gave him some juniper berries which eventually worked and did the job. I was astounded about his reply because after thanking me, he stated he would continue using the cedar berries anyhow. When I asked him why, he said, “Well, since using what you call cedar berries, I have been able to cut down on my insulin as I am a diabetic. I wasn’t sure I heard him right (after looking for something like this for years) and asked him to repeat what he had said. Upon his verification of what I hoped he had said, I was very excited and asked him to increase the amount he was using and keep in touch. He did so, and in a few months his pancreas, which had found the right food (cedar berries), was healed and producing its own insulin.

I then tried it on a number of my patients, who were diabetic, with great results! One of them was a lady using about eighty-five units of insulin a day. She was put on the mucusless diet, given the lower bowel formula [Fen LB], and told to use at least six cedar berries three or more times a day. She was instructed to continue on using her insulin but to watch the litmus paper carefully and taper her insulin intake gradually as the litmus paper would act as a gauge. So she had gradually tapered off her insulin and by the end of the year was not using any more. Her own body (pancreas) was supplying it as she required its use. She had no reoccurrence, but of course she stayed on the mucusless diet, because a faulty diet is the cause of pancreas malfunction. We have had remarkable success over the years with diabetes, using this system.

As time went on, we found that some of our ailing pancreas patients, though the sugar and insulin problem was adjusted, would have problems with the pituitary, pineal or adrenal glands. We had not, at this time, taken the thought into our mind that the pancreas doesn’t work alone, but is assisted by other glands. When the pancreas was healed, toxic burdens centered more, now, into the other glands. This was the time we added additional herbs to take care of these other glands–and since then they all are rejuvenated and healed together. The formula we have used for years, with success in all age groups from children to old aged patients is as follows: Cedar berries sixteen parts and one part of each of the following–golden seal root, uva ursi, cayenne, licorice root and mullein.

Q: What are symptoms of diabetes/low iron or low blood sugar?
My daughter is 2 yrs old and has been shaking uncontrollably at daycare upon waking up from her afternoon nap. She eats healthy and the daycare checks for fever each time this happens. She is not cold either..there is no goosebumps. I don’t know her fathers side of medical history and i’m just concerned this could be something more serious like signs of epilepsy or diabetes..anyone else have this occuring with there children?

A: I will say you to take her to doctor at soonest convenience. She could be having hypoglycemia

For synptoms and more details just visit this site http://www.helpondiabetes.com

Q: Friend did a 12 hour fast blood test, numbers were good, but still exhibits symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes, why?
My friend is an overweight middle age male who occasionally experiences symptoms of thirst and swolen numb-tingling feet. He also had a weird little rash on one leg recently and also suffered from inexplicably sore neck muscles, light-headedness, as well as feelings of fatigue and depression. He did a 12 hour fasting blood test the other day and the report said all his numbers were in the average to good range. What gives? He’s showing a lot of the symptoms that someone with Type 2 Diabetes would show.

A couple years ago his glucose level was high, so he went on a diet, lost 30 pounds, and the doctor said he was fine after he lost the weight. The doc also said he was never diabetic at that time but glucose intolerant. However, he also said the cheque was in the mail for future problems with diabetes if he didn’t continue to lose weight and exercise regularly. He put on a few pounds since then, had a minor heart attack in June, but made a full recovery.

He never experienced any symptoms of diabetes other than numb swolle feet when he was first told his sugar levels were high. His doctor told him once he lost a lot more weight the feeling would return to his feet and the feet would stop swelling too. The doctor at that time thought the numb, tingling, swelling feet was more of a case of poor circulation because of vericose veins as opposed to any sign of sugar diabetes. Agan, any ideas?

Now, he tells me the symptom of pangs of thirst never happened to him before. What do you think? In the last 2 weeks he has eliminated sugar from his diet, is exercising and is eating only nutritious foods. He says he feels a lot better but once in a while the thirst creeps up and the tingling numb feet (they are no longer swollen when he exercises) come back occasionally. I’m taking him back to the doctor next week, but I’d like some information from those of you who might have some ideas of what is going on here before I speak to his doctor. Thanks.

A: There are several variations of type 2 diabetes, the fasting test does not screen for all of them. He should ask for a OGTT Oral Glucose Tolerance Test, it starts as a fasting test, then he drinks a 75 mg drink. They will then test several times over the next 2-3 hours to see how his body handles the glucose load. If you have access to a glucose meter, test him after eating a crab heavy meal, at one and two hours after eating.

Also what he needs to do is reduce and watch his carb intake, sugar is one carb, there are several others he needs to watch for. White foods, flour, bread, potatoes, rice, milk, bakery goods, bagels and pasta are all carbs that need to be eaten in moderation. The problem is what is usually sold as a “healthy diet” is not healthy for diabetics.

Q: Can you have alot of the symptoms of diabetes and not have diabetes ?
For example someone who has PCOS has a hormonal imbalance, a blood sugar imbalance and can manifest as type 2 diabetes, but all the blood work is normal, the fasting glucose and the HbA1c is normal, so is it possible it’s just similar to diabetes but it isn’t ?
kyukyu99 that’s the exact answer I was hoping to hear.
So does that mean that your HbA1C turned out to be high and then that’s when you were diagnosed with type 2 ?

A: PCOS does manifest as type II diabetes symptoms. I have both, but I was diagnosed with PCOS first, and was treated for that with mediation used to treat type II diabetes. Because of my weight and some other mediations I take, I did eventually come down with Type II diabetes, but I am taking the same medication to treat that as I was to treat my PCOS alone.

So yes, you can be PCOS, have the symptoms of type II diabetes, and yet not be diabetic. As long as your HbA1c is normal, you are ok!

Q: What are the most common symptoms of diabetes and how do I recognize them?
(Type 1 and Type 2)

A: Diabetes Symptoms

Diabetes often goes undiagnosed because many of its symptoms seem so harmless. Recent studies indicate that the early detection of diabetes symptoms and treatment can decrease the chance of developing the complications of diabetes.

Some diabetes symptoms include:

Frequent urination
Excessive thirst
Extreme hunger
Unusual weight loss
Increased fatigue
Irritability
Blurry vision
If you have one or more of these diabetes symptoms, see your doctor right away. You can also take our Online Diabetes Risk Test to find out if you are at risk for diabetes.

Q: is it possible, due to medicine, to have temporary diabetes symptoms?
i was taking a bladder infection medicine the last week, and one of the possible(yet rare) symptoms was low blood sugar. i felt all of a sudden hungry a couple times, and felt dizzy and shaky also. i stopped taking it yesterday but i still felt dizzy for a short while today! 1) even though medicine was out of my system, was the dizziness today still from the medicine? 2)should i check my blood at the doctors tomorrow or just wait and hope this is all just because of the medicine, and is not actually diabetes??
my bladder infection should be gone, ive been taking the medicine for a week. and im getting my pee tested tomorrow to make sure, but i dont know if i should do a blood test. im not pregnant, im only 17. i get frequent bladder infections due to spina bifida.

A: Your medication could also make these symptoms, not just causing hypoglocemia (low blood sugar). If you have low blood sugar, it doesn’t mean diabetes, diabetes is when the pancreas starts to not produce enough insulin to convert the sugar into energy. (therefore the sugar in the blood is going to be high). I have low blood sugar, but am not diabetic. Yes, you should tell your doctor about this, as it could just be from the medication, OR you have low blood sugar, even without the medication. Or it might not have been a blood sugar problem at all, but you should tell them in any case. Eating right is the main key in correcting the symptoms you mentioned. Peanut butter and crackers, bread, things of this nature help to keep sugar levels up longer. Eating sugary foods will raise the level, but will peak at a high then drop possibly even lower than they were before. If you are having symptoms, you could eat something sweet to get it up then have a few crackers and orange juice or something to maintain it. Sugary foods work faster, and the crackers/peanut butter will take a little longer to have an effect. You could also carry around peppermint candies to have on hand. But you should be tested to make sure it is even a blood sugar problem, that way you’ll know what you need to do,,,even high blood sugar can cause some of these symptoms. There is a simple blood test your doc can do that will go back for a couple of months giving average blood sugar amounts.

Q: How severe are the symptoms of diabetes?
1.) How frequent does a diabetic drink in an hour? A day?

2.) How frequent does a diabetic urinate?

3.) How often does a diabetic get hungry? How much food does he/she diabetic intake?

4.) If a person is thin and does not loose weight, but experiences some symptoms of diabetes, would it still be possible for that person to have diabetes?

5.) How long would it take for the wounds of a diabetic to heal? Would it be possible that it wouldn’t heal?

6.) Can a diabetic feel tired or unwell even if he/she does nothing? How much work can a diabetic do before he/she gets tired?

7.) What does “sudden” vision changes mean?

8.) Does a person have to have all the symptoms before he/she is pronounced to have diabetes? If not, what are the main symptoms?

These are all my concerns about diabetes. It would be better if your answer/s rely on other’s or your experience/s.

P.S.
I have read the symptoms at this site:

http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/faq/basics.htm#2

A: 1 and 2 depend’s on the diabetic’s level. As it goes up they increase with me but also i have heard with other’s when it goes down the same thing happen’s

3 it really depend’s on the age, it’s pretty much normal. But i have heard that high’s and Low’s will affect them, but not with me.

4 Not sure how this relate’s….. High’s can effect Weight. I used to wake up at 400 and vomit and lost way too much weight and went down to about 60 Pound’s at ( year’s of age

5 Same thing, High’s can make it harder for wound’s to heal. It has really never happened to me

6 Yes when i get High, I cannot run as much without getting more tired. When i get low i feel very vauge and tired or limp from the Low sign’s. But mostly it’s normal what a Diabetic can do campaired to a normal person

7 This happened to me i was 20/20 and my diabetie’s got out of control i went back because i was having trouble seeing and it went down to 20/60 or something like that.

8 No, not all of the symptom’s at all, some may show but not all of them. Some symptom’s are……

Shakyness
Feeling Limp or Tired
Major Thirst
Hungry all the time
Peeing Alot
Being mean/Uritible ( SP? )
“Fruity breath”
Major Head aches
That’s all i can think of, Hope i can help

Q: Diabetes????
If I’m 14 years old, not overweight, no history of diabetes in the family, consumed lots of sugar (I used to drink lots of coke), has primary diabetes symptoms of thirst and lots of urination and my urine is pretty colorless or pale. Could I have, type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, diabetes insipidus or nothing (I’m not entirely sure I my thirst is real or imagined, I’m also a hypochondriac). It could be diabetes type 1 because I’m still 14 and it is known as the juvenile diabetes or diabetes insipidus because my urine is pretty colorless/pale? I’m gonna see a doctor soon but in the meantime I need some answers.

A: Do You Have Diabetes?
Millions of people have diabetes mellitus, commonly called diabetes. You may be surprised to know that many of these people don’t even know they have it.

Diabetes is a serious disease and should not be ignored. If you have it, correct treatment can help you live a long and healthy life.

What Is Diabetes?
If you have diabetes, your body can’t make or use insulin. Insulin helps change sugar into energy to keep you alive.

There are different kinds of diabetes. The main ones are type 1 and type 2.

Type 1 Diabetes
This type of diabetes is mostly found in children and young adults. If you have type 1 diabetes, your body does not make insulin and you must inject insulin daily.

You May:
urinate often
be very thirsty
be very hungry
lose a lot of weight
be very tired
be irritable
have blurred vision
have trouble seeing.
Type 2 Diabetes
Most people with diabetes have this form of the disease. Type 2 is usually found in people over 45, who have diabetes in their family, who are overweight, who don’t exercise, and who have cholesterol problems. It is also common in certain racial and ethnic groups (blacks, American Indians, and Hispanics) and in women who had diabetes when they were pregnant. If you have type 2 diabetes, your body cannot make enough insulin or correctly use it. Treatment is diabetes pills and sometimes insulin injections, as well as diet and exercise.

You May Have:
any of the symptoms of type 1 diabetes
a lot of infections
cuts or bruises that heal slowly
tingling or numbness in the hands or feet
skin, gum, or bladder infections that keep coming back.
Controlling Diabetes
Daily monitoring and careful control of blood sugar levels are the most important steps to take for people with diabetes. If not treated, diabetes can cause:

High blood sugar (which could make you thirsty, tired, lose weight, urinate often, or give you infections that won’t go away)
Many serious health problems (which could hurt your eyes, kidneys, nerves, or heart).
Warning: Low Blood Sugar
People with diabetes may develop low blood sugar because their blood has too much insulin or other blood sugar-lowering medication or from not eating enough food. It is important to follow the eating and medication schedule your doctor has prescribed to avoid low blood sugar.

Low blood sugar could make you shaky, dizzy, sweaty, hungry, have a headache, have pale skin color, have sudden mood or behavior changes, have clumsy or jerky movements, have difficulty paying attention, feel confused, or have tingling sensations around the mouth.

Taking Care of Your Diabetes
The best way to take care of your diabetes is to make sure the levels or amount of sugar in your blood are near the normal range. This will make you feel better and help you stay healthy.

Your doctor will tell you how often to check your blood sugar level. To do this, you will need to take a drop of your blood and place it on a special test strip. Then a device, called a blood glucose meter, reads the strip. This device measures the amount of sugar in your blood.

Writing down this level, along with the time and date, will help you see how well your treatment plan is working.

Remember:
A person’s blood sugar level rises after eating any meal that contains carbohydrates or protein. Table sugar (also called ?sucrose) counts as a carbohydrate. Artificial sweeteners, such as saccharin, aspartame (NutraSweet), and sucralose (Splenda), do not count as carbohydrates or fats. They make food taste sweet. But they do not raise blood sugar levels and have little or no calories.

What Else Can You Do?
Eat well-balanced meals. The right amount of healthy food will keep your weight under control and help manage your diabetes.

Your body needs food from the four main food groups every day:

Fruits and vegetables (oranges, apples, bananas, carrots, and spinach)
Whole grains, cereals, and bread (wheat, rice, oats, bran, and barley)
Dairy products (milk, cheese, and yogurt)
Meats, fish, poultry, eggs, dried beans, and nuts.
Remember:
Too much fat and cholesterol in your diet can be very harmful to people with diabetes. Food that is high in fat includes red meat, dairy products (whole milk, cream, cheese, and ice cream), egg yolks, butter, salad dressings, vegetable oils, and many desserts.

Can You Do Anything Else?
Exercise is important for good diabetes control. It usually lowers blood sugar and may help insulin work better. Exercise and a healthy diet can also help you take off extra pounds if you are overweight.

Warning:
Check with your doctor before starting any exercise program. You may need a snack before or during the activity to avoid having low blood sugar while you exercise.

Q: Can one have diabetes 2, but no weight loss?
I have all the other symptoms of diabetes, but do not loose weight. I have always had low blood sugar.
My skin is so dry though, that doctors comment that it is not normal. Can you comment?

A: I mostly agree with Gary, but don’t think weight loss necessarily means ketoacidosis. I lost about 12-15 pounds in around 3 weeks (eating like a horse) before I was diagnosed with Diabetes. So, I was in that weight-loss phase for about 3 weeks. Ketoacidosis for 3 weeks would have put me in the hospital.

I don’t know this for a fact, but from personal experiences, you don’t have to be in ketoacidosis to lose weight. You can have KETONES from your body breaking down the fat stores, but this doesn’t necessarily mean you’re at immediate risk of death.

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