Diabetes is a persistent disease that directly affects blood glucose levels in your body. Both men & women can develop diabetes, but subtle symptoms are more likely to affect women. Treating diabetes early can help prevent the chances of further complications.
How to determine whether you have developed diabetes? The warning signs are so mild in case of type 2 diabetes that you may tend to find it only after a prolonged infection. Type 1 diabetes symptoms happen quickly, in a matter of days or weeks.
Here are some of the most common symptoms you might experience if you develop type 1, type 2 or gestational diabetes-
Incessant urination
When the excess glucose runs through our bloodstream, our body tries to get rid of it through urine discharge. If you notice you have been making more rounds to the washroom, especially more during night time. You might even find sugar in the urine. An average person pees between four to seven times a day. Its time to see your doctor if you experience more than usual turns to urinate.
Hunger & extreme fatigue
When you pee more than usual, it makes your body dehydrated. This makes you thirsty. Your body converts the food you eat into glucose, but when you have diabetes, your body doesn’t make enough insulin or your cells resist the insulin your body makes. So, the lack of glucose in your body makes you hungry & tired than usual.
Dry mouth & awful breath
As your body is using all the fluids to pee, it makes you dehydrated which in turn makes your mouth dry with smelly breath. With dry mouth, there is no ample spit to wash away the bacteria. So, the body uses fat instead of glucose and produces ketones which cause acidic breath.
Blurry visions & sudden weight loss
Another common symptom often ignored is blurry visions. As the sugar levels increase, fluid builds up in our eye’s lens which can cause hazy visions & near-sightedness. However, getting sugar levels under control will clear up blurry visions. Dramatic weight loss can also be one of the underlying signs even when you aren’t on any diet. The weight loss happens as our body uses fats instead of glucose.
Oral & vaginal thrush
The yeast infection or thrush in the mouth or vagina due to high blood sugar levels is an early sign of diabetes. Glucose in the urine makes your skin infected with yeast. You may experience symptoms like soreness or itchiness around the vagina, white vaginal discharge, reddening of the skin, sore skin, a white coating on the tongue or pain during intercourse. Women with type 2 diabetes have a higher risk of developing a vaginal yeast infection.
Slow-healing cuts & numbness in feet
High blood sugars make more bacteria to thrive, this might be the reason your cuts & bruises are taking forever to heal. You are less likely to take care of the injury as you won’t be able to feel the cut. Uncontrolled diabetes makes it harder to heal. Some may experience numb hands and feet or weird sensations like pins in your arms and legs.
Urinary tract infections & PCOS
Women with diabetes often experience painful and burning urination, cloudy urine. This Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) should be treated at the earliest. Another risk factor for women is Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). Having PCOS makes you more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.
PCOS causes hormonal imbalance meaning the ovaries are not able to release eggs properly. It affects fertility as the menstrual cycle gets irregular.
If you notice any of these symptoms for a prolonged period, consult your doctor. Untreated diabetes can lead to major health complications. Your doctor will provide you the necessary medications to keep sugar levels moderate.
