If you’re suddenly visiting the bathroom more often or your favorite snacks don’t seem to fill you up like they used to, this isn’t just a quirk. These could be early signs of diabetes as this condition doesn’t always come with clear warning signs, as per publicly available medical information.
So, here’s a look at ten early symptoms that could suggest it’s time for a conversation with your doctor. Just remember, we’re not health experts and this list is based on generally available information online. If you recognize symptoms, consult your doctor before making any decisions or changes.
Increased Thirst and Frequent Urination
When you have too much sugar in your blood, your body tries to get rid of it through urine, causing you to run to the bathroom more often. And all that peeing can leave you pretty thirsty. So if you’re drinking water like there’s no tomorrow, yet still feeling thirsty or peeing more than usual; it could be a sign of diabetes.
Unexpected Weight Loss
To some people, the idea of losing weight without trying sounds great. However, unless you’ve changed your diet or started exercising more, it’s worth paying attention to. When your body can’t get energy from sugar in your blood, it starts burning fat & muscle instead. The result? Sudden & surprising weight loss; and not the healthy kind.
Hunger Pangs
Sometimes, it feels like no matter how much you eat, you just can’t seem to get full. If that sounds like you, it could be a signal that your body isn’t using insulin properly & glucose isn’t going where it should be.
Instead of giving you energy, food just keeps stacking up in your bloodstream. This leaves your cells hungry and you reaching for another snack.
Fatigue
Extreme fatigue is another sign that there may be too much sugar floating around in your blood. When your body’s cells don’t get the glucose they need for energy, it makes you feel like you’re always running on empty. Of course, being tired now & again is completely normal. But all the time? Not so much.
Blurred Vision
Blurry eyesight can catch you off guard but not simply because you need new glasses. People with diabetes have higher blood sugar levels spike and this messes with the fluid levels in their eyes, making it hard to focus. Sometimes when things start to look a little fuzzy around the edges, it’s just from tiredness. Other times, it could be diabetes.
Slow-healing Sores or Cuts
Any small cuts or sores that take ages to heal may be due to high sugar levels in your blood. This makes it hard for blood to flow smoothly & slows down the healing process. Eventually, your immune system starts working at a much-reduced pace. You should speak to a doctor as soon as you can if that happens.
Frequent Infections
Diabetes can also cause you to get other infections a lot more often, like yeast infections or urinary tract infections. It’s because having too much sugar in your blood allows bacteria & yeast to multiply much faster. Eventually, it becomes way, way too easy for infections to start and to stick around.
Tingling or Numbness in Your Hands or Feet
High blood sugar can cause nerve damage and you might first notice as a tingling or numb feeling in your hands and feet. It may seem like something a minor annoyance but it can actually be a lot worse than that. In fact, it could show that diabetes is doing the kind of damage you really don’t want.
Dark Skin Patches
Watch out for any dark & velvety patches that appear in skin folds like your neck, armpits, or groin. Why? These could be signs of insulin resistance where your body isn’t responding to insulin the way it should. Most of the time, these patches are often some of the first clues that something’s not right.
Irritability or Mood Changes
Even how you feel on the inside can be an early sign of diabetes. Feeling moody or like your emotions are all over the place could be more than simply stress; changes in blood sugar can really mess with your mood. Of course, it may be simply because you’re having a bad day. But if these bad days turn into bad weeks, your sugar levels might be to blame.
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