Type 2 Diabetes – Discover The Early Warning Signs

The early symptoms of diabetes can easily be confused with symptoms of other chronic diseases. Type 2 Diabetes usually presents itself after the age of 40, but more and more children are being diagnosed daily due to obesity and not enough physical activity.

The most commonly diagnosed form of Type 2 Diabetes is Mellitus. Type 2 Mellitus is a non-insulin dependant or NIDDM form of the illness and is typically controlled with proper diet and exercise. However, if gone unmanaged, renal disease and cardiovascular disease can result.

Unfortunately, Type 2 diabetes symptoms can go ignored or unnoticed for several years. This allows for an unhealthy delay in treatment. The characteristics of Type 2 diabetes are a resistance to insulin being produced by the islet cells in the pancreas.

In An Emergency:

Persons who don't know they are diabetic are at high risk for an emergency event when their symptoms become overwhelming. There is an additional problem of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), the complete opposite of what diabetes mellitus is.

There are two types of a diabetic emergency:

The first type of diabetic emergency is hyperglycemia. This condition occurs when there is not enough insulin and too much glucose in the blood. Factors that contribute to the onset of this event include overeating, no physical activity and not taking the proper amount of insulin. When this occurs, the patient requires insulin, without it, they can easily go into a diabetic coma.

Hypoglycemia is the second type of diabetic emergency event. This episode will occur when there is too much insulin and not enough sugar in the blood which can lead to diabetic shock. Common contributing factors include too much exercise, not enough food intake and injecting too much insulin. Someone experiencing this type of event is in need of sugar.

Steps to take for either emergency situation are the same. Getting the person something to eat or drink such as orange juice, milk or a candy bar can significantly reduce symptoms followed by seeking medical help.

What are the early signs?

Elevated urinary output: Occurs due to elevated glucose levels and the body's attempt to get rid of it. Excessive thirst: Is due to the frequent urination, causing dehydration Impaired vision: Vision may be blurred due to damage to the ocular vascular system Feelings of hunger: Caused by excessive insulin that is not being used properly Lethargy: Is related to the elevated glucose levels Erectile dysfunction Frequent bacterial and fungal infections Slow healing wounds:

When showing these signs and symptoms, getting tested is the next step to determine the cause. Testing procedures include:

Blood glucose test: Normal values for glucose is around 110 mg/dl. A reading of 126 mg/dl or more is indicative of diabetes. If your blood sugars are high on two occasions of testing, the diagnosis is most likely diabetes.

Other testing includes:

A Fasting Plasma Glucose An Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) A Random Plasma Glucose Test - No fasting is involved.

The reason for having to fast for eight hours for many of the tests is that eating tends to raise glucose levels. In order to receive a true and accurate reading, going without food for eight hours is necessary.

Having the proper knowledge of signs and symptoms of diabetes as well as being aware of your personal risk factors for the disease is crucial in seeking early treatment and preventing serious complications.

Barb Hicks is a licensed registered nurse who is passionate about writing and sharing her knowledge about Diabetes Cure with others. She also provides more articles including Diabetes Statatics on Clivir.com.

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