8 Signs of Diabetes/Possible Symptoms

In a health-conscious and infinitely connected world, it is easier to spot symptoms of diabetes in the early stages than ever before.

Discovering and taking notice of early diabetic signs gives you a fighting chance of preventing diabetes altogether.  Look out for these 8 pre-diabetes symptoms, and if you have more than 1 or 2 of these, consider a checkup with your medical professional.

1) If you find you are excessively thirsty, not just after extreme exercise or hot weather.

2) You seem to constantly have a dry mouth - even if you've just had a drink.

3) You find you are having to urinate frequently.

4) You have unexpected weight loss or gain (even though you may be constantly hungry and eating well. Of course you may be eating the wrong things which would probably make your pre-diabetes symptom worse).

5) You feel lethargic.  You always feel as if you've got no energy; you are weak and tired all the time.

6) Sometimes your vision is blurry - be careful, untreated eye problems caused through diabetes can lead to blindness. You should have regular eye checks, especially as you get older because your eyes can be the early warning signal for many diseases – not just diabetes.

7) You have cuts or sores or bruises (especially on your feet) that are slow to heal.

8) If you experience excessive itching or soreness in the genital area or yeast infections (which can be misdiagnosed as thrush) it may be a sign of too much sugar in your urine.

At Risk Factors:

There are different types of diabetes; pre-diabetes, type 1, type 2, gestational and maturity onset. Depending on your age, lifestyle and family history you may be more susceptible to developing diabetes.

For example you may be more prone to developing diabetes if any of these factors apply to you:

Your family background is African American, American Indian, Asian American, Pacific Islander, or Hispanic American/Latino.

You have a parent, brother, or sister with diabetes.

You are aged over 45 and are overweight you might be at risk of diabetes type 2

You have had gestational diabetes or have given birth to a baby over 9 pounds in weight.

You have high blood pressure.

Your cholesterol levels are not good.

Being informed and pro-active about the diabetes symptoms can prove to be critical in your future health outlook, so as always, if you have questions or concerns, please consult with your doctor!