Type 2 diabetes is the most common form, accounting for 90 percent to 95 percent of all diabetes cases, according to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse. Type 2 diabetes is also known as adult-onset diabetes because it most commonly appears in older people, although an increasing number of children are diagnosed with it. Not all patients with Type 2 diabetes exhibit signs, but those who do will gradually get them.
Fatigue
Diabetes is a metabolic disorder caused by the body's inability to either produce or efficiently use insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas that helps glucose (sugar) enter cells to be used for energy. Those with Type 2 diabetes usually produce the insulin, but for some reason insulin doesn't work effectively. This results in a buildup of glucose in the blood.
Fatigue is one of the first symptoms patients with diabetes complain about. Glucose is the body's main energy source and without properly functioning insulin it cannot be utilized by the cells to fuel the body resulting in the body feeling drained.
Frequent Urination
People with diabetes have an increased level of sugar in their blood. This excess sugar can leak into the urine. To compensate, kidneys produce more urine to dilute the sugar. This causes the patient to urinate more frequently.
Increased Thirst
Increased thirst, known as polydipsia, is a sign related to frequent urination. To produce more urine, the kidneys must extract water from the tissues in the body, which leaves the body feeling thirsty and can lead to dehydration.
Weight Loss
Weight loss is also related to frequent urination. Although the kidneys work extra hard to filter the glucose and produce more urine as glucose levels rise, some glucose is lost in the urine, which means that calories are also lost. Although you may be losing weight, you may feel continually hungry. This is due to the fact that the glucose is not being taken in and used in the cells, leaving the cells hungry for energy.
Blurred Vision
The increase in blood sugar levels causes your body to pull fluids from tissues in order to dilute the level of sugar. If fluid is pulled from the lenses of the eyes, it can cause blurry vision.
Diabetes can also lead to retinopathy, which is damage to the blood vessels that supply the retina, the light-sensitive membrane in the back of the eye. Blood vessels leading to the retina can become inflamed or leak fluid, which can disrupt vision. Diabetes can also cause new but abnormal blood vessels to be formed. This can damage the retina and result in vision impairments.
Tingling and Numbness
Excess sugar in the blood can cause nerve damage, which can cause feelings of numbness or tingling--especially in the hands or feet. Over time this condition can become worse and result in neuropathy (permanent nerve damage). This condition affects over 20 million Americans, according to the Neuropathy Association.
