Diabetes is a disease in which your body does not make enough insulin or does not use insulin properly. According to Familydoctor.org, when you have diabetes, the sugar builds up in your blood and is not going into the cells where you need it. Diabetes symptoms are frequently ignored because they might come on insidiously. People with a high risk for diabetes should talk to a doctor about prevention and about being screened regularly if indicated.
Frequent Urination and Thirst
Frequent urination and thirst are common in both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. This thirst is usually unquenchable and the person affected may keep drinking and drinking, though he will continue to feel thirsty. The kidneys are working hard to excrete by producing excess urine to dilute the sugar. The sugar spills over into the urine while fluids are being drawn from the tissues. This results in the excess urination and thirst.
Weight Loss and Hunger
These symptoms are common to both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, though weight loss is more common in Type 1. Sugar is being excreted in the urine, resulting in an excess loss of calories while sugar is not being absorbed into the body's cells. This leads to weight loss and hunger.
Other Symptoms
Fatigue and irritability, blurred vision, nausea and decreased endurance are common to both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Frequent, recurrent infections, slow healing wounds and tingling in hands and feet may occur as complications of undiagnosed diabetes.
Type 1 vs. Type 2 Diabetes
In Type 1 Diabetes, sugar is not being used properly because insulin is not breaking it down properly. This results in the body using fat as energy which leads to the production of ketones. This results in the blood becoming too acidic which can lead to diabetic ketoacidocis. People with Type 2 diabetes have a slower onset and usually are diagnosed later because of the subtle onset of symptoms.
