Diabetes can happen at any age. You can be born with it or develop it later in life. If you develop diabetes as an adult, you most likely have type 2 diabetes. This means that your body does not use insulin properly, which allows your blood sugar levels to rise. If left untreated, high blood sugar levels can damage your nerves and blood vessels and lead to serious complications. If you recognize the early warning symptoms for adult diabetes, see your doctor and learn how to bring your blood sugar levels down. If caught early enough, lifestyle changes may be all you need.
Frequent Urination and Increased Thirst
According to the American Diabetes Association, type 2 diabetes often occurs without any signs or symptoms. Any symptoms that do occur early on may be so general that you do not connect them with a serious illness. This is why it is so important to check your blood sugar levels often. The earlier you are diagnosed, the better your chances of successful treatment. However as your blood sugar levels rise, your body will try to bring the level down. You will start to feel thirsty and urinate more frequently as your body attempts to lower the levels of sugar in your blood.
Extreme Hunger and Unexplained Weight Loss
High blood sugar levels will leave you feeling hungry all the time. This occurs because your body is not using insulin correctly. This means you do not properly digest the food you eat, prohibiting it from being converted to energy. You will feel like you need to eat constantly. However your body cannot use the fuel, so you may also lose weight. The Mayo Clinic warns that many people ignore the early warning signs because they are so subtle. Diabetes can be doing damage to your body for months or years before the symptoms become severe enough to seek treatment.
Fatigue and Slow-Healing Sores
As your body struggles with not getting the energy it needs, you may start to feel fatigued. While everyone feels tired now and then, constant or excessive fatigue should always be discussed with your doctor. Diabetes can hinder your body's ability to heal. In the early stages of diabetes, you may find that cuts and sores on your body heal very slowly or not at all. In addition, another early warning sign is changes to your vision. If your vision seems worse or you develop blurred vision, see your doctor. The National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse recommends getting treatment as soon as you notice any of these symptoms, especially if you also have some of the common risk factors for this disease.
