What are the signs that diabetes is killing you?

If you have diabetes, then what are some of the signs that will show you that diabetes is killing you?

Diabetes is known as a silent killer since there are usually no warning indications or signs unless a serious complication sets in. If your diabetes is uncontrolled, it might cause major health problems: A heart attack or stroke, it could also cause you to lose your vision or cause you to die.

If you have diabetes, your body is unable to properly digest and utilize glucose obtained from your diet. There are various varieties of diabetes, each with its own set of causes, but they all have one thing in common: too much glucose in the bloodstream.

In this article, you will learn more about diabetes, including the cardinal signs or warning signals to check for to know if it is killing you.

What exactly is diabetes?

Diabetes occurs when your body’s cells are unable to absorb sugar (glucose) and utilize it for energy. This causes an accumulation of sugar in your system.

Diabetes that is not well controlled can have catastrophic repercussions, including damage to a variety of organs and tissues in your body, including your heart, kidneys, eyes, and nerves.

What are the diabetic symptoms?

Diabetes symptoms include:

• Unintentional weight loss.
• Urination is frequent.
• Increased thirst.
• Weak, tired feeling.
• Blurred vision.
• Numbness or tingling in the hands or feet.
• Slow-healing sores or cuts
• Frequent unexplained infections.
• Dry mouth.

What are some signs that diabetes is killing you?

When diabetes is left unchecked, it can lead to serious health problems. Below are a few signs you should look out for to know if your diabetic condition is killing you.

Vision issues

When your blood sugar levels are out of control, a disease called diabetic retinopathy can impair your vision over time. Excess hyperglycemia damages the vessels in your retina, which is located in the back of your eye.

Blurred eyesight and decreased daytime and nighttime vision are common symptoms. Diabetic retinopathy causes vision loss if left untreated.

Neuropathy

Neuropathy is another word for nerve damage, which affects more than half of all diabetics. Neuropathy can manifest itself in a variety of ways.

When you have diabetes, you may notice these symptoms in your feet, legs, hands, and arms. Tingling heightened sensitivity to touch, discomfort, numbness, and weakness are some of the symptoms.

Amputation of a limb may be required in the most severe cases due to inadequate circulation or infections caused by neuropathy.

Stroke

When you have diabetes, you’re two to four times more likely to have a stroke. This is because too much glucose in the body can develop fatty deposits or clots in the blood vessel walls.

Clots can cause narrowing or blockages in your blood arteries, which can prevent oxygen from reaching your brain and trigger a stroke.

Gastroparesis

Gastroparesis is a condition in which the flow of food from the stomach to the small intestine is slowed or stopped. Nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, and feeling full after just a few bites are among the symptoms.

According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, diabetes is the most common cause of gastroparesis.

Sleep apnea

Sleep apnea is a prevalent concern among Type 2 diabetes patients, and those who are overweight or obese are already at a higher risk.

This is a serious condition where patients get their breath stopped intermittently during their sleep. This can be very dangerous and life-threatening. People with diabetes and obesity tend to experience it a lot.

Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease is a type of dementia. Dementia, such as Alzheimer’s disease, is linked to type 2 diabetes. The greater the risk looks to be the worse your blood sugar management is. There are suggestions about how these ailments are linked, but none of them has been proven.

Depression

Type 1 and type 2 diabetes patients frequently experience depression symptoms. Diabetes control might be affected by depression.

Skin problems

Diabetes can make you more prone to skin infections, such as bacterial and fungal infections.

Foot injury

Foot nerve injury or inadequate blood flow increases the risk of a variety of foot problems. If cuts and blisters are not treated, they can become infected and heal poorly. These infections may lead to amputation of the toe, foot, or leg.

The presence of any of the above conditions is a pointer to how serious your diabetes is. You can therefore use these as signs that your diabetes is killing you.

Types of diabetes

There are several types of diabetes, some are more common and popular than others.

Type 1 diabetes

A type of diabetes that requires daily insulin injections. Insufficient insulin synthesis in the body causes this condition. Too much urine excretion, thirst, persistent hunger, weight loss, visual problems, and weariness are all symptoms of this kind of diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes

The body’s insufficient usage of insulin causes this kind of diabetes. This kind of diabetes can lead to excess body weight (obesity) and physical inactivity.

Prediabetes

Prediabetes is the stage preceding Type 2 diabetes. Your blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not high enough for Type 2 diabetes to be diagnosed.

Gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes is a kind of diabetes that develops during pregnancy and typically goes away once the baby is born. It can occur at any time throughout pregnancy, although it is more frequent in the second and third trimesters.

Complications during pregnancy and delivery are more likely in pregnant women or women with gestational diabetes. These mothers, as well as their children, are at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the future.

Less common types of diabetes include

Monogenic diabetes

Monogenic diabetes syndromes are uncommon hereditary forms of diabetes that account for 4% of all occurrences. Neonatal diabetes and young-onset diabetes are two such examples.

Cystic fibrosis-related diabetes

Cystic fibrosis-related diabetes is a type of diabetes that only affects persons who have the condition.

Drug or chemical-induced diabetes

Drug or chemical-induced diabetes can occur after an organ transplant, during HIV/AIDS treatment, or as a result of the use of glucocorticoids.

Diabetes insipidus is an uncommon disease in which your kidneys create an excessive amount of urine.

What are the causes of diabetes?

Diabetes is caused by too much glucose circulating in the bloodstream, regardless of the kind. The explanation for your elevated blood glucose levels, however, varies depending on the type of diabetes you have.

Type 1 diabetes is caused by an immune system disorder. Insulin-producing cells in your pancreas are attacked and destroyed by your body.

Glucose builds up in your bloodstream without insulin to allow glucose to enter your cells. In some patients, genes may also play a role. A virus can also cause an immune system attack.

Type 2 diabetes and prediabetes are caused by: Insulin does not act properly in your body’s cells to let glucose enter them.

Insulin resistance has developed in your body’s cells. Your pancreas can’t keep up with the demand for insulin and can’t produce enough to overcome the resistance. The amount of glucose in your bloodstream increases.

Gestational diabetes occurs when the placenta produces hormones that make your body’s cells more resistant to insulin throughout pregnancy. Your pancreas is incapable of producing enough insulin to overcome this resistance. There is too much glucose in your bloodstream.

Frequently asked questions

How is diabetes diagnosed?

The glucose level in your blood is used to diagnose and manage diabetes. Fasting glucose test, random glucose test, and A1c test are the three tests that can be used to determine your blood glucose level.

How is diabetes managed?

Diabetes affects every part of your body. To effectively manage diabetes, you must take actions to keep your risk factors under control and within normal limits, such as:

• Follow a food plan
• Take recommended medicine
• Increase your exercise level to keep your blood glucose levels as close to normal as possible.
• Maintain as close to normal blood cholesterol (HDL and LDL levels) and triglyceride levels as possible.
• Maintain a healthy blood pressure level. Blood pressure shouldn’t be more than 140/90 mmHg.

What is the treatment for diabetes?

Treatment for diabetes is determined by your type of diabetes, how well your blood glucose level is controlled, and any other medical issues you may have.

Type 1 diabetes necessitates the use of insulin on a daily basis. Insulin is no longer produced by your pancreas.

If you have type 2 diabetes, your treatments may include drugs (both for diabetes and for diseases that are risk factors for diabetes), insulin, and lifestyle modifications such as decreasing weight, eating healthier and exercising more.

Prediabetes: If you have prediabetes, your goal is to avoid developing diabetes. Treatments are centered on reversible risk factors, such as decreasing weight with a healthy diet (such as the Mediterranean diet) and regular exercise (at least five days a week for 30 minutes). Many of the diabetes prevention measures are also advised for diabetic treatment (see prevention section of this article).

Diabetes during pregnancy: If you have this type and your glucose level isn’t too high, you might start by changing your diet and exercising regularly. If your glucose level is still too high or the target goal is not accomplished, your healthcare provider may prescribe medication or insulin.

Oral medicines and insulin are used to treat diabetes in one of two ways.

Summary

Diabetes, when not monitored, can lead to serious health problems. When you notice signs like loss of vision, sleep apnea, stroke, skin problems, etc., these are indicators that your diabetes might be killing you.