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Signs You Might Have Diabetes And Not Even Know

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Sunday, March 4th, 2018
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Diabetes is scary-common in globally—but the freakiest thing about it might be the number of people who are walking around undiagnosed.Of the 30 million people in the U.S. with diabetes, 25 percent aren’t aware they have the disease, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.And it gets worse: Among the 84 million U.S. adults with pre-diabetes, a shocking 90 percent have no clue they’re on the path to a full-blown diabetes diagnosis, the CDC reports.That’s probably because diabetes symptoms are often subtle, meaning many young women easily miss or dismiss them, says Poorani Goundan, M.D., an endocrinologist at Boston Medical Center.Type 2 diabetes, which occurs when blood sugar is too high, usually because the body fails to produce enough insulin, has series side effects, too. Left untreated, it can lead to an increased risk of heart disease, nerve damage, and dementia down the road, Goundan says.(This isn’t just an old-people problem either. More than half of new cases of adult diabetes strike before age 64, according to the National Institutes of Health.)

That’s why it’s so important to both get regular check-ups (among other things, your doctor will check your fasting blood sugar levels, which can flag potential prediabetes and diabetes) and watch out for any signs of diabetes.These 10 surprising diabetes symptoms in women should definitely be on your radar:1. You Have To Pee. All. The. Time.When you have excess sugar coursing through your blood stream, your body instinctively tries to get rid of it, says Mary Vouyiouklis Kellis, M.D., an endocrinologist at Cleveland Clinic. “Water follows sugar, so you end up having high-volume urine loss,” she explains.If you notice you’re suddenly peeing a lot, and more often, for no real reason—especially if you’re waking up a few times during the night to take a whiz—it’s time to talk to your doctor, she says.

2. You’re Constantly Thirsty

With all that peeing, dehydration is a very real possibility. And, to make matters worse, “some patients who don’t know they have diabetes quench their thirst with sugary drinks like soda or juice, which adds to their blood sugars,” Goundan says. Signs of dehydration include dark-colored urine, a drop in (water) weight, and extreme thirst.

Sound familiar? Talk to your doc about this potential symptom of diabetes, especially if it occurs in tandem with lots of potty breaks.

3. Your Breath Is Rank

Diabetes-related dehydration contributes to dry mouth, and the bad breath that can accompany it. (After all, with dry mouth, there’s not enough spit to wash away bacteria and balance the pH in your mouth, Kellis says.)

What’s more, undiagnosed or uncontrolled diabetes can trigger ketosis, a process in which the body uses fat, rather than glucose, for energy. Ketosis releases a chemical byproduct called ketones, which can make your breath smell unpleasantly sweet or fruity, she says.

Unless you’re on a keto diet (which is designed to put you into ketosis), it’s worth talking to your doctor.

4. You Need New Glasses

Blurry vision is a common—and often ignored—diabetes symptom in women. What does diabetes have to do with your vision? Kellis explains that fluid can form in your eye’s lens as sugar levels increase (remember: fluid follows sugar).

A buildup of fluid in the eye blurs vision, causes nearsightedness, and leads many people to the optometrist for a new glasses or contacts prescription.

Fortunately, getting your blood sugar levels under control can clear up blurred vision, she adds.

5. Your Hands And Feet Get Numb A Lot

Neuropathy—a condition characterized by numbness or weird sensations like pins and needles, in your arms, legs, hands, and feet—occurs in more than half of people with type 2 diabetes, according to a 2017 Diabetes Care review.

Why so common? Diabetes reduces blood flow to your extremities and, over time, damages your blood vessels and nerves, Kellis says.

6. You Have A Lot Of Cuts And Bruises—And They Take Forever To Heal

Reduced sensation in your extremities makes you more prone to injuries. “You’re less likely to notice a cut because you can’t feel it, which means you’re less likely to take care of it and it’s more likely to get infected,” says Goundan. And once you do have an injury, uncontrolled diabetes can make it harder for your body to heal. “High blood sugars provide a good environment for bacteria to grow,” she says.

Because diabetes is also often accompanied by high blood pressure and high cholesterol, the resulting plaque buildup can narrow blood vessels, reducing blood supply to slow healing. And diabetes can weaken the T-cells that make up your immune system—your body’s defense against infection. “When you have high blood sugar, it’s like delaying your body’s army to go to the wound to heal it,” says Kellis.

7. You’re Dropping Pounds—Without Trying

Unexplained weight loss can happen for lots of reasons, and diabetes is one of them. Goundan explains that insulin helps your body move sugar from your blood to your cells, so when you have an insulin resistance, you don’t get enough energy into your cells despite all that sugar flowing through your body. “Because you’re unable to get enough energy from sugar, your body burns your own fat and muscle for energy,” Kellis says. “Weight loss can be pretty significant, sometimes 10 to 20 pounds.”

Generally, doctors recommend visiting the doc if you unintentionally lose between 5 to 10 percent of your body weight over the course of six months.

 8. You’re Crazy Tired

Carbohydrates, which your body breaks down into glucose, are your body’s main source of energy. But your body can’t effectively use that source of energy when you have diabetes, explains Goundan. (And diabetes-related dehydration can also bring on fatigue.)

Of course, there are tons of other reasons you could be feeling exhausted, including your diet, stress levels, and how much you’ve been sleeping.

Still, if you can’t think of any other good reason for your extreme fatigue, and your low energy levels are accompanied by some of these other diabetes symptoms, it’s worth getting checked out.

9. You’ve Got Some Yeast Down There

High blood sugars create an environment in your vagina that’s ripe for yeast infections. “Glucose is fuel for yeast. The more that’s around, the more they can multiply,” says Kellis. If you’re having two to three yeast infections every few months or if the standard treatments just aren’t working, it’s time to see a doctor. “Once blood sugar is controlled, the frequency goes down,” says Goundan.

10. Your Skin Is Splotchy

Darkening skin around the nape of your neck and under your armpits is a surprising and common early sign of insulin resistance, the precursor to diabetes.

“We see this often in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS),” says Kellis, who notes that women with PCOS are at an increased risk of insulin issues. What’s more, she skin under your arms is relatively thick and encounters a lot of regular friction. So, if you’re dehydrated, the skin there will likely show it.

Obviously, lotion or a trip to the dermatologist are first steps when your skin is ashy, but if your dry, discolored skin won’t go away or occurs alongside other diabetes signs, talk to your primary care doc, she says.

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