As incredible as it may seem, most diabetics don’t recognize the telltale signs of the onset of diabetes. To be fair, in the early stages of the disease, the symptoms can be so subtle that it’s only in retrospect that we recognize that they were present long before we were diagnosed with the disease. Generally, the diagnosis comes like a bolt out of the blue after we’ve gone to the doctor for a general check-up because we just don’t feel “well.” The complaint might be that we feel tired all the time, or it seems like we’ve had more colds and flu that ever before, or we’re having problems with our eyes and wonder if we need new glasses, or we have a cut or a scrape that’s not healing like we expected, or concern because our feet or hands go numb.
All of those complaints – fatigue, chronic infection, blurred vision, slow-healing wounds, numbness in hands or feet – can be the early warning signs of diabetes. As the disease worsens and continues undiagnosed, the symptoms become more severe. Most common are an unquenchable thirst, frequent urination, and weight loss when we haven’t been dieting. For an explanation of how these symptoms are interconnected, read the information on the Diabetes Symptoms page here. The short explanation is that these symptoms are all the result of our bodies having too much sugar and too little insulin to metabolize it into energy. There’s no “sugar high” for the diabetic. To the contrary, diabetics experience a “sugar low” – feeling overly fatigued and wishing to sleep more than normal.
It would certainly help the early detection of diabetes if we experienced all of the symptoms of the disease all at once, but that doesn’t seem typical. Most often, it’s the single troublesome (but not severe) symptom that drives us to visit the doctor and it’s only after routine blood tests that the diagnosis is made. Even for folks who know that they are at risk of becoming diabetic because of family history or obesity, the diagnosis often comes as a surprise. In my own family, for example, where there are more members who are diabetic than not and most of us know more than the average bear about the diabetes, most failed to recognize the onset of their disease.
The point is, if you or someone you love has one or more of those telltale signs of diabetes, the best thing to do is consult your doctor – and do it sooner rather than later. With early detection, you will have a better chance of controlling your high blood sugar with just diet and exercise. More importantly, early diagnosis and appropriate treatment will put you in control of your disease so the disease won’t control you.
If you are diagnosed with diabetes, you’ll probably be frightened and your mind will fill with questions that only occured to you after you left the doctor’s office. Be not afraid. There are some wonderful books out there that can provide you with the answers to your questions and guide you through those first challenging days and months. One fairly new book that I recommend is Your First Year With Diabetes written by Theresa Garnero. This book does a good job of covering a basic explanation of diabetes, suggestions for diet, exercise, and learning how to monitor your blood sugar levels for better management. The author answers the questions most newly diagnosed diabetics have over that first year and she does so with honesty and humor. This book is an easy read that will inform you, support you, and lift your spirits all at the same time.
