Early symptoms of diabetes are so subtle in type 2 diabetes that the person may not even be able to find out he/she have diabetes for a long period of time. On the other hand, symptoms for type 1 diabetes are severe and happen in a matter of days or weeks and without a warning. Some of the symptoms are a consequence of other symptoms, causing a chain reaction. Symptoms include; higher than normal levels of glucose in the blood. Frequent urination and increased thirst. Glucose is reabsorbed as it passes through the kidneys, however since sugar levels in the blood are high the body will try to get rid of the extra glucose by producing more urine, making the person urinate more frequently. Since urine output is higher …show more content…
Higher water intake higher urine output. Since the body is producing more urine, the person will dehydrate easier. One of the consequences of dehydration is dry skin and dry mouth. Less moisture in the skin will make the skin dry and flaky making it feel itchy. “Having a dry mouth, especially as a diabetic, can lead to rampant tooth decay, which means blood sugar increases as the body tries, and fails, to fight infection. A dry mouth can also lead to loss of sleep and an altered sense of taste, a condition that presents with a metallic or sour taste in the mouth.” (www.oracoat.com). The body converts food into glucose and the cells use it for energy. However, the cells need insulin to bring the glucose in and when the cells resist insulin made by the pancreas, the body does not have enough insulin, or has none at all; glucose cannot get into the cells and convert it to energy. All of this causes hunger, fatigue, and irritability. The lack of energy from glucose causes the body to burn muscle and fat for energy because it cannot get the energy from food which then causes weight loss even with the increase of appetite. Other symptoms are blurred vision, Slow-healing …show more content…
On the other hand, symptoms of type 2 diabetes and pre diabetes are so subtle can make it hard to diagnose and the disease can go unnoticed for a long time. Because of this, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) has recommended screening guidelines to diagnose prediabetes and type 2 diabetes for anyone that is considered to be a high risk of developing diabetes. High risk includes anyone who is older than age 45, has a body mass index higher than 25 regardless of age, high blood pressure, sedentary lifestyle, history of polycystic ovary syndrome, high cholesterol levels, history of heart disease, or a close relative with diabetes. During pregnancy a screening test is usually done at about 24-28 weeks of pregnancy to rule out gestational diabetes, unless there is a history of gestational diabetes, obesity at the start of the pregnancy, family history of diabetes, or having delivered a baby who weighed more than 9 pounds, the test will be done at the first prenatal visit. When a blood test indicates signs of diabetes the test will be done twice to confirm the results and have an accurate diagnosis. “Glycated hemoglobin (A1C) test. Measures the percentage of blood sugar attached to hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells” (www.mayoclinic.org). Normal A1C levels are below 5.7 percent, levels of prediabetes are between 5.7-6.4 percent,