Symptoms

[anarch]

I know that Type 2 Diabetes is usually brought on by obesity and that a lot can be done to prevent it through diet and exercise, but what are some warning signs or symptoms of it? What made you get it checked out at the doctor?

[Calypso]

My big symptoms were being thirsty all the time and having to pee all the time. I could get a huge bottle of water and chug it in seconds, and I'd still be thirsty. I knew I was pre-diabetic, so I knew there was a good chance that I'd developed full-blown diabetes. My doctor confirmed it with a few blood tests.

[littlecat123]

The three classic symptoms of (any type) of diabetes are:

Polyuria -- peeing a lot
Polydipsia -- abnormal or excessive thirst
Polyphagia -- hungry all the time.

If you have these, you should let your doctor know and get tested for diabetes.

[Terri_R]

I had the 3 P symptoms as well as fatigue and a general feeling of unwellness. On top of those things I was also throwing up alot due to some undetected stomach ulcers. During my yearly exam my fasting bloodsugar was 200 which sent up some flags. That same weekend I was admitted to the Emergency Room with a blood sugar of 395. That's how I was diagnosed.

[Calypso]

I can usually tell when my blood sugars are too high because I feel so lousy. Fatigued, short tempered, just generally unwell. The highest blood sugar I ever scored was 455 when, in a manic state, I decided I didn't need my medicine anymore. Luckily, my best friend is a nurse and a sister diabetic, and she convinced me to check my blood sugar and go back on my meds. Bipolar disorder and diabetes are not exactly an award-winning combination.

[Terri_R]

Calypso, 455 is pretty high. Experts suggest that is getting close to the diabetic coma numbers. Definitely scarey.

How do diabetes and bipolar disorder effect each other, if at all?

[Calypso]

Hi Terri,

Bipolar disorder tends to cause moods and behaviors (such as becoming manic and deciding one doesn't need medicine or becoming depressed and deciding there's no point to it anyway) that make diabetes worse. There's no direct physical connection, but there's definitely a behavioral link.

Oh, and another problem is that the medications used to control bipolar disorder mood swings often cause weight gain, which is not good for diabetes!

[aramathea]

I started having frequent urination. When I went to my doctor I was diagnosed as haveing type 2 diabetes. This progressed to type 1. My weight is a factor in my diabetes. I am just not motivated to lose the weight. I will be much better off if I lose the weight.

[jerry]

Hi guys, I suspect that I may have type 2 diabetes. I don't think I am urinating more often than usual, but I may be feeling more thirsty (although this could just be paranoia on my part).

I did a blood sugar test the other day, early in the morning and before breakfast, and the result was 6.8... and I am guessing that is NOT GOOD.

My urine sometimes has a sweet smell to it as well, but at times it doesn't.

Am I in trouble?

[cmjn22]

Well I'm 46 and have been Bi-Polar for over 3 years. For almost a year my depression has been untreatable. So I began to think it wasn't my usual depression at all. Besides Bi-Polar I've had regual dpression for 25 years. So that's why I've been questioning the different depression I had. I have headaches, the tips of my fingers go completely numb, I can't even write a letter because my hands shake, I feel just physically awful, I do urinate a lot and that because I drink lots of water(not because of huge thirst, I just like water and my vision has gotten worse(which I just thought old-age) and anxiety attacks mostly in the morning. I feel sick, I am always tired, which isn't very good having 2 young boys. My psychiatrist just keeps changing my meds and nothing. I did just lose 10 pounds in about 1 1/2 months, I have no appetite. Oh yeah, I'm always nauseous. Can diabetes cause this horrible depression I'm living with plus all these physical ailments.:confused:

[davidlee]

I know that Type 2 Diabetes is usually brought on by obesity and that a lot can be done to prevent it through diet and exercise, but what are some warning signs or symptoms of it? What made you get it checked out at the doctor?
3 words - Polyphagia, polydipsia, and polyuria. They mean to eat a lot, drink a lot, and pee a lot. Those are questions we are taught to ask patients to screen for diabetes. Other things DM II can do is cause nerve damage, kidney damage, and eye damage. It raises blood pressure and can increase your risk of heart attacks. Bad thing all around. To diagnose it see your doctor and get a fasting blood glucose level.
Saliva as a diagnostic tool in type II diabetes mellitus (http://www.healthknow.info/diagnostics_diabetes.asp)