7 Signs of Type 2 Diabetes

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By: , – By Barbara Brody, of Woman's Day
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1. You’re overweight. Even being just 10 to 15 pounds overweight can increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. If your child is overweight, make sure his pediatrician tests him, because type 2 diabetes is on the rise in kids. The encouraging news is that losing just 5% to 7% of your body weight can reduce your risk of diabetes, according to research from the Diabetes Prevention Program. Testing usually involves screening your blood for high glucose (sugar) levels. If they’re too high, you could have either type 1 or type 2. Your doctor will most likely be able to sort it out based on your age and symptoms. In some cases, you may also need to see an endocrinologist (specialist).

2. You’re constantly running to the bathroom. “If your body doesn’t make enough insulin [a hormone that carries glucose into your cells to give them energy],” which can happen with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, “glucose builds up in your bloodstream and comes out in your urine,” explains Janet Silverstein, MD, chief of pediatric endocrinology at the University of Florida. Because you’re urinating a lot, you’ll probably also be very thirsty and drinking more than usual.


3. Your vision is blurry. High blood sugar levels cause glucose to build up in the lens of your eyes, making it harder for you to focus. This could mean that you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes.

Click here for 4 more signs of type 2 diabetes!


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Did any of these surprise you? If you have type 2 diabetes, did you have any of these signs before being diagnosed?



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Comments

  • BRITOMART
    6
    Another blog whose information I'd prefer from an expert rather than a journalist--and with all 7 signs available on this site instead of having to move toward Woman's Day.

    One is "constantly running to the bathroom when drinking 8-12 glasses of H2O daily, with or without diabetes in the picture. - 12/5/2011   7:10:48 PM
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  • HHB4181
    5
    a lot of good inforamtion! - 12/5/2011   1:57:11 PM
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  • SKINNY1DAY
    4
    thank you for the information, I am a type 2 diabetic who controls there diabetes with diet and exercise and I have to say that sparkpeople also helps alot by giving me the tools and information to help me log my food and track my choices. thanks sparkpeople! - 12/5/2011   1:39:05 PM
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  • BLUE42DOWN
    3
    The scary thing is ... none of these are absolutes. Some, like weight and age, are risk factors -- they aren't symptoms. Being 45+ may mean you're more LIKELY to develop diabetes, but that's a relative comparison.

    The reason that is scary is two-fold. On the one side, it makes all of them things someone can explain away. Even the dark ring on the neck can go unnoticed or "explained" away as collar rubbing. On the other side, it makes it easy for someone to panic because a few maybe fit. Not every 45+ obese person running to the restroom often and needing a prescription update is diabetic, but reading this they might feel it fits them to a T. - 12/5/2011   12:03:46 PM
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  • NORASPAT
    2
    The blog was great, did not go far enough in to the down the road ramifications
    of the disease. I am of the opinion this should be taught in schools since childhood obesity fuels adult obesity and poor food choices.
    Thanks to prosthetics kids are less aware of seeing amputees and very few college students or adults do not take it seriousy. Once we got a grip of cigarette smoking there are fewer smokers. If we ever get a grip of bad food choices just maybe the obesity epedemic and the diabetes epedemic will be talked about with public awareness. Pat in Maine Type 2 in control with Sparkpeople.com. Weight lost and no more medications. Thanks Spark. - 12/5/2011   8:44:26 AM
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  • PRINCESSNIBBLES
    1
    The only one that surprised me was #7, and they left off a major symptom (at least in my case) of fatigue. I was diagnosed with type 2 eight years ago at age 39. Yes, I was overweight with a genetic component. If you're overweight and don't have diabetes, let me tell you, do your best to lose the weight! Peripheral Neuropathy is horrible, and it never goes away, even if you lose weight once you have it. And diabetes is EXPENSIVE! - 12/5/2011   7:41:47 AM
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