Symptoms and Complications
People with type 1 diabetes may have the following signs and symptoms:
- blurred vision
- decreased mental sharpness
- extreme thirst and hunger
- feeling tired (fatigue)
- frequent need to urinate
- frequent skin infections, urinary tract infections or vaginitis (infections of the vagina)
- weight loss despite having an increased appetite
In some cases, emergency symptoms may develop. They include:
- confusion
- fast breathing
- fruity-smelling breath (a sign of diabetic ketoacidosis)
- loss of coordination
- pain in the abdomen
- shaking
- slurred speech
- unconsciousness
It's absolutely critical to get immediate emergency medical attention if any of the above emergency symptoms develop. Make sure you get to a hospital right away.
There are short- and long-term complications associated with diabetes. Short-term problems are hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and hyperglycemia (high blood sugar). Taking too much insulin, missing a meal, or over-exercising can make blood sugar go too low. Symptoms of low blood sugar can come along very quickly, and they can include:
- cold sweats
- fast heartbeat
- hunger
- lightheadedness
- numbness of the tongue and lips
- shakiness
In contrast, symptoms of high blood sugar (such as thirst, dry itchy skin, or blurred vision) usually come on slowly and can be brought on by circumstances such as taking too little insulin, eating too much food, or during stressful times or illness. It's important to test blood glucose levels regularly to avoid low or high blood glucose. A serious condition called ketoacidosis can occur when blood glucose stays too high. It mainly affects people with type 1 diabetes and can be very dangerous if left untreated.
Long-term complications can occur if a person has had diabetes for a long time. People with diabetes are at greater risk for problems that involve damage to small blood vessels and nerves due to hyperglycemia and narrowing of large arteries (atherosclerosis). These include heart attack, stroke, and poor blood flow to the legs. Damage caused by diabetes can affect the eyes (a condition called diabetic retinopathy), the kidneys, the nerves that supply the extremities (legs and arms), and gastrointestinal tract (called neuropathy), and finally the arteries supplying blood to the heart and brain.