Gestational Diabetes - Symptoms 

Many of the signs of Type 1 and Type 2  diabetes are similar. In both, there is too much glucose in the blood and not enough in the cells of your body. High glucose levels in Type I are due to a lack of insulin because the insulin producing cells have been destroyed. Type 2  diabetes occurs when the body's cells become resistant to insulin that is being produced. Either way, your cells aren't getting the glucose that they need, and your body lets you know by giving you these  signs and symptoms.

• What is Type 1 Diabetes? 
• What is Type 2 Diabetes? 
• Risk Factors for Gestational Diabetes 

Frequent trips to the bathroom: 

Are  you visiting the bathroom much more lately? Does  it seem like you urinate all day long? Urination becomes more frequent when there is too much glucose in  the blood. If  insulin is nonexistent or ineffective, the kidneys can't filter glucose back  to the blood. They become overwhelmed  and try to draw extra water out  of the blood  to dilute the glucose. This keeps  your bladder full  and it keeps you running  to the bathroom. 

Unquenchable Thirst: 

If it feels like you  can't get enough water  and you're drinking  much more than usual, it could be a sign of diabetes, especially if it seems to go hand  in hand with frequent urination. If  your body  is pulling extra water out of your blood and you're running to  the bathroom more, you will become dehydrated and feel  the need to drink more to replace  the water that you are losing. 

Losing Weight Without Trying: 

This symptom is  more noticeable with Type 1 diabetes. In Type 1, the pancreas stops making insulin, possibly due  to a viral attack on pancreas cells  or because  an autoimmune response makes the body attack the insulin producing cells. The body desperately looks for an energy source because the cells aren't getting glucose. It starts  to break down muscle tissue and fat for energy. Type 2 happens gradually with increasing insulin resistance so weight loss is not as noticeable. 

Weakness and Fatigue: 

It's that bad boy glucose again. Glucose from the food we eat travels into the bloodstream where insulin is supposed to help it transition into the cells of our body. The cells use it to produce the energy we need to live.  When the insulin isn't there or if the cells don't react  to it anymore, then the glucose stays outside the cells in the bloodstream. The cells become energy starved and you feel tired and run down. 

Tingling or Numbness in  Your Hands, Legs or Feet: 

This symptom is called neuropathy. It occurs gradually over time  as consistently high glucose in  the blood damages the nervous system, particularly  in the extremities. Type 2  diabetes is  a gradual onset, and people are often not aware that they have it. Therefore,  blood sugar might have been high for more than  a few years before a diagnosis is made. Nerve damage can creep up without our knowledge. Neuropathy can very often improve when tighter blood glucose control is achieved. 

Other Signs and Symptoms That Can Occur: 

Blurred vision, skin that is dry or itchy, frequent infections or cuts and bruises that take a long time  to heal are also signs that something  is amiss. Again, when these signs are associated with diabetes, they are the result of high glucose levels in the body. If you notice any of the above signs, schedule an appointment with  your doctor. He or she  will be able  to tell you if you  have reason to be concerned about  a diagnosis of diabetes. 

Notes: Dr. Nelson Crumfield

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EditText of this page (last edited June 17, 2010)