Type 1 Diabetes Symptoms
Although in rare cases type 1 diabetes can present quite suddenly, type 1 diabetes symptoms will normally develop quite slowly over several weeks, months or even years.
In order for your body to function the cells of your body require glucose which is transferred to the cells from the blood.
This transfer requires the presence of insulin within your bloodstream but, in the case of type 1 diabetes your body is either unable to produce insulin or can only produce it is relatively small quantities.
This failure of your body to produce insulin results in a build up of glucose in your blood and it is this excess of glucose which gives rise to a wide range of symptoms.
The first signs of type 1 diabetes are often an inability to regulate water within your body which means that become unusually thirsty and frequently need the toilet. At the same time, because your body cannot take up the glucose that it needs to provide you with energy, the brain triggers the need to eat and you feel very hungry. Additional symptoms caused as a direct result of your body not receiving sufficient energy are a feeling of tiredness, as well as nausea and blurred vision.
Along with these symptoms you should also look out for muscle cramps, which are often caused by an electrolyte imbalance and numbness or tingling in both your hands and feet.
You may also find that you are losing weight as your body burns fat to replace its lost source of glucose energy and as the water levels in your body drop. As it is unusual to experience both an increased appetite and a loss in weight at the same time this is often a good indication of the presence of type 1 diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes will often creep up on you slowly and, by the time the symptoms are severe enough for you to visit your doctor you will often find that he can trace the start of your diabetes back several weeks or even months.
In rare cases type 1 diabetes symptoms can appear suddenly as an emergency and will require a visit to your local hospital emergency room. In this case you will experience nausea, vomiting and severe stomach pains and, without treatment, you can soon start to experience breathing difficulties and even lapse into a coma and die.
Type 1 diabetes symptoms are often seen in children but can easily be mistaken for the symptoms of any one of a range of common childhood illnesses. For this reason, it is especially important to watch for the signs and to talk to your doctor if you are in any doubt.
Tagged with: cause of diabetes • Diabetes Test • diabetes treatment • Type 1 Diabetes
Filed under: Diabetes
Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!
Leave a Reply