Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes
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You may have type 2 diabetes for years before you start to have symptoms. If your symptoms are initially mild, and they gradually increase, they may be hard to notice. In fact, up to 40% of type 2 diabetes patients have no symptoms at the time of diagnosis.
Symptoms of type 2 diabetes may be related either to high blood sugar or due to diabetic complications affecting the eyes, blood vessels and heart, or nerves.
Symptoms may include the following:
- Weight loss
- Increased urination (especially at night, which can lead to insomnia )
- Increased thirst
- Increased hunger
- Fatigue
- Blurry vision
- Irritability
- Frequent or recurring infections
- Slow wound healing
- Foot ulcers
- Numbness or tingling in the hands or feet
- In women: frequent vaginal yeast infections
- Problems with gums and teeth
- Itching
- Impotence
- Angina (chest pain)
- Painful leg muscles when walking
References:
AACE Diabetes Mellitus Clinical Practice Guidelines Task Force. Medical guidelines for the clinical practice for the management of diabetes mellitus. American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists website. Available at: http://www.aace.com/pub/pdf/guidelines/DMGuidelines2007.pdf . Published 2007. Accessed February 12, 2010.
American Diabetes Association. American Diabetes Association position statement: standards of medical care in diabetes 2010. Diabetes Care. 2010;33:S1-S99.
American Diabetes Association website. Available at: http://www.diabetes.org . Accessed February 12, 2010.
Endocrine Society website. Available at: http://www.endo-society.org . Accessed February 12, 2010.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. National Institutes of Health website. Available at: http://www.niddk.nih.gov/ . Accessed February 8, 2006.
Last reviewed Feburary 2010 by Bridget Sinnott, MD, FACE
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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