Type 2 diabetes can be a 'devastating diagnosis' says expert

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One of the earliest warning signs of high blood sugar levels is having a dry mouth, Dr Michael Dansinger confirmed. To understand why, first you must know that one of the key symptoms of diabetes is peeing more often. While the average person pees between four to seven times in 24 hours, according to Dr Dansinger, people with diabetes go a lot more. As the kidney tries to remove excess sugar from the blood, more urine is created, thereby pulling more fluid out of the body.

Consequently, there is less moisture available for the mouth, for example, leading to a dry mouth – or the skin.

Hence why another early sign of high blood sugar levels is dry skin that feels itchy.

Dr Dansinger verified that another early warning sign of diabetes is feeling really hungry.

The body converts the foods you eat into glucose (a type of sugar) that the cells use for energy.

When a person develops diabetes, the cells become insulin resistant meaning they can not use the glucose in the bloodstream.

While this will lead to a feeling of fatigue (i.e. no energy) – also another warning sign of diabetes – it will trigger hunger signals in order to get more food into the body.

Type 2 diabetes can also lead to blurred vision in the earliest of stages, as changing fluid levels could make the lenses in the eyes swell.

Early warning signs of diabetes:

• Blurred eyes
• Dry mouth
• Itchy skin
• Peeing more often
• Feeling thirsty
• Feeling hungry
• Fatigue.

After glucose levels have been high “for a long time”, other warning signs begin to appear.

Recurrent yeast infections could be a telling sign, as yeast feeds on glucose.

The NHS elaborated by stating that “thrush is a common yeast infection that affects men and women”.

Thrush in women leads to white vaginal discharge (similar in appearance to cottage cheese), itching and irritation around the vagina, and stinging when urinating.

For men, there can be a burning sensation around the head of the penis and underneath the foreskin, which can be difficult to pull back.

Men can also develop white discharge that looks like cottage cheese, but it will occur along an unpleasant smell.

“Thrush can affect other areas of skin, such as the armpits, groin and between the fingers,” the NHS added.

Affected skin may be red, itchy and painful with scales of white or yellow discharge.

In addition, Dr Dansinger confirmed that people with persistently high blood sugar might find that any cuts or sores take a really long time to heal.

High blood sugar levels can lead to nerve damage over time, which explains why the body will have a hard time healing any cuts or wounds.

Furthermore, nerve damage can lead to pain or numbness felt in the legs or feet.

To avoid further health complications, book an appointment with your GP as soon as you suspect diabetes.

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