Signs and Symptoms
Type I Diabetes
- Typical symptoms include polyuria, polydipsia, weight loss despite a normal or increased dietary intake, fatigue, and opportunistic infections, such as mycotic infections.
- Diabetic ketoacidosis may develop if DM type I is left untreated. Nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dehydration, hypotension, and even coma can result.
- Diabetes Type I increases risk of cardiovascular disease, neuropathy, nephropathy, cataracts, and retinal disease.
Type II Diabetes
- Typically, this condition comes on insidiously over several years. Symptoms can be similar to Type I, but without the propensity to ketoacidosis.
- Patients are usually over 30, overweight or obese, and may have a history of hypertension and dyslipidemias.
- Long-term complications are similar as those mentioned for Type I, although in this case, complications, such as neuropathy, mycotic infections, or eye disease, may be the first clue to a disease state.
- Family history of Type II diabetes.
- Diet high in refined carbohydrates, deficient in dietary fiber.
- Lack of physical exercise.
- Truncal obesity, hypertension, skin tags, cataracts, opportunistic infections.
Hypoglycemia
- Tired all the time
- Hungry between meals or at night
- Depressed
- Insomnia, awakening with inability to return to sleep
- Wake up after a few hours sleep
- Fearful (overwhelmed by people, places, or things)
- Can’t decide easily
- Can’t concentrate
- Poor memory
- Worry frequently
- Highly emotional
- Moody
- Cry easily, or feel like crying inside
- Fits of anger
- Magnify insignificant details (mountains out of molehills)
- Eat candy, cake, or drink soda pop
- Eat bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, or beans
- Consume alcohol
- Drink more than three cups of coffee or cola drinks daily
- Crave candy, soda, or coffee between meals or mid-afternoon
- Can’t work well under pressure
- Headaches
- Sleepy during the day
- Sleepy or drowsy after meals
- Lack of energy
- Can’t get started in the morning
- Stomach cramps or ‘nervous stomach’
- Allergies: asthma, hay fever, skin rash, sinus trouble, etc.
- Fatigue relieved by eating
- Suicidal thought or tendencies; feeling of hopelessness
- Bored
- Bad dreams
- Irritable before meals
- Heart beats fast (palpitations)
- Get shaky inside when hungry
- Feel faint if meal is delayed
- Ulcers, gastritis, chronic indigestion, abdominal bloating
- Cold hands or feet
- Blurred vision
- Bleeding gums
- Dizziness, giddiness, or lightheadedness
- Aware of breathing heavily
- Bruise easily
- Reduced sex drive
- Poor coordination (drop or bump into things)
- Sweating excessively
- Unsocial or antisocial behavior
- Muscle twitching or cramps
- Skin aches or itches
- Phobias (excessive fear or some thing or situation)
- Hallucinations
- Convulsions
- Trembling (shaking) hands
Hyperinsulinemia
Many of these symptoms are also associated with hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar.
- Weight gain
- Cravings for sugar
- Intense hunger
- Weakness
- Need for frequent meals
- Poor concentration
- Emotional instability
- Memory loss
- Lack of focus
- Feelings of anxiety or panic
- Lack of motivation
- Fatigue
Syndrome X
- Syndrome X is a pre-diabetic condition resulting from insulin resistance without necessarily elevated blood glucose levels.
- Truncal obesity resistant to calorie restriction, elevated triglycerides, and low HDL cholesterol are common findings.
- Fatigue (especially after meals with a high glycemic index or load), skin tags, Dupuytren’s contracture, Peyronie’s disease, osteoarthritis, hypoglycemia, and sugar cravings may also be present.
