How to Know if You Have Diabetes - Part2 Watching for the Symptoms of Diabetes

1 Get tested for gestational diabetes during pregnancy. Women with gestational diabetes often show no symptoms at all. As such, you should always request a test for it if you have the risk factors for gestational diabetes. This disease is especially dangerous because it affects both you and the baby. Because it can have long-term effects on your child, early diagnosis and treatment is important.

• Some women feel very thirsty and need to urinate frequently. However, these are also common signs of any pregnancy.
• Some women report that they feel uneasy or uncomfortable after eating foods that are high in carbohydrates or sugar.

2 Be vigilant for symptoms of pre-diabetes. Like with gestational diabetes, there are often very few symptoms of pre-diabetes. Diabetes symptoms are caused by very high blood sugar levels, which people with pre-diabetes don't have. If you have the risk factors for it, you must be vigilant, get tested regularly, and be on the lookout for subtle symptoms. Pre-diabetes can develop into diabetes if left untreated.

• You may have pre-diabetes if you have "acanthosis nigricans" on specific areas of your body. This is simply thick, darkened patches of skin that most often appears on the armpits, neck, elbow, knees and knuckles.
• You might experience a feeling of uneasiness after eating a meal high in carbohydrates or sugars.
• Your doctor may test for pre-diabetes if you have elevated cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, or other hormonal imbalances, such as metabolic syndrome, or if you are overweight.

3 Evaluate your symptoms for Type 2 diabetes. Whether you have the risk factors for the condition or not, you can still develop Type 2 diabetes. Be aware of your health condition and watch for these signs that your blood sugar may be elevated:

• Unexplained weight loss.
• Blurry vision or vision change
• Increased thirst from high blood sugar
• Increased need to urinate
• Fatigue and drowsiness, even with adequate sleep
• Tingling or numbness in the feet or hands
• Frequent or recurring infections in the bladder, skin or mouth.
• Shakiness or hunger in the middle of the morning or afternoon.
• Cuts and scrapes appear to heal more slowly.
• Dry, itchy skin or unusual bumps or blisters.
• Feeling more hungry than usual.

4 Suspect Type 1 diabetes with sudden symptoms. Although most patients develop this type of diabetes during childhood or adolescence, it can also develop well into adulthood. The symptoms of Type 1 diabetes may appear suddenly or be subtly present for a long time, and can include:

• Excessive thirst
• Increased urination
• Vaginal yeast infections in women
• Irritability
• Blurred vision
• Unexplained weight loss
• Unusual bedwetting in children
• Extreme hunger
• Fatigue and weakness

5 Seek immediate medical attention when necessary. People often ignore the symptoms of diabetes, allowing the condition to progress to a dangerous degree. The symptoms of Type-2 diabetes appear slowly over time. But with Type-1 diabetes, your body can very suddenly stop making insulin. You will experience more severe symptoms that are potentially life-threatening unless treated immediately. These include:

• Deep rapid breathing
• Flushed face, dry skin and mouth
• Fruity breath
• Nausea and vomiting
• Stomach pain
• Confusion or lethargy