Diabetes Health Center

Type 2 Diabetes Overview

What Are the Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes?

Very often, people with type 2 diabetes will have no symptoms  When symptoms of type 2 diabetes occur, they can vary from person to person and may include:

• Increased thirst
• Increased hunger (especially after eating)
• Dry mouth
• Nausea and occasionally vomiting
• Frequent urination
• Fatigue (weak, tired feeling)
• Blurred vision
• Numbness or tingling of the hands or feet
• Frequent infections of the skin, urinary tract or vagina
• Sores that are slow to heal

Rarely, a person may be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes after presenting to the hospital in a diabetic coma.

For more detail, see WebMD's article Type 2 Diabetes Symptoms.

How Is Type 2 Diabetes Diagnosed?

To diagnose type 2 diabetes, your health care provider will first check for abnormalities in your blood (high blood glucose level) during a random fasting blood test or through a screening test known as the 2 hour glucose tolerance test. Or you may get a blood test called a hemoglobin A1C that reflects your average blood sugar for the past 2 to 3 days. In addition, he or she may look for glucose or ketone bodies in your urine.

For more detail, see WebMD's article Diagnosis of Diabetes.

Complications Associated With Type 2 Diabetes

If your type 2 diabetes isn't well controlled, there are a number of serious or life-threatening problems you may experience, including:

• Retinopathy . People with type 2 diabetes may already have abnormalities in the eyes related to the development of diabetes. Over time more and more people who initially do not have eye problems related to the disease will develop some form of eye problem. It is important to control not only sugars but blood pressure and cholesterol to prevent progression of eye disease. Fortunately, the vision loss isn't significant in most.
• Kidney damage . The risk of kidney disease increases over time, meaning the longer you have diabetes the greater your risk. This complication carries significant risk of serious kidney failure if not diagnosed and treated early.
• Poor blood circulation and nerve damage. Damage to the blood vessels can lead to increased risk of stroke and heart attack as well as peripheral artery disease. Damage to nerves and hardening of the arteries leads to decreased sensation and poor blood circulation in the feet. This can lead to increased infections and an increased risk of ulcers which heal poorly and can in turn significantly raises the risk of amputation. Damage to nerves may also lead to digestive problems, such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

For more detail, see WebMD's article Preventing Diabetes Complications.