Diabetes Health Center

Understanding Diabetes -- the Basics

What Are the Symptoms of Diabetes?

The symptoms of type 1 diabetes often occur suddenly and can be severe. They include:

• Increased thirst
• Increased hunger (especially after eating)
• Dry mouth
• Frequent urination
• Unexplained weight loss (even though you are eating and feel hungry)
• Fatigue (weak, tired feeling)
• Blurred vision

The symptoms of type 2 diabetes may be the same as those listed above. Most often, there are no symptoms or a very gradual development of the above symptoms. Other symptoms may include:

• Slow-healing sores or cuts
• Itching of the skin (usually in the vaginal or groin area)
• Yeast infections
• Recent weight gain
• Numbness or tingling of the hands and feet
• Impotence or erectile dysfunction

With gestational diabetes, there are often no symptoms. If you do have symptoms, they might include:

• Increased thirst
• Increased urination
• Increased hunger
• Blurred vision

Pregnancy causes most women to have to urinate more often and to feel hungrier, so having these symptoms does not always mean that you have gestational diabetes. But it is important to get tested, because high blood sugar can cause problems for both you and your baby.

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

How Is Diabetes Treated?

Diabetes can't be cured, but it can be treated and controlled. The goals of managing diabetes are to:

• Keep your blood sugar levels as close to goal as possible by balancing food intake with diabetes medication and physical activity.
• Maintain your blood cholesterol and triglyceride (lipid) levels as near their normal ranges as possible by decreasing the total amount of fat to 30% or less of your total daily calories and by reducing saturated fat and cholesterol. A medication may also be needed.
• Control your blood pressure. Your goal should be to keep your blood pressure below 130/80.

You hold the key to managing your diabetes. Work with your doctor to build a diabetes treatment plan that will guide you in:

• Planning what you eat and following a balanced meal plan
• Exercising regularly
• Taking medicine, if prescribed, and closely following the guidelines on how and when to take it
• Monitoring your blood glucose and blood pressure levels at home
• Keeping your appointments with your health care providers
• Getting lab tests when needed

Remember: What you do at home every day affects your blood sugar more than what your doctor can do every few months during your checkups.

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