At first, your blood sugar level may rise so slowly that you may not know that anything is wrong. One-third of all people who have diabetes do not know that they have the disease.1
If you do have symptoms of type 2 diabetes, they may include:
- Feeling thirsty.
- Having to urinate more than usual.
- Feeling more hungry than usual.
- Losing weight without trying to.
- Feeling very tired.
- Feeling cranky.
Other signs of type 2 diabetes may include:
- Infections and cuts and bruises that heal slowly.
- Blurred vision.
- Tingling or numbness in your hands or feet.
- Trouble with skin, gum, or bladder infections.
- Vaginal yeast infections.
Some people have already developed more serious health problems by the time they are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Over time, diabetes can lead to problems with the eyes, kidneys, heart, blood vessels, and nerves. Signs of these problems may include:
- Numbness, tingling, burning pain, or swelling in your feet or hands (diabetic neuropathy).
- Blurred or distorted vision or seeing flashes of light; seeing large, floating red or black spots; or seeing large areas that look like floating hair, cotton fibers, or spiderwebs (diabetic retinopathy).
- Chest pain or shortness of breath. This may be a sign of heart or blood vessel problems.
Last Updated:
August 3, 2007