Healthy Living: Diabetes Warning Signs1
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Could you have diabetes and not know it? It is possible. More than one-fourth of the people who have diabetes don't know they have the disease! This is a concern because if you have diabetes but are not getting treatment, you are at high risk for health complications, such as heart disease, kidney disease, blindness, and amputations.
Treating and managing diabetes greatly decreases the risk of these health problems. It also allows people with diabetes to have the energy to do things they enjoy.
All adults 45 years of age and older should be tested for diabetes. If you have one of the warning signs of high blood glucose, see your health care provider as soon as possible. Review the list of warning signs below and check any that you have experienced.
Warning Signs of High Blood Glucose
Constant thirst or hunger
Need to urinate often
Unexplained weight loss
Dry, itchy skin
Blurry vision
Numb or tingling hands or feet
Infections that take long to heal
Fatigue
If you checked any of the warning signs, contact your doctor right away. You may not have diabetes, but you need to be tested to find out for sure.
For more information about diabetes, call the American Diabetes Association at 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383). Reliable information is available online at these sites:
https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes
