Type 2 Diabetes: Symptoms

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Symptoms

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 spider webs (diabetic retinopathy).
Chest pain or shortness of breath. This may be a sign of heart or blood vessel problems.

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Last updated:	August 03, 2007
Author:	Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS
Reviewed By:	Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine, Matthew I. Kim, MD - Endocrinology & Metabolism
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Pat Truman

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