Diabetes Is more Dangerous than you Think: Here’s why you shouldn’t Ignore the Early Signs - Dr Vyankatesh Shivane

Diabetes is called as a silent-killer as most of the times patient do not get any signs or symptoms. Further many patients with even high sugars like more than 250 mg/dl or even 300 mg/dl may not get any signs at times.

There has been misconception in diabetes patients that, if they do not have any signs or symptoms, they do not need worry about actual sugar values. It is to note here that the normal Fasting blood sugars should be less than 110 mg/dl and post lunch blood sugars should be less than 160 mg/dl ( near normal glycemia) with HbA1c should be < 7% ideally <6.5%.

There are few signs or symptoms which may alarming for diabetes patients and hence should not be neglected:

1. Getting up of urination in the night more frequently:

Many patients think that they drink more amount of water and hence they need to rush to bathroom many times. Is there has been sudden change in frequency to go to washrooms, better you check your blood sugars and work on it, if sugars are high.

It is a warning sign and you must meet your doctor. These may the symptoms of urine infection at times or may be a sign of Prostate enlargement in men.

2. Feeling lightheadness or getting black outs:

When the sugars are high diabetes patients feels lighheadness at times they get black outs. There are other reasons that diabetes patients may get similar symptoms like heart attack or paralysis or sudden rise in blood pressure. If a diabetes patient gets such symptoms, he must contact the health care provider/ doctor immediately.

3. Feeling of breathlessness:

This is such a vague symptom that most of us experience with strenuous exercises or unaccustomed physical activity. High sugars may cause dehydration and patient may feel fatigue and breathlessness. It is to note that, heart attack in uncontrolled diabetic patients may be silent; such patients do not get chest pain but patients feels breathlessness.

So it is advised not to neglect simple sign like breathlessness. High blood pressure do present with similar symptoms.

4. Sudden onset burning sensations in feet:

Feeling of severe burning sensations in the feet, electric current like feeing more in the night after sleeping with disturbed sleep are serious symptoms of diabetic painful neuropathy.

These are associated with high sugars and must not be neglected. Sometimes these symptoms may occur when high blood sugars drops acutely with high dose of diabetic medicines. This is referred as on-treatment neuropathy.

5. Cramps in the legs:

It is very common sign many of us do get after strenuous exercises, climbing stairs or running. However uncontrolled diabetes is associated with peripheral vascular diseases which may be a serious condition. Cramps after walking is common sign of the same. Such symptoms must not be neglected and should be pointed out to your doctor immediately.

6. Redness and pain of skin of legs:

These are early signs of bacterial infection of the leg named as cellulitis. This must taken very seriously else it may progress towards gangrene. Most of the diabetic patients encounter amputation of toes, foot because the neglect the early signs of infection of the foot.

7. Black spots in front of eyes and blurring vision:

Black spots moving in front of the eyes , blurring of vision or reduced vision are not always associated with a common conditions like cataract but may be due to retinal damage due to diabetes. Retinal detachment, vitreous hemorrhage and macular edema are critical conditions associated with poorly controlled diabetes and this needs immediate attention to the ophthalmologist.

8. Swelling on the legs:

There are many reasons of swelling on the legs in a diabetic patients. Uncontrolled blood pressure, heart failure, kidney failure, low hemoglobin, bone related problems, liver related issues are some serious conditions and should be discussed and evaluated with your doctor soon.

9. Increased sweating and bad dreams during sleep:

Sleep is state of sub-consciousness and most of the time we do not appreciate Elderly patients with diabetes very often get such symptoms. These may associated with hypoglycemia (low blood sugar than normal levels).

If anyone gets such symptoms like increased sweating during sleep or getting bas dreams or disturbed sleep, it is advised to check their blood sugars between 2 am to 4 am to rule out hypoglycemia. If confirmed, the dose reduction and adjustment is required

10. Other common signs:

Any diabetes patient experiences sudden change in weight, loss of appetite, increased mood swings, sudden onset disinterest in sexual activities, change in bowel habits, change in sensations of the feet and hands or any other vague symptoms, these should be taken seriously and needs urgent medical attention.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are of the author and not of Health Dialogues. The Editorial/Content team of Health Dialogues has not contributed to the writing/editing/packaging of this article.