Symptoms, Diagnosis & Monitoring Of Diabetes

Symptoms, Diagnosis & Monitoring of Diabetes

According to the latest American Heart Association's Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics, about 8 million people 18 years and older in the United States have type 2 diabetes and do not know it. Often type 1 diabetes remains undiagnosed until symptoms become severe and hospitalization is required. Left untreated, diabetes can cause a number of health complications. That's why it's so important to both know what warning signs to look for and to see a health care provider regularly for routine wellness screenings.
Symptoms
In incidences of prediabetes, there are no symptoms. People may not be aware that they have type 1 or type 2 diabetes because they have no symptoms or because the symptoms are so mild that they go unnoticed for quite some time. However, some individuals do experience warning signs, so it's important to be familiar with them.
Prediabetes
Type 1 Diabetes
Type 2 Diabetes
No symptoms
Increased or extreme thirst
Increased thirst
Increased appetite
Increased appetite
Increased fatigue
Fatigue
Increased or frequent urination
Increased urination, especially at night
Unusual weight loss
Weight loss
Blurred vision
Blurred vision
Fruity odor or breath
Sores that do not heal
In some cases, no symptoms
In some cases, no symptoms
If you have any of these symptoms, see your health care provider right away. Diabetes can only be diagnosed by your healthcare provider.
Who should be tested for prediabetes and diabetes?
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that you should be tested if you are:
If your blood glucose levels are in normal range, testing shou Continue reading

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Diabetes and Seizures: What Are They? What Are The Symptoms?

Having a seizure is a very serious thing. It is dangerous for the person experiencing it, and it is also scary for those nearby.
Seizures can be caused for several reasons. Some people have epilepsy, which is a disorder where seizures happen often. For those without epilepsy, they are often called “provoked seizures” because they were provoked, or brought on, by something reversible. Individuals with diabetes can experience these “provoked seizures” when their blood sugar drops too low.
The following article explains the difference in these, how to prevent them, and how to care for someone that is having a diabetic seizure.
The difference between epilepsy and seizures
Epilepsy is a seizure disorder that happens because there is an electrical storm in the brain. People have recurrent seizures that involve loss of consciousness, convulsions, abnormal behavior, disruption of senses, or all of the above. Some have an “aura” before having a seizure and know when it is going to happen. Most causes of epilepsy are unknown, however they can be triggered by flickering light, loud noises, or physical stimulation. Treatment for this condition includes medications and sometimes diet changes.
A “provoked seizure” happens because something abnormal is happening in the body. This can include low sodium, fever, alcohol, drugs, trauma, or low blood sugar. The same thing happens as with epilepsy, and there is unusual activity in the brain causing abnormal movements and behaviors. Unlike epilepsy though, where a seizure can happen for no reason, there is an actual cause for ea Continue reading

Fasting blood sugar: Normal levels and testing

Fasting blood sugar provides vital clues about how the body is managing blood sugar levels. Blood sugar tends to peak about an hour after eating, and declines after that.
High fasting blood sugar levels point to insulin resistance or diabetes. Abnormally low fasting blood sugar could be due to diabetes medications.
Knowing when to test and what to look for can help keep people with, or at risk of, diabetes healthy.
What are fasting blood sugar levels?
Following a meal, blood sugar levels rise, usually peaking about an hour after eating.
How much blood sugar rises by and the precise timing of the peak depends on diet. Large meals tend to trigger larger blood sugar rises. High-sugar carbohydrates, such as bread and sweetened snacks, also cause more significant blood sugar swings.
Normally, as blood sugar rises, the pancreas releases insulin. Insulin lowers blood sugar, breaking it down so that the body can use it for energy or store it for later.
However, people who have diabetes have difficulties with insulin in the following ways:
People with type 1 diabetes do not produce enough insulin because the body attacks insulin-producing cells.
People with type 2 diabetes do not respond well to insulin and, later, may not make enough insulin.
In both cases, the result is the same: elevated blood sugar levels and difficulties using sugar.
This means that fasting blood sugar depends on three factors:
the contents of the last meal
the size of the last meal
the body's ability to produce and respond to insulin
Blood sugar levels in between meals offer a window into how the body manages Continue reading

Diabetes and hypertension: What is the relationship?

Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, often affects people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
The American Diabetes Association reports that from 2000 to 2012, 71 percent of adults with diabetes had a blood pressure of greater or equal to 140/90 or were taking medications to help normalize blood pressure.
What are hypertension and diabetes
Many people with diabetes also have hypertension, or high blood pressure. Having these conditions together can make them both worse.
What is hypertension?
Known the "silent killer," hypertension usually has no signs or symptoms and many people are not aware they have it.
High blood pressure increases a person's risk of stroke and heart attack. It often occurs with diabetes.
Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) and can be assessed using a blood pressure monitor.
Two numbers will be produced. The first refers to the systolic blood pressure, or the highest level of the blood pressure during a heartbeat. The second, the diastolic blood pressure, points to the lowest level.
Any blood pressure reading of less than or equal to 119/79 is considered normal.
A reading between 120 and 139 for systolic pressure and between 80 and 89 for diastolic pressure is considered prehypertension. This is a sign of possible hypertension if a person does not take preventive steps.
A doctor will diagnose a reading of 140/90 mm Hg or higher as high blood pressure.
People can control hypertension with healthy lifestyle habits. These can include exercise and a low-fat, low-sodium diet. If necessary, a person with hypertension may redu Continue reading

Strike the Spike II

Dealing With High Blood Sugar After Meals
Eleven years ago, I wrote an article for Diabetes Self-Management about the management of high blood sugar after meals. It was called “Strike the Spike” and no article I’ve ever written has led to greater reader response. To this day, I still receive calls, letters, and e-mails thanking me for offering practical answers to this perplexing challenge. I’ve even been asked to speak on the topic at some major conferences. So when presented with the opportunity to readdress the issue, I jumped at the chance.
A lot has changed in the past eleven years: we know more than ever about the harmful effects of after-meal blood sugar spikes, but we also have a number of potent new tools and techniques for preventing them. Now that I know how important this topic is to so many people, I’ll do my absolute best to bring you up to date.
What’s a spike?
After-meal, or “postprandial,” spikes are temporary high blood glucose levels that occur soon after eating. It is normal for the level of glucose in the blood to rise a small amount after eating, even in people who do not have diabetes. However, if the rise is too high, it can affect your quality of life today and contribute to serious health problems down the road.
The reason blood glucose tends to spike after eating in many people with diabetes is a simple matter of timing. In a person who doesn’t have diabetes, eating foods containing carbohydrate causes two important reactions in the pancreas: the immediate release of insulin into the bloodstream, and the release of a hormone call Continue reading