Signs and symptoms
Some common signs and symptoms of diabetes are:
- Tired all the time
- Always thirsty
- Sudden weight loss
- Blurry vision
- Always hungry
- Vaginal infections
- Numb or tingling hands or feet
- Wounds that won’t heal
- Urinating often
- Problems with sex
Sometimes people experience other diabetes symptoms.
Some risks for type 2 diabetes
Some risk factors for type 2 diabetes include:
- Over 45 years of age
- Lack of exercise
- Being overweight
- Having high blood pressure
- Having diabetes in the family
- Being a member of certain ethnic groups (for example, African American or Hispanic)
- Having had diabetes during a pregnancy, or giving birth to a baby who weighed more than 9 pounds
Only your doctor can diagnose diabetes
If you or someone you know has these signs of diabetes, ask the doctor to check for high blood sugar (also called hyperglycemia). It's easy, and it’s not expensive.
“I didn't feel a thing. I just went to the doctor because I kept getting these stupid female infections. She checked my blood, and the sugar was too high. That's how we found out that I had type 2 diabetes. ” — RG, age 38
