What are the symptoms of Diabetes?

What are the symptoms of Diabetes?

The main symptoms of untreated diabetes are increased thirst, passing water frequently – especially at night, extreme tiredness, weight loss despite a good appetite, genital itching or frequent episodes of thrush, and blurred vision. These symptoms may be gradual in onset and therefore pass unnoticed for months or even years.

Many patients with undiagnosed diabetes have no symptoms whatsoever and are picked up during a routine health check where a sample of urine is tested or a blood sample is drawn for glucose estimation. Type 2 diabetes typically develops slowly and the symptoms of tiredness and weight loss are often dismissed as to to 'growing old' or overwork. It is thought that as many as one million people in the UK may have undiagnosed diabetes. Type 1 diabetes in contrast develops rapidly with weight loss and marked symptoms of thirst.