Can You Be Diabetic And Not Know

How Is Diabetes Diagnosed

Many people get tested for diabetes because they develop symptoms that are potential early warning signs.

For example, people with type 1 diabetes may experience unintentional weight loss or develop flu-like symptoms. People with type 2 diabetes may experience extreme thirst or frequent urination.

You may experience one or more of the warning signs associated with diabetes. If you do, its important to contact your doctor for an appointment.

You may also discover a diabetes diagnosis after visiting your doctor for another condition or for routine blood work.

If you make an appointment with your doctor due to diabetes warning signs, they will want to know:

• your symptoms

Your doctor will ask you questions about your symptoms and will likely run some blood tests.

There are several tests that can diagnose diabetes. These include:

• A1C: This test shows what your blood glucose level has averaged for the last 2 or 3 months. This does not require you to fast or drink anything.
• Fasting plasma glucose : You will need to fast for at least 8 hours before this test is done.
• Oral glucose tolerance : This test takes 2 to 3 hours. Your blood glucose levels are tested initially and then repeated at intervals for 2 hours after youve consumed a specific sweet drink.
• Random plasma glucose test: You can have this test done any time and do not need to be fasting.

Can You Have Prediabetes And Not Know It

While you have probably heard of diabetes, you may not be as familiar with the medical condition known as prediabetes. A person is said to have prediabetes when their blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Even though its estimated that more than 1 out of every 3 adults in the US has prediabetes, 90% of them dont know it.

Studies have shown that most people with prediabetes develop type 2 diabetes within 10 years unless they take steps toward a healthier lifestyle. And having type 2 diabetes can lead to a number of serious health problems, including kidney failure, blindness, and damage to nerves that can result in amputation of a toe, foot, or leg. Learn more about prediabetes, its risk factors, and the steps you can take to help prevent it.

What Are The Warning Signs Of Prediabetes

You could have prediabetes, but you may not know it. More than one in three adults in the United States have prediabetes.

Prediabetes typically occurs without showing any symptoms or warning signs. However, it helps to know if you do have prediabetes so you can stop it in its tracks. That means you can avoid developing Type 2 diabetes, a more dangerous disease that causes other serious health issues.

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Rare Until It Happens To You: Kycies Story

Kycie Terry, the second youngest of six children, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes on January 30th, 2015 while in DKA .

Where her story differs from many who live with undiagnosed Type 1 and go into DKA is that she ultimately experienced cerebral edema, a condition where fluid builds up around the brain, causing pressure and swelling. This complication was occurring unbeknownst to the healthcare providers treating her at the time, wreaking havoc on Kycies brain and nervous system as she slept in her ER room bed.

Less than 1% of pediatric patients in DKA experience cerebral edema, making it rare, though this statistic was of little comfort to the Terry family. As her father Josh put it, Its always rare until it happens to you. Read Kycies story here.

Can Diabetes Be Prevented

Type 1 diabetes cant be prevented.

You may be able to reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by managing your weight, staying active, and following a healthy diet. However, genetics and other risk factors may increase your risk despite your best efforts.

If you have any risk factors for diabetes, its important to get regular checkups with your doctor or healthcare professional. This will help prevent diabetes from progressing and causing other serious health complications.

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Financial Support And Benefits

Some people with diabetes may be eligible to receive disability benefits and incapacity benefits, depending on the impact the condition has on their life.

The main groups likely to qualify for welfare benefits are children, elderly people, people with learning disabilities or mental health problems, and those with complications of diabetes.

People over 65 who are severely disabled, may qualify for a type of disability benefit called Attendance Allowance.

Carers may also be entitled to some benefit too, depending on their involvement in caring for the person with diabetes.

Staff at your local Citizens Advice Bureau can check whether you’re getting all of the benefits you’re entitled to. Both they and your diabetes specialist nurse should also be able to give you advice about filling in the forms.

GOV.uk has more information about benefits, and the Diabetes UK website has further advice about the Disability Living Allowance .

What Is The Connection Between Obesity And Diabetes According To Ayurveda

Ayurveda states that there is a strong connection between obesity and diabetes because most people who are overweight also suffer from insulin resistance which can lead to Type 2 Diabetes.

This is because weight gain forces the body to create more and more insulin until the pancreas can no longer function.

However, weight gain is not the only factor that has been linked to insulin resistance and Type 2 Diabetes because stress, lack of exercise and heredity also play a role.

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Causes Of Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition, where the immune system mistakes the cells in your pancreas as harmful and attacks them.

Without insulin, your body will break down its own fat and muscle, resulting in weight loss. This can lead to a serious short-term condition called diabetic ketoacidosis. This is when the bloodstream becomes acidic, you develop dangerous levels of ketones in your blood stream and become severely dehydrated.

This results in the body being unable to produce insulin, which is required to move glucose out of the blood and into your cells to be used for energy. This is called Type 1 diabetes.

Read more about the causes of type 1 diabetes

Random Plasma Glucose Test

The RPG test measures your blood sugar level at any point in time. You dont need to be fasting for this test. A blood sugar that measures 200 mg/dL or greater usually indicates diabetes.

These tests can also be used as screening tools to assess your risk for diabetes, which is referred to as prediabetes. Unlike diabetes, prediabetes is curable. Making lifestyle changes, including eating better, getting regular exercise, and losing weight, may help prevent your prediabetes from turning into diabetes.

Diabetes is a chronic health condition, but we can help you gain control over your blood sugar so it doesnt lead to other complications. But we cant help you if you dont know you have diabetes. To get tested, give us a call at 706-534-6566 or use our online tool to request an appointment whenever youre ready. We cant wait to talk with you about all the benefits of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy.

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Why Do Some People Get Type 1 Diabetes

No one knows for sure why some people get type 1 diabetes. Doctors and scientists think a persons genes make them more likely to get it. But just having the genes for diabetes probably isn’t enough. Its likely that something else needs to happen. Scientists are studying if other things like some viral infections, a persons birth weight, or their diet might make someone who already has the genes for type 1 diabetes more likely to get it.

Type 1 diabetes cant be prevented, and can happen in people of any age.

How Is Type 1 Diabetes Diagnosed

Doctors use a blood test that measures the amount of sugar in the blood. High blood sugars show that a child has diabetes. Then, the doctor will do more blood tests to find out what type it is.

Kids with type 1 diabetes often go to a pediatric endocrinologist. This kind of doctor finds and treats problems affecting hormones, like diabetes.

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Early Signs Of Diabetes

Both types of diabetes have some of the same telltale warning signs.

• Hunger and fatigue. Your body converts the food you eat into glucose that your cells use for energy. But your cells need insulin to take in glucose. If your body doesn’t make enough or any insulin, or if your cells resist the insulin your body makes, the glucose can’t get into them and you have no energy. This can make you hungrier and more tired than usual.
• Peeing more often and being thirstier. The average person usually has to pee between four and seven times in 24 hours, but people with diabetes may go a lot more. Why? Normally, your body reabsorbs glucose as it passes through your kidneys. But when diabetes pushes your blood sugar up, your kidneys may not be able to bring it all back in. This causes the body to make more urine, and that takes fluids. The result: You’ll have to go more often. You might pee out more, too. Because you’re peeing so much, you can get very thirsty. When you drink more, you’ll also pee more.
• Dry mouth and itchy skin. Because your body is using fluids to make pee, there’s less moisture for other things. You could get dehydrated, and your mouth may feel dry. Dry skin can make you itchy.
• Blurred vision. Changing fluid levels in your body could make the lenses in your eyes swell up. They change shape and canââ¬â¢t focus.

Q: What Isthe Best Way To Avoid Becoming Type 2 Diabetic

A: The best way to avoid developing type 2 diabetes is through eating a healthy, low-carb, well-balanced diet. Fats are okay, but make sure that they are good, natural fats. To keep it simple, avoid all processed food , fast-food, junk food, soda, or sugary foods. Try to eat whole foods whenever possible.

If you would like to schedule an appointment with Sheryl Bingham, please click here or call 397-6150.

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Can You Have Diabetes And Not Know It

It was only a century ago that insulin was discovered by a team of scientists at the University of Toronto.

In the ten decades since, their scientific breakthrough has helped save millions of lives as a treatment for diabetes, one of the most prevalent diseases in the world: the International Diabetes Federation estimates 1 in 10 adults over 500 million people are living with diabetes right now. IDF analysts believe as many as half of them are undiagnosed.

In diabetics, insulin production by the pancreas or utilization by the body is disrupted. Insulin helps manage how the body draws sugar from the bloodstream and distributes it to the cells. If sugar builds up in the blood, it causes a wide range of health problems: damage to the heart and blood vessels, eyes, kidneys, nerves, gastrointestinal tract, even gums and teeth.

In Type 1 diabetes, the pancreas produces little or no insulin and is commonly an autoimmune disorder that people are born with. In Type 2 diabetes, the body produces insulin, but later in life no longer recognizes it adequately.

That process is called insulin resistance, and can occur in pregnant women when the placenta produces hormones that interfere with the mother’s insulin. Such “gestational diabetes” can lead to complications for mother and baby if not managed, but rarely lasts after delivery. Gestational diabetes can be a risk factor for the development of Type 2 diabetes.

No Matter Where You Are In Your Fight Heres Where You Need To Be

Whether youve been newly diagnosed, have been fighting against type 1 or type 2 diabetes for a while, or are helping a loved one, youve come to the right place. This is the start of gaining a deeper understanding of how you can live a healthier lifewith all the tools, health tips, and food ideas you need. Wherever youre at with your diabetes, know that you have options and that you dont have to be held back. You can still live your best life. All you have to do is take action and stick with it.

New to diabetes? Learn how diabetes is diagnosed.

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Which Exercise Is Best For A Diabetic According To Ayurveda

Ayurveda recommends that diabetics should not over-exercise as this can cause fatigue and tiredness and affect insulin production. However, it does recommend that you exercise at least three times a week.

If you suffer from type 2 diabetes then Ayurvedic medicine recommends that you walk for at least half an hour every day.

This is because walking increases your circulation and strengthens the heart which in turn helps to lower blood pressure.

If you are suffering from type 1 diabetes then Ayurveda recommends that you should do some light exercise but nothing too strenuous as this will deplete sugar and deplete the immune system.

Questions To Ask Your Doctor

• How did I get diabetes?
• If I have diabetes, will my children develop it, too?
• Will I need to take insulin?
• If I dont have a family history of diabetes, can I still get it?
• Can your diabetes get worse even if you do everything right?
• Can I prevent gestational diabetes?
• If I had gestational diabetes while pregnant, will I get type 2 diabetes later?
• Will the babies of a mom with gestational diabetes develop diabetes?
• How can I tell the difference between Charcot foot and gout in my foot?

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Can You Have Neuropathy Without Having Diabetes

Answering this question is quite easy.

Yes, you can have neuropathy without having diabetes. In fact, the list of potential causes is very long. Diabetes is the most common cause, however, because it can cause serious damage to the nerves in the bodys extremities, especially the feet and hands. In fact, the condition many people talk about is called peripheral neuropathy.

The word peripheral refers to the edges of the body, such as feet, lower legs, hands and wrists. Diabetes is one cause, along with alcoholism, deficiency in vitamin B12, thyroid problems, protein disorders, kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, poisoning from heavy metals or other toxins, diseases of the autoimmune system etc.

Can Diabetics Donate Plasma

People with diabetes usually have higher blood sugar levels and use oral diabetes medications or insulin injections to balance them. But can being a diabetic exempt you from donating plasma? Some reasons to donate plasma could be to:

According to the National Institutes of Health, diabetics can also participate in the plasma donation process without hindering their ability to save a life. However, the study adds that the diabetic condition should be under control, and the donor must be well.

So, can people with diabetes donate plasma, and how can DoNotPay help? Read on to find out more.

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Heres A Top Tip To Take Home

No type 1 diabetics are psychic. Well, some are, but we’ll talk about that another day. Anyhow weve all been there, giving a pre-bolus when the food is about to come out, only for it to take another 20 minutes, only to get some very bad news from our Dexcom.

When you order your food, tell the waiter you are diabetic and ask for a 5-minute warning on when the food is coming. You can also ask for a list of the nutritional ingredients, or if this information is available on their website, so that you can more accurately pre-bolus. If this information is not available, choose the dish you want, and ask them to check the packaging in the kitchen.

Youll be surprised how many people will do this to help you.

Charlie Cawsey

How Is Type 1 Diabetes Treated

Type 1 diabetes needs lifelong treatment because there is no cure yet. Doctors treat type 1 diabetes using a diabetes care plan. The care plan tells you and your child the things to do every day to help keep blood sugar levels in a healthy range.

Each childs diabetes care plan is made just for them. But all plans have the same 4 basic parts:

• take insulin
• eat a healthy, balanced diet that includes counting carbohydrates
• check blood sugar levels at least 4 times a day
• get regular physical activity

Following the diabetes care plan helps kids stay healthy, now and into the future.

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