Is Dizziness A Symptom Of Diabetes

How Is Diabetes Diagnosed

Diabetes is diagnosed with the following tests:;

• A1C test;

• Dopamine receptor agonists such as bromocriptine
• Bile acid sequestrants such as colesevelam
• SGLT2 inhibitors such as dapagliflozin , canagliflozin , empagliflozin , and ertugliflozin
• GLP-1 receptor agonists such as lixisenatide , exenatide , semaglutide , albiglutide , dulaglutide , and liraglutide
• Amylin analog such as pramlintide acetate
• Combination medicines, which may be made up of more than one medication in the above classes

If lifestyle changes and medications are insufficient, other treatments for diabetes may include:;

• Weight-loss surgery for certain patients who are obese
• Artificial pancreas;

Slurred Speech And Clumsiness

Your sugar-starved brain may change the way you sound. Slurred speech is a common symptom associated with blood sugar levels that drop below 40 mg/dL, according to University of Michigan Health Systems. Combined with clumsiness another sign of low blood sugar ;you may seem as though you’ve had a few too many cocktails, even if you haven’t touched a drop, according to the National Health Service.

For more on managing low blood sugar, check out Diabetes Daily’s article “How to Treat Lows Without Sabotaging Your Diet!“

Faq: Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most common symptoms of type 1 diabetes?;

Regardless of age, the most common symptoms of T1D are excessive thirst, fatigue, headache, and frequent urination.Why do people with type 1 diabetes urinate so often?

When sugar accumulates in a persons bloodstream, their body acts quickly to get rid of it by making extra urine. Excess glucose also triggers thirst signals in the brain, which results in drinking more and having to go to the bathroom more as well.

Why are type 1 diabetes symptoms different in children and adults?For reasons that still arent totally clear, the onset of T1D is much slower in adults, often taking months for symptoms to fully manifest, whereas in children, it may only take days. High blood-sugar levels are present for longer in the bloodstream of adults, meaning that there is more opportunity for long-term damage to organs and bodily systems. For instance, untreated high blood-sugar over several months time can lead to nerve and kidney damage, which is a complication often found in adults who have recently received a type 1 diabetes diagnosis, but hardly ever in children.What happens if type 1 diabetes is left untreated?T1D symptoms, if left untreated, can lead to complications such as eye damage, kidney damage, nerve damage, heart disease, and osteoporosis. Luckily, by working with your endocrinologist to manage your blood sugar, you can avoid all of them.

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How To Tell If You Or Your Child Has Type 1 Diabetes

With;Ilana Halperin MD and;Elena Christofides;MD;

Type 1 diabetes is a permanent condition. That means youll likely have to deal with symptoms at least a few times in your life, no matter how diligently you monitor your blood sugar. Were here to empower you with clear answers to all your pressing Qs.

How Can I Prevent Hypoglycemic Episodes

The key to preventing hypoglycemic events is managing diabetes:

• Follow your healthcare providers instructions about food and exercise.
• Track your blood sugar regularly, including before and after meals, before and after exercise and before bed.
• Take all your medications exactly as prescribed.
• When you do have a hypoglycemic event, write it down. Include details such as the time, what you ate recently, whether you exercised, the symptoms and your glucose level.

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Heart Conditions Which Cause Dizziness

The heart is an electrical pump and for it to work, the electrical conduction system must be operating properly to stimulate the heart muscle to squeeze in a coordinated fashion and pump blood to the body. The heart muscle itself must be strong enough to pump blood, and the valves in the heart must work properly to allow blood to flow in the direction intended during contraction.

• Conduction disturbances: Electrical conduction disturbances may make the heart beat too quickly or too slowly , and either of these situations may result in an inadequate blood supply to the brain, causing dizziness or lightheadedness.
• Cardiomyopathy: Dizziness is also a symptom of cardiomyopathy , a disease of the heart muscle, resulting in muscle that doesn’t squeeze effectively. Most commonly the weakness is due to atheroscleroticheart disease or ischemic cardiomyopathy , in which the heart muscle itself doesn’t get enough blood supply to work properly. Other non-ischemic cardiomyopathies may be due to diabetes, alcohol use, and viral infections.

High Blood Sugar Causes Fatigue

Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of high blood sugar. In people with diabetes, it is referred to as diabetes fatigue. Many people with the condition feel tired all the time regardless of how well they sleep, how healthily they eat, or how much they exercise on a regular basis. Research has shown that up to 61% of people who are recently diagnosed with the condition experience fatigue. However, fatigue doesnt just occur in those with diabetes. It can also happen in people with normal or prediabetic blood sugar levels if they experience a sudden spike in their blood sugar.

When the body experiences a spike in blood sugar levels, it goes into overdrive trying to create enough insulin to balance it out. If there isnt enough insulin or the body isnt responding to the insulin as it should, your body will start to pull from fat to create the energy it needs. When this happens, energy is used from the splitting of a molecule known as adenosine triphosphate, or ATP. When ATP expels one of its three phosphates for energy, it turns into another molecule known as adenosine diphosphate, or ADP. If there are no energy sources to pull from, the ATP cannot regain the phosphate it gave away, leading to fatigue.

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How Can I Beat/reduce Fatigue With Diabetes And Regain My Energy

There are many ways to reduce fatigue with diabetes and regain energy. The most important thing that you can do is to control your blood sugar. This limits complications and also provides your body with the fuel that it needs to operate. You can also eat smart and exercise. Exercise actually decreases fatigue up to 65%. By taking care of yourself, you can decrease fatigue and increase quality of life.

You shouldnt make any changes to your diet, insulin, or exercise regimen without talking to your doctor. First off, your doctor needs to be consulted and you need to talk with him about the following things:

• Can my fatigue be caused by another disease? This rules out all other reasons for your fatigue so you can focus on the main cause.
• Are any of the side effects from my medications causing the fatigue?
• Is it a good idea for me to start taking supplements such as Vitamin D, Vitamin B, Calcium, Chromium, Ginseng, Coenzymes, or Magnesium?
• Is my thyroid okay?
• What kind of exercises would be best for me?
• How can I better control my blood sugar to decrease fatigue?
• What is a healthy weight for me to be?

Eating too many carbohydrates can cause you to feel drowsy. You should also schedule an appointment to talk with your dietitian or nutritionist to discuss the following things:

• Would juicing be okay for me?
• Am I eating too many carbs?
• How can I improve my diet to decrease my fatigue?

Other things that you can do to decrease fatigue include:

What Are The Complications Of Low Blood Glucose

Mild-to-moderate low blood glucose can be easily treated. But severely low blood glucose can cause serious complications, including passing out, coma, or death.

Repeated episodes of low blood glucose can lead to

• high blood glucose levels, if worry or fear of low blood glucose keeps you from taking the medicines you need to manage your diabetes8
• hypoglycemia unawareness, a condition in which you dont notice any symptoms of low blood glucose until your blood glucose level has dropped very low

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Complications Of Type 2 Diabetes

Itâs important to get your blood sugar under control to avoid these serious conditions:

• Hypoglycemia. If your blood sugar falls below 70 milligrams per deciliter , it can lead to accidents, coma, and death.
• Hyperglycemia. Blood sugar that goes above 180 to 200 mg/dL can give you heart, nerve, kidney, and vision problems. Over the long term, it also can cause coma and death.

Over time, people with type 2 diabetes may have other health problems:

• Diabetic ketoacidosis. When you donât have enough insulin in your system, your blood sugar rises, and your body breaks down fat for energy. Toxic acids called ketones build up and spill into your urine. It can cause coma and death if you donât treat it.
• Heartand blood vessel diseases. People with diabetes are more likely to have conditions like high blood pressure and high cholesterol, which play a role in heart disease. Also, high blood sugar can damage your blood vessels and the nerves that control your heart.
• High blood pressure. Diabetes doubles your risk of high blood pressure, which makes you more likely to have heart disease or stroke.
• Nerve damage . This can cause tingling and numbness, most often in your feet and legs. But it can also affect your digestive system, urinary tract, blood vessels, and heart.
• Eyedamage. Diabetes can cause:
• Glaucoma, a buildup of pressure in your eyes
• Cataracts, a cloudiness of your lens
• Retinopathy, which is damage to the blood vessels in your eyes

What Causes A Low Blood Sugar Level

In people with diabetes, the main causes of a low blood sugar level are:

• the effects of medicine especially taking too much insulin, medicines called sulfonylureas , medicines called glinides , or some antiviral medicines to treat hepatitis C
• skipping or delaying a meal
• not eating enough carbohydrate foods in your last meal, such as bread, cereals, pasta, potatoes and fruit
• exercise, especially if itâs intense or unplanned
• drinking alcohol

Sometimes thereâs no obvious reason why a low blood sugar level happens.

Very occasionally, it can happen in people who do not have diabetes.

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Questions To Ask Your Doctor

• Ive never been diagnosed with diabetes, but I have many of the symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis. Do I have diabetes?
• Im having a hard time controlling my blood sugar levels. Am I at risk of diabetic ketoacidosis?
• Will;diet;and exercise help me to avoid diabetic ketoacidosis?
• If I notice Im having symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis, what should I do first?
• Is it safe for me to exercise?
• How often should I check my blood sugar level if Im sick?
• What is the best way for me to check the ketone level in my body?
• I missed a dose of insulin. Should I start testing my blood sugar level and ketone level right away?

What Are Severe Complications Of Type 1 Diabetes

Nerve damage. High blood-sugar levels over a long period of time can actually cause your blood to thicken. When this happens, the; blood has a harder time moving through your blood vessels and restricts the amount of oxygen and nutrients that can be supplied to your nerves. If left untreated, this can lead to a complication called neuropathy, or nerve damage. Nerve damage, in turn, can cause certain areas of your body to permanently lose sensation. It most commonly affects hands and feet.

Kidney damage. Thickened blood is harder to move through your body and can damage the delicate vessels inside of your kidneys. Over time, the blood vessels in your kidneys can narrow and clog, limiting their function. Because high blood sugar can damage nerves as well, people with type 1 diabetes may not be able to feel nerve signals when their bladder is full. An overfull bladder puts pressure on the kidneys and can damage them even further.

Remember, all of these symptoms and complications can be prevented if you work with your endocrinologist on a blood sugar management plan and system that works for you.;Every symptom on this list can absolutely be stopped before it progresses. There is no reason a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes has to lead to anything other than an advanced awareness and understanding of how your body reacts to sugar and what to do to keep it in check when things start to get out of whack.

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When Do People First Experience Symptoms Of Type 1 Diabetes

The majority of people with T1D first experience symptoms in childhood, typically between the ages of 4 and 14. A small number, however, develop symptoms in infancy or toddlerhood.

An even smaller subset of people with type 1 diabetes will be diagnosed as adults, after the age of 20. The onset of type 1 diabetes is slower in adults, so they might experience mild symptoms for a longer period of time before diagnosis than children typically do.

Type 1 diabetes symptoms in children look similar to the symptoms in toddlers and babies, with a few notable differences. Mood swings and irritability, for example, can affect anyone with T1D, but this common symptom might be mistaken for an ordinary temper tantrum in preverbal toddlers, or as colic in younger babies.

Type 1 diabetes symptoms in babies and toddlers include weight loss and stunted growth a condition known as failure to thrive which is rare in adults. Failure to thrive might be the only noticeable symptom of T1D in a baby or toddler, since older children can clue parents in to symptoms such as increased urination or blurred vision.

One important thing we need to point out is that type 1 diabetes is often associated with children, but it happens to adults as well, Dr. Christofides says. Adult-onset, or late-onset type 1 diabetes symptoms look slightly different and can be harder to recognize and diagnose as a result.

What Are Early Signs Of Diabetes

Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes can generate different physical symptoms. However, those afflicted with either type may experience these common occurrences:;

Be on the lookout for any of these symptoms of type 1 or 2 diabetes and dont hesitate to consult with a healthcare professional. When left unattended, certain symptoms of diabetes can cause lifelong issues, even when type 1 or type 2 diabetes gets under control.;

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Ask Your Doctor How Often You Should Be Checking Your Blood Sugar

Blood sugar control is crucial when youre living with type 2 diabetes. Dips and spikes can not only make you feel cranky and sluggish, but they can also wreak havoc on your personal health.

The most serious effects of blood sugar swings are a higher risk for diabetes-related health complications such as stroke, heart disease, and nerve damage .

For the record, the;American Diabetes Association notes that you have diabetes if one of the following applies to you:

• Your blood glucose after fasting is 126 milligrams per deciliter or higher.
• Your blood glucose two hours after eating a meal is 200 mg/dl or higher.
• Your hemoglobin A1C is 6.5 or higher.

The tricky part is that with type 2 diabetes you may not feel it when blood sugar levels are too high, according to the ADA. It feels different for everyone. Not everyone will have the same symptoms, and some individuals will have no symptoms at all, says;Lori Zanini, RD, CDE, a Los Angelesbased former spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

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How Do I Treat An Episode Of Hypoglycemia

The American Diabetes Association recommends the 15-15 rule for an episode of hypoglycemia:

• Eat or drink 15 grams of carbs to raise your blood sugar.
• After 15 minutes, check your blood sugar.
• If its still below 70 mg/dL, have another 15 grams of carbs.
• Repeat until your blood sugar is at least 70 mg/dL.

If you have symptoms of hypoglycemia but cant test your blood sugar, use the 15-15 rule until you feel better.

Note: Children need fewer grams of carbs. Check with your healthcare provider.

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What Is Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes, sometimes known as juvenile diabetes, is a chronic autoimmune condition in which your pancreas loses the ability to produce insulin. It can be triggered by a virus, such as the common cold or flu, and there is evidence that it has a genetic component as well.

Following a viral infection, your body can sometimes malfunction and respond by attacking its own cells. This process is known as an autoimmune response. In type 1 diabetes, your bodys immune system specifically attacks cells in your pancreas called beta cells, which produce the hormone insulin. In that case, damaged beta cells mean your body either stops producing enough insulin, or it cant produce insulin at all.

What Causes Diabetic Ketoacidosis

The main cause of DKA is not enough insulin. A lack of insulin means sugar cant get into your cells. Your cells need sugar for energy. This lack of insulin causes your bodys glucose levels to rise. To get energy, your body starts to burn fat. This process causes ketones to build up. Ketones can poison the body.

High blood glucose levels can also cause you to urinate often. This leads to a lack of fluids in the body .

DKA can be caused by missing an insulin dose, eating poorly, or feeling stressed. An infection or other illness can also lead to DKA. If you have signs of infection , contact your doctor. You will want to make sure you are getting the right treatment. For some people, DKA may be the first sign they have diabetes.

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