Changes In Blood Sugar Levels
Diabetes affects the way the body regulates and uses blood sugar.
When a person eats, the body breaks down food into simple sugars, or glucose. In people with diabetes, the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, or the body does not use insulin effectively. Cells need insulin to absorb glucose from the blood.
If the cells do not take in enough glucose, it can build up in the blood. The cells need glucose to provide energy.
Fatigue and weakness might result when the cells do not get enough glucose. Diabetes medications, such as insulin or metformin, help more of this sugar to move into the cells and prevent it from building to harmful levels in the blood.
A potential side effect of diabetes medications is low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia.
Low blood sugar can also cause fatigue, especially in people who do not get enough warning that their blood sugars levels are dropping. A person can also feel fatigued after treatment of low blood sugar.
Check If You Have Type 2 Diabetes
Many people have type 2 diabetes without realising. This is because symptoms do not necessarily make you feel unwell.
Symptoms of type 2 diabetes include:
- peeing more than usual, particularly at night
- feeling thirsty all the time
- feeling very tired
- losing weight without trying to
- itching around your penis or vagina, or repeatedly getting thrush
- cuts or wounds taking longer to heal
- blurred vision
You’re more at risk of developing type 2 diabetes if you:
- are over 40
- have a close relative with diabetes
- are overweight or obese
- are of Asian, African-Caribbean or black African origin
Chronic Fatigue In Type 1 Diabetes: Highly Prevalent But Not Explained By Hyperglycemia Or Glucose Variability
Diabetes Care
Martine M. Goedendorp, Cees J. Tack, Elles Steggink, Lotte Bloot, Ellen Bazelmans, Hans Knoop Chronic Fatigue in Type 1 Diabetes: Highly Prevalent but Not Explained by Hyperglycemia or Glucose Variability. Diabetes Care 1 January 2014 37 : 7380.
Fatigue is a classical symptom of hyperglycemia, but the relationship between chronic fatigue and diabetes has not been systematically studied. We investigated prevalence, impact, and potential determinants of chronic fatigue in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus .
Out of 324 randomly selected T1DM outpatients, 214 participated in this cross-sectional observational study. Participants were compared with age- and sex-matched population-based controls. Chronic fatigue, functional impairments, current health status, comorbidity, diabetes-related factors, and fatigue-related cognitions and behaviors were assessed with questionnaires, and HbA1c values and comorbidity were assessed with medical records. Sixty-six patients underwent continuous glucose monitoring combined with an electronic fatigue diary for 5 days. Acute fatigue and four glucose parameters were determined: mean, variability, and relative time spent in hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia.
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Understand Who Is At Risk
While family history plays a role in the development of prediabetes and diabetes, it most commonly develops in people who are overweight or less active.
“Diabetes is extremely common in the United States. We think that probably has a lot to do with the skyrocketing prevalence of obesity,” says Katheryn Jadeed MD.
Gestational Diabetes Care In Florida
Consulting with an endocrinologist for medical assistance is crucial to managing gestational diabetes. For patients living near Miami Beach, make an appointment with Dr. Alexander Lurie, a renowned endocrinologist with years of experience in both clinical research and practice.
Whether you have gestational diabetes or another endocrinological condition, Dr. Lurie will develop an effective treatment plan for your condition. Call our office at 456-4840 or use our online form to set an appointment today.
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Early Signs And Symptoms Of Diabetes
1. Frequent urination
When your blood sugar is high, your kidneys expel the excess blood sugar, causing you to urinate more frequently. One of the early warning signs of diabetes is frequent urination that is urgent enough to wake you up to go to the bathroom during sleep.
2. Increased thirst
While your kidneys are working overtime and youre urinating more frequently, valuable fluids will be pulled from your tissues. Frequent urination will make you feel constantly thirsty.
3. Fatigue
When your blood sugar is high, your body works hard to get rid of the excess sugar. Not only does this process take a toll on your body, but it also alters the way that your body uses glucose for energy. Excessively high blood sugar, or hyperglycemia, has fatiguing effects among other symptoms. Additionally, the dehydration that accompanies more frequent urination is a common cause of fatigue in diabetics.
4. Blurred vision
High blood sugar can cause damage to the small blood vessels of the eye, resulting in a swollen lens that can cause blurred vision. As blood sugar levels rise and lower, your vision may return to normal or worsen, respectively.
5. Increased hunger
When you have high blood sugar, your body is actively looking to get rid of it. Because your body expels so much of the glucose you’re getting from your food, you may have increased feelings of hunger.
6. Unexplained weight loss
7. Slow healing cuts and wounds
8. Tingling or numbness in the hands or feet
9. Skin discoloration
Can Undiagnosed/uncontrolled Diabetes Cause Fatigue
Undiagnosed and uncontrolled diabetes can cause fatigue. Earlier in this article, reactive hypoglycemia was mentioned, which is when your body tries to make too much insulin to keep up with the sugar intake and causes a sugar crash. There are approximately 7 million people with undiagnosed diabetes in the world. Fatigue is the most common symptom of diabetes and hopefully leads to people seeing their doctors and being diagnosed to get control of their blood sugar.
Uncontrolled diabetes causes fatigue for many reasons that were also mentioned previously in this article. First of all, blood sugars that are either too high or too low do not deliver fuel to the cells for the body to operate. Secondly, complications that are caused by uncontrolled diabetes such as kidney disease and nerve damage also cause fatigue. The most important thing to do is to control blood sugar.
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Eating The Right Foods For You
When it comes to avoiding big blood sugar spikes and dips, there are some general guidelines you can follow.
However, to make sure youre eating the best foods for you, its important to understand your bodys unique metabolism. And your blood sugar levels are not the only thing involved in shaping it.
Your gut microbiome is the name for the trillions of bacteria and other microorganisms that live in your gut. It plays an important part in your overall health and how your body responds to food.
When the bad bugs in your gut microbiome outnumber the good, it can have a negative effect on how your body manages energy.
At ZOE, we run the largest study of nutrition and the gut microbiome in the world, with over 15,000 participants so far. Our data show that theres no one-size-fits-all approach to nutrition and that everyone responds differently to foods.
ZOEs at-home test helps you to understand your bodys responses to different foods by analyzing your blood sugar, blood fat, and your gut microbiome.
Based on your results, we give you personalized recommendations of the best foods for you.
Our unpublished research found that 82% of people who closely followed their personalized ZOE nutrition program said they had more energy.
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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What Are The Complications Of Type 2 Diabetes
Diabetes, if poorly controlled or left untreated, can lead to severe complications, which are as follows:
- It may affect different organs of the body especially, the heart, eye, kidney, and nerves.
- It may affect the eyes causing blindness in adults.
- It is a major contributor to end-stage kidney disease in the United States.
- It can lead to leg amputation.
- There is an increased rate of post-surgery pneumonia.
- The risk of stroke is higher.
- The death rate is higher among COVID-19 patients with an underlying diabetic condition.
Why Should You Choose Ucf To Help With Your Diabetes Needs
UCF Health Services are expansive and include the treatment of endocrine disorders. Regardless of the type of diabetes you may be experiencing, our expert doctors can help get you back to optimal health. While there is currently no cure for diabetes, Orlando Endocrinology Services have vast experience in caring for patients with diabetes or other endocrine disorders.
Endocrinology experts at UCF Health spend years studying the bodys delicate endocrine system. They have seen a variety of patients from all walks of life and work with a team of other knowledgeable medical professionals to ensure each patient receives robust, correct health care. Disorders of the pituitary gland are no joke and can severely affect ones quality of life.
To discuss insurance coverage or make an appointment, visit our patient portal today. We make it easy to get our patients the health care access they need.
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Low Or High Blood Sugar
Low blood sugar occurs when your blood glucose drops below your target range. This usually happens at less than 70 mg/dl, but everyones range is different. It is best to talk to your healthcare provider about what is healthy for you. Often, when you experience low blood sugar, you will need to take action to fix it quickly.
Adverse Effects Of Diabetes Medication
Certain medications that a person might use to treat the complications of diabetes and other health problems may also cause adverse effects that contribute to fatigue.
Medications that can lead to fatigue include the following :
Corticosteroids: A person with diabetes might need to take corticosteroids, such as prednisone, to treat the inflammation, pain, and discomfort that develop due to other conditions and diseases.
- Statins: A doctor might prescribe statins to reduce levels of low-density lipoprotein , or bad cholesterol, in the blood.
- Diuretics: People mainly use diuretics to treat high blood pressure. These lead people to pass more urine than they normally would.
- Diabetes sometimes increases urinary frequency, so this side effect can be particularly potent for people who have the condition.
- Beta blockers: Doctors recommend beta blockers for people who have high blood pressure and anxiety. However, their slowing effect on a persons heart rate might lead to chronic fatigue as an adverse effect.
Alongside the diabetes symptoms that contribute to fatigue, beta blockers can have particularly potent side effects in people who have diabetes.
Living with diabetes can often impact a persons mental and emotional health.
According to a 2016 study of 90,686 participants, people with diabetes may be around two to three times more likely to experience depression than people who do not have the condition.
- changes in sleeping patterns
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Differences Between Participants And Nonparticipants
There was no significant difference on the mean scores on the SFQ between participants and nonparticipants completing questionnaires. Nonparticipants, including nonresponders, did not differ significantly from participants on sex . Participants and nonparticipants did differ significantly from each other on age and HbA1c. Participants were older , participants had lower HbA1c values , and their latest HbA1c was measured more recently compared with nonparticipants. The mean age of nonparticipants was 43.6 years, mean HbA1c values were 8.6 , and HbA1c was measured 8 months previously .
How Is Hypoglycemia Treated
The treatment of hypoglycemia depends upon its cause. If you’re otherwise healthy and you notice occasional hypoglycemia-like symptoms, try eating a diet that’s lower in simple sugars and/or try cutting down on your caffeine intake. If this doesn’t make the symptoms go away, be sure to talk with your doctor.
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What Are The Causes Of Type 2 Diabetes
Diabetes is a chronic disease characterized by increased blood sugar level. Diabetes is caused by either insufficient insulin secretion or resistance to that hormones action.
Insulin is produced by the pancreas and helps process the glucose in the blood. Thus, with inadequate insulin, the bodies cant burn all the blood sugar for energy in an efficient way. This means the glucose level in the blood rises, causing a variety of symptoms and when severe may even lead to death.
An estimated 9.4% of the population in the United States were affected by diabetes in 2017, according to the report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
Factors that influence the development of type 2 diabetes include:
- Genetic factors
Most frequently, however, type 2 diabetes does not cause any symptoms for several years and may go unnoticed.
Who Gets Hypoglycemia
Almost all teens who take blood sugar-lowering medicine for diabetes get hypoglycemia from time to time. Insulin moves sugar out of the blood and into the body’s cells, where it’s used as a fuel. Someone with diabetes who takes too much insulin or doesn’t eat enough food to balance the effects of insulin may have a drop in blood sugar.
Hypoglycemia related to not eating rarely happens in teens and adults unless the starvation is severe, as in anorexia.
Poisoning or overdoses of some substances, such as alcohol, or certain drugs, like insulin or other diabetes medicines, can cause some otherwise healthy people to develop hypoglycemia. People with certain types of cancer or severe chronic illness also can get hypoglycemia. There are also rare genetic forms of hypoglycemia, but the symptoms are severe and almost always begin in infancy.
If hypoglycemia is so rare among people in their teen and adult years, why do a lot of people think they have it?
There are a couple of reasons. For one thing, the symptoms that happen with hypoglycemia overlap with those that people can have for many other reasons or no reason at all. It’s normal to feel very tired or weak, or have a headache periodically, especially if someone has had a stressful day or too little sleep. And drinking a lot of coffee, cola, or other caffeine-containing beverages can certainly make a person feel a bit shaky or jittery.
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Can Diabetes Be Cured
Diabetes can be well-controlled by controlling the symptoms, but it cannot be completely cured as it is a chronic disease. Hence, prevention is key.
- Lead a healthy lifestyle by reducing weight.
- Ensure a balanced diet with proper nutrition.
- Avoid junk food or extremely fatty foods.
- Exercise daily for 30-40 minutes.
- Limit the intake of alcohol and refrain from smoking tobacco.
- Increasing the intake of some essential minerals such as magnesium has shown to decrease the risk of diabetes.
- Monitor the blood sugar level from time to time.
- Be conscientious about your annual eye check-ups.
The Effects Of Fatigue In People With Diabetes
Fatigue was among the top four symptoms found to interfere with self-reported quality of life in women with type 2 diabetes who rated their health poorer than women without symptoms . In children with type 1 diabetes, self-reported fatigue was comparable to fatigue in children with cancer and significantly higher than in healthy, age-matched controls .
Such findings suggest that fatigue has far-reaching and serious consequences for patients with diabetes because it is largely a self-managed disease, requiring both physical and mental energy to accomplish the daily self-management tasks necessary for maintaining optimal health.
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Common Symptoms Of Type 2 Diabetes
- American Diabetes Association. Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes2009. Diabetes Care. 2009 32:S13-61.
- Becker G. Type 2 Diabetes: An Essential Guide for the newly Diagnosed. 2nd ed. New York, NY: Marlowe & Company 2007.
- McCulloch D. Patient information: Diabetes type 2: Overview. UpToDate Web site. January 30, 2009. Available at: http://www.uptodate.com/patients/content/topic.do?topicKey=~n0K0MIfI1iZs.& selectedTitle=5~150& source=search_result. Accessed April 20, 2009.
- McCulloch D. Patient information: Diabetes mellitus type 2: Overview. UpToDate Web site. December 4, 2008. Available at: http://www.uptodate.com/patients/content/topic.do?topicKey=~X0jjLnBn4._ko& selectedTitle=4~150& source=search_result. Accessed April 20, 2009.
When Should I Contact My Doctor
Your doctor should be contacted any time there is a change in the level of fatigue that you are experiencing. When you meet with your doctor, you should be honest about the blood sugar levels that you have been experiencing, as well as any other problems that you are having. Also, if you become very depressed or think about killing yourself, you should seek help from your doctor right away.
If you have experienced fatigue with diabetes, please share your story below. Others can benefit from hearing how you were able to reclaim your life.
References
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Sleep Disorders Causing Fatigue In Prediabetes
There is no doubt about it ongoing disruptive sleep is extremely bad for our health and causes chronic fatigue. Generally, we all need about 6-8 hours of sleep a night with less sleep needed as we get older. Quality of sleep is really important and if disrupted on a regular basis can cause all sorts of problems to our health. Examples of this are as a result of getting up to go to the toilet overnight for example with an enlarged prostate, depression or hypoglycaemia.
Obstructive sleep apnoea is thought to affect over 100 million people globally with 80% undiagnosed. It occurs when the airways are obstructed during sleep, preventing breathing for anything between 10-30 seconds at a time and can happen up to a whopping 400 times a night in severe cases.
The effects on health are numerous and not limited purely to fatigue with double the amount of hypertension and heart disease as well as depression and weight gain occurring as a result of chronic tiredness. It is more likely to occur in men as the neck width is thought to be an important factor if you are middle-aged or overweight. Bed partners of those with OSA also can suffer with fatigue losing up to an hour of sleep a night. If you think you may have sleep apnoea there are remedies available and it is important to talk to your doctor who can organize a screening test.