Symptoms
Get checked for diabetes if you notice any of these:
- Passing urine more often than usual
- Feeling very thirsty
- Feeling very hungry
Many people have no symptoms at all, so a test is the only way to be sure, especially if diabetes runs in your family.
How diabetes is diagnosed
Diabetes is diagnosed when any one of these is found:
- Symptoms of high sugar, and a random blood sugar of 200 mg/dl or more
- HbA1c of 6.5% or more
- Fasting blood sugar of 126 mg/dl or more, on two tests, preferably 7 days apart
- Blood sugar of 200 mg/dl or more, 2 hours after a 75 gram glucose drink
HbA1c and sugar tests are done in our clinic with a finger prick. See tests and prices.
Types of diabetes
- Type 1: The pancreas stops making insulin, usually early in life. Insulin is needed from the start.
- Type 2: The body does not respond well to insulin, and over time the pancreas makes less of it. Most often seen in adults. It is usually treated first with diet, exercise and weight control.
- Pre-diabetes: Blood sugar is higher than normal, but not high enough for diabetes. This is the best time to act and prevent diabetes.
- Gestational diabetes: Diabetes that starts during pregnancy in women who did not have it before.
- MODY: A rare type caused by a gene change that affects insulin production, usually in young people.
- LADA: A slow form of type 1 diabetes that starts in adults.
Can other conditions or medicines cause diabetes?
Yes. Infections, inflammation of the pancreas, thyroid problems, hormone imbalance and some medicines (such as steroids) can raise blood sugar.
How diabetes is managed
Management includes healthy eating, regular exercise, weight control, diabetes medicines, and treatment of related problems such as high cholesterol and high BP. Before and during treatment, we check how other parts of your body are working, and we choose tests based on your history and examination.
We offer a 14-day continuous glucose monitor that shows how your sugar moves through the day, and a personal diet plan.
When to see a doctor
- If you have any of the symptoms above, or a family history of diabetes
- If you have diabetes and your sugar readings are often high or often low
- If you have sores that do not heal, changes in vision or numb feet
Go to the nearest hospital at once if you feel very drowsy or confused, are vomiting, or are breathing fast, especially if you have diabetes.