The Center for Disease Control published a report in April of this year that examined long-term trends in diabetes. They were reviewing diagnoses in the United States from 1958 through 2015. In 1958, the prevalence of diabetes was 0.93% of the population or 1.58 million. By 2015 it had climbed to 7.4%. That means that in 2015, 23.4 million people had been diagnosed, compared to 1.6 million back in 1958. It’s interesting to note that the American Diabetes Association estimates that by 2012, nearly 10% of the U.S. population had diabetes. That equals 29.1 million Americans or 9.3%. What’s the difference in these two credible evaluations? Well, the American Diabetes Association estimated higher numbers because they were accounting for the 8.1 million who were still undiagnosed.
Think about that…..over eight million people had not yet been diagnosed by 2012. And the numbers are still climbing. How is it possible that so many can be walking around with diabetes and have no idea? Especially when we consider the severity of this disease. After all, the American Diabetes Association adds, “Diabetes remains the 7th leading cause of death in the United States in 2010, with 69,071 death certificates listing it as the underlying cause of death, and a total of 234,051 death certificates listing diabetes as an underlying or contributing cause of death.” Apparently, there are thousands of people out there who are not familiar with diabetes symptoms. So let’s try to fix that.
Type 1 & Type 2 Diabetes Symptoms
Some people have what is called prediabetes. That means you have high blood sugar, but not high enough to be considered type 2 diabetes. It should be a wake-up call though. Unfortunately, not everyone with this condition actually has any symptoms. Even those with type 2 diabetes do not always express symptoms on the front end. In fact, type 2 diabetes is the one we are most familiar with. While it can occur at any age, it’s more common in those over 40 years of age. And type 1, also known as juvenile diabetes, can also develop at any age, but is most common during childhood or adolescence.
Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes share the following symptoms provided by the Mayo Clinic:
- Increased thirst
- Frequent urination
- Extreme hunger
- Unexplained weight loss
- Presence of ketones in the urine (ketones are a byproduct of the breakdown of muscle and fat that happens when there’s not enough available insulin)
- Fatigue
- Irritability
- Blurred vision
- Slow-healing sores
- Frequent infections, such as gums or skin infections and vaginal infections
The Silent Disease
A woman diagnosed with diabetes as a teenager in the early 90s became an advocate for women who are diagnosed. She explains two reasons why this is often referred to as a silent disease: “1) Many people with Type 2 diabetes walk around with symptoms for many years, but are not diagnosed until they develop a complication of the disease, such as blindness, kidney disease, or heart disease; 2) There are no specific physical manifestations in individuals with diabetes. Therefore, unless a person chooses to disclose their disease, it is possible that friends and even family members may be unaware of a person’s diagnosis.”
Further Complications
When diabetes is left unchecked or simply undiagnosed, it will often lead to other severe complications. Understanding these may help those who are uncertain of their condition to identify that there is more than just one simple problem they are dealing with. The American Diabetes Association offers the following:
- Skin complications – infections or other skin disorders are common with patients who have diabetes
- Eye complications – greater risk of glaucoma, cataracts, and other eye problems
- Neuropathy – about half of all diabetes patients have nerve damage
- Foot complications – numbness of feet
- DKA (Ketoacidosis) & Ketones – can lead to diabetic coma
- Kidney disease – diabetes damages kidneys and can cause them to fail
- High blood pressure – raises your risk for heart attack, stroke, eye problems, and kidney disease
- Stroke – those with diabetes are 1.5 times more likely to have a stroke
- Hyperosmolar Hyperglycemic Nonketotic Syndrome (HHNS) – causes severe dehydration which, if unchecked, will lead to seizures, coma, and eventual death
- Gastroparesis – delays stomach in emptying contents causing further blood glucose problems and bacterial growth
Clearly, diabetes is nothing to mess around with. And it’s a scary thought that so many of us are walking around undiagnosed, completely unaware that there is a problem. It can be pretty easy to write off an inkling of a symptom as something else entirely. After all, the last thing on your mind when you are extremely tired or thirsty, for example, is diabetes. If diabetes runs in your family and/or if your lifestyle and diet are questionable, then it is strongly advised that you see your healthcare practitioner for routine check-ups. The faster diabetes is addressed, the easier it is to manage and mitigate the long-term effects and related conditions. Were you someone who had been dealing with diabetes for years before you knew it? Tell us your story.
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