Symptoms and Complications
Although some people have no symptoms, most people with type 1 diabetes have the following signs and symptoms of hyperglycemia (high blood sugar):
- blurred vision
- decreased mental sharpness
- extreme thirst and hunger
- feeling tired (fatigue)
- frequent need to urinate
- frequent skin infections, urinary tract infections or vaginitis (infections of the vagina)
- weight loss despite having an increased appetite
- slow-healing wounds
In some cases, emergency symptoms of very high blood sugar may develop. They include:
- confusion
- fast breathing
- fruity-smelling breath (a sign of diabetic ketoacidosis)
- loss of coordination
- pain in the abdomen
- shaking
- slurred speech
- unconsciousness
- nausea
- vomiting
- fast heartbeat
It's absolutely critical to get immediate emergency medical attention if any of the above emergency symptoms develop. Make sure you get to a hospital right away.
There are short- and long-term complications associated with diabetes. Short-term problems are hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and hyperglycemia (high blood sugar). Taking too much insulin*, missing a meal, or over-exercising can make blood sugar go too low.
Symptoms of low blood sugar can come along very quickly, and they can include:
- cold sweats
- fast heartbeat
- hunger
- lightheadedness
- numbness of the tongue and lips
- shakiness
- anxiety
- nausea
In contrast, symptoms of high blood sugar (such as thirst, increased urination, or blurred vision) usually come on slowly and can be brought on by circumstances such as taking too little insulin, eating too much food, or during stressful times or illness. A serious condition called ketoacidosis can occur when blood sugar stays too high. It mainly affects people with type 1 diabetes and can be very dangerous if left untreated.
Long-term complications can occur if a person has had diabetes for a long time. People with diabetes are at greater risk for problems that involve damage to small and large blood vessels, as well as other damage not associated with blood vessels.
Damage to the larger blood vessels can cause narrowing of large arteries (atherosclerosis), which can lead to heart attacks, stroke, and poor blood flow to the legs. Damage to small blood vessels can affect the eyes (a condition called diabetic retinopathy), which is the leading cause of blindness in North America for people 20 to 74 years of age. It can affect the kidneys and lead to nephropathy, which is the chief cause of long-term kidney failure and end-stage kidney disease in the United States. It can also affect the nerves that supply the extremities (legs and arms), leading to nerve damage called neuropathy.
Other complications of type 1 diabetes include slowed and disordered movements of the stomach and intestines caused by nerve damage (gastroparesis), increased risk of infection, and skin problems (poor wound healing and ulcers).
Fortunately, many of the complications of type 1 diabetes can be prevented or at least delayed with treatment that controls chronic high blood sugar levels.