How do I know if I have diabetes?
Most people will find out they have type 1 or type 2 diabetes after experiencing symptoms and visiting their GP. Your GP will talk to you about your symptoms, then ask you to complete a urine and blood test to check your blood sugar levels[1].
What are the symptoms of diabetes?
Symptoms of diabetes include:
feeling very thirsty
peeing more frequently than usual, particularly at night
feeling very tired
weight loss and loss of muscle bulk
itching around the penis or vagina, or frequent episodes of thrush
cuts or wounds that heal slowly
blurred vision.
How to treat diabetes
Treatment options will vary depending on what type of diabetes you have.
Diabetes during pregnancy
Some women can develop diabetes during pregnancy. This is known as gestational diabetes.
Find out more about gestational diabetes on the pregnancy and birth charity Tommy's website.
Diabetes and COVID-19
The risk of getting coronavirus is the same whether or not you have any type of diabetes[2].
However if someone with diabetes does get coronavirus, their body will be working to fight off the illness, which will make it harder to manage their diabetes[2]. This means they’re at an increased risk of getting other types of serious illness[2] and of dying of COVID-19 in hospital[3].
Other factors linked to having diabetes may increase the risk of contracting a serious form of coronavirus. These factors include age and weight, as well as having other health conditions such as high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease[4].
Other health conditions commonly linked to diabetes include:
high blood pressure - up to 75% of adults who have diabetes also have high blood pressure[5]
dyslipidemia – abnormal level of lipids (fats) in the body
fatty liver disease
obstructive sleep apnoea
People living in lower income areas are also believed to experience more linked health conditions as a result of their diabetes diagnosis, than people from wealthier areas. Depression is one of the most commonly linked health conditions[6].
Where can I get further support and information?
As well as talking to your pharmacist or GP, there are a number of charities and organisations offering support and information.
More topics
Published
April 2021
Next review
April 2022
Reviewed by
Gill Stone MRPharmS
References
1.
Diabetes. nhs.uk. Published October 18, 2017. Accessed November 12, 2020.
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/diabetes/2.
Updates: Coronavirus and diabetes. Diabetes UK. Accessed November 30, 2020.
https://www.diabetes.org.uk/about_us/news/coronavirus
