Pre diabetes is a condition that is very common, particularly in the Western world, and those who have it often don’t even realize they are suffering from it. Although the condition is becoming more common, the pre diabetes symptoms are hard to diagnose, as they are not normally severe.
Pre diabetes is where the blood sugar level is above what is considered normal and not yet at type 2 diabetes levels. Left untreated, pre diabetes can turn into full blown Type 2 diabetes in just a few short years. There are a few symptoms to look out for; they can often be confused with other conditions. Until the blood sugar level is at the level considered to be type 2 diabetes it can be hard to detect the symptoms.
The most reported symptom at first will be frequent urination when pre diabetes begins to take hold. You may find yourself drinking more water and thus urinating more frequently. It may be too easy to simply attribute the increased need to urinate with the increased water intake.
Actually, with pre diabetes dehydrates you, mainly from urinating frequently. When you get dehydrated from this, you get thirsty and drink even more. It is easy to attribute this cycle to increased water consumption, but it’s easy to ignore the slow march of pre diabetes on your body.
Other symptoms of pre diabetes include increased hunger, dry mouth and irritability.
You may see changes in your skin with pre diabetes. Wounds don’t heal very fast, as compared with healthy people. Any time you see that a cut or wound is healing slowly, it may be a sign of pre diabetes.
Another symptom to watch out for is darkening of the skin; a dark patch of skin could point to pre diabetes. Also watch out for a numb feeling in your extremities like hands or feet. This is a common symptom.
A low quality of sleep could also be signs of pre diabetes, often people suffering with diabetes wake up during the night. Some people are light sleepers however when something changes with your sleep pattern it should be obvious, if recently you’ve started waking up during the night where you wouldn’t before this is something that should be monitored.
Diabetes and pre diabetes share many of the same symptoms, with of course, full diabetics suffering more. The important point is to watch your symptoms and report any patterns that may indicate a pre diabetic condition, and see your doctor if warranted. Start making changes in your diet right away. Look for the safest sugar substitute instead of real sugar for a start.
One idea would be to keep some kind of a journal of your symptoms over time, and that will help you determine whether or not you need to seek professional help for your pre diabetes symptoms.
Disclaimer: This article is based on information freely available in the popular press and medical journals that deal with health. Nothing herein is intended to be or should be construed to be any sort of medical advice. For medical advice the reader should consult with his or her physician or other medical specialist.
C.J. Ringwall writes interesting articles about topics like pre diabetes blood sugar. Vist his website and learn more about fasting blood sugar level and the latest techniques in health.
