What is Diabetes?

Diabetes is a condition where there is too much glucose in the blood. The body can’t make insulin, enough insulin or is not effectively using the insulin it does make. 

What are the symptoms of Diabetes

In type 1 diabetes, symptoms are often sudden and can be life-threatening so it is usually diagnosed within hours or days.

In type 2 diabetes, many people have no symptoms at all, while other signs can go unnoticed being seen as part of ‘getting older’. By the time symptoms are noticed, complications of diabetes may already be present. You can check your risk of type 2 diabetes diabetesaustralia.com.au/risk-calculator

Common symptoms include:

• Being more thirsty than usual
• Passing more urine
• Feeling tired and lethargic
• Always feeling hungry
• Having cuts that heal slowly
• Itching, skin infections
• Urinary tract or fungal infections
• Blurred vision
• Unexplained weight loss (type 1 or type 2 diabetes)
• Gradually putting on weight (type 2 diabetes)
• Mood swings
• Headaches
• Feeling dizzy
• Leg cramps

If you do have any concerns you should speak to your GP and they will order a blood test to check for diabetes.