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The number of people living with diabetes has been rising and is expected to grow significantly in Canada in the next 10 years. In fact, one in three Canadians (approximately 11 million people) live with prediabetes or diabetes. This number is expected to climb to 14 million by 2027.
Many people have had diabetes for several years by the time they are diagnosed. This may be due to a lack of symptoms or a lack of awareness of diabetes-related symptoms that may occur. A study has shown that less than 50 per cent of all Canadians can identify less than half of the early warning signs of diabetes. The sooner someone is diagnosed with diabetes, the earlier they will be able to manage their blood glucose (sugar) levels and reduce their risk of complications. So, could you have diabetes and not know it? It's worth investigating!
How do you know if diabetes has crept up on you? Let’s take a look at some of the symptoms and possible risk factors.
Symptoms of diabetes
Diabetes can include the following symptoms:
- Unusual thirst
- Frequent urination
- Weight gain or loss
- Extreme fatigue
- Blurred vision
- Recurring infections
- Slow healing cuts and bruises
- Tingling or numbness in the hands and feet
- Difficulty getting or maintaining an erection
However, it is important to keep in mind that in many cases, diabetes shows no symptoms at all. To make it even harder to diagnose, the first signs for seniors may be confusions, falls or incontinence. These issues are frequently dismissed as being due to old age. In her blog on this site, Dr. Maureen Clement reports that she often diagnoses people with diabetes who have unknowingly had the condition for five years or more. She also reports that recurrent yeast or fungal infections can also indicate the condition.
Diabetes may show no signs
As mentioned above, many people with type 2 diabetes show no symptoms until the condition has existed for a while. In some cases, it may take years for symptoms to arise, even though diabetes may be causing damage to the body. Typical complications can include eye disease or nerve disease from the effects of high blood glucose.
The following chart shows the relation between blood glucose levels and likely symptoms. You can see how easy it is to miss the signs of diabetes, even when blood sugar levels are out of whack.
Risk factors for diabetes
Since type 2 diabetes often occurs before any symptoms are displayed, it is important to understand whether you are at high risk for the condition. If you know diabetes is a risk, you can discuss a plan of action with your healthcare professional to stay alert for warning signs.
People at high risk for type 2 diabetes include:
- Individuals with close family members with the condition.
- Members of certain ethnic groups, including Aboriginal, Asian, South Asian, Hispanic and African groups.
- Those who are overweight.
- Individuals with diabetes-related health issues, including heart disease, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.
- Women who had gestational diabetes or who delivered a baby over nine pounds.
If you suspect you may be at risk for diabetes, check out our article on this site Am I at risk for type 2 diabetes?
You can also check out your risk factors by taking this important CANRISK questionnaire. If you believe you are at risk, talk to your healthcare professional. You can take a simple test to show if you need further checking for diabetes.
Want to find out more about diabetes? Check out the Diabetes Overview section of this website. Some people may also have what is called 'prediabetes', a condition where your blood glucose levels are higher, but not high enough to be considered diabetes. Learn more about prediabetes here.
Can diabetes be prevented?
Research has also shown that there are steps you can take to prevent type 2 diabetes. These include:
