10 Warning Signs of Type 1 Diabetes and What to Do if You’re Experiencing Any of These Symptoms

Are you experiencing unexplained:

• Weight loss?
• Excessive thirst?
• Frequent urination?
• Any other particular symptoms?

These could be warning signs of type 1 diabetes. It’s important to be aware of the symptoms and take action promptly.

In this article, we will explore 10 warning signs of type 1 diabetes and what to do if you’re experiencing any of these symptoms.

Saddle up and let’s get going!

 

How Dr. Mo Found Out He Had Type 1 Diabetes

It was May of my senior year in high school, and two days after a visit with my family doctor the previous Friday, my mom decided to take me to the emergency room to further assess what was going on with me since my doctor didn’t have much of an answer for us.

Here’s everything I was experiencing leading up to this point:

• I went from weighing 185 lbs. to 151 lbs. (I first noticed this in January of the same year when my bathing suit kept falling off at the beach)
• My appetite severely dropped
• My quenching thirst shot up

Initially, I was only drinking a lot more water or soda but after its progressive “bland taste” I moved on to soda exclusively, then my parents’ beer, just so that I could “taste” something!

Before arriving to the ER, my mom got me two 24 oz. ICEE cherry slushies (one in the late morning, the other on my way to the ER) because I hadn’t eaten nor drank much this whole weekend and if I tried to, I couldn’t taste anything!

These slushies were about the only things I could actually tolerate.

Image source: https://www.icee.com/flavors

After a few hours of waiting at the ER, I get sent back, they perform some tests and they then tell me I’m a type 1 diabetic after they found out my blood glucose level was 1,200+ mg/dL!

My response: “Cool! When can I go home?”

The nurse: “You’re not going anywhere for a while!”

I remained in the hospital for about a week where all I remember was them educating me on this new diabetes-thing I now have.

My first impression was that I’d now only be able to eat half of what my previous meals consisted of.

Keep in mind, I played basketball and ate like a mammoth!

So, this is my story and one that has many similarities to other type 1 diabetics when they were told they have this disease.

Let me peel back the layers among not only my actual symptoms but others that unknown type 1 diabetics commonly experience.

In addition, I’ll go over the proper steps to get this all assessed in a proactive manner in the hopes that you or a loved one will not need to go through this hellacious “surprise”.

Ready?

Let’s go!

The Most Common Symptoms Leading to a Type 1 Diabetes Diagnosis

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a chronic autoimmune condition where the body’s immune system destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas (aka pancreatic beta cells).

Without sufficient insulin, glucose or sugar cannot enter your body cells to be used for energy, resulting in high blood sugar levels (aka hyperglycemia).

Knowing the signs and symptoms can be crucial for early diagnosis and management.

Below are some of the most common symptoms leading to type 1 diabetes:

 

1. Frequent Urination (Polyuria)

One of the initial and most common T1D signs is a sharp increase in urination frequency.

One of the kidney’s main jobs is to filter the blood and during this process, it usually reabsorbs whatever glucose is currently present.

But when sugar levels are too high, the kidneys have trouble keeping up with the extra glucose being reabsorbed (1).

This means more sugar ends up in the urine.

In simple terms, your body tries to flush out the extra sugar by making you pee more often.

This can also make you thirsty as you’re losing more fluids.

 

2. Excessive Thirst (Polydipsia)

During hyperglycemia, your kidneys try to filter out the extra sugar by producing more urine.

As you pee more frequently, your body loses a lot of fluid, leading to dehydration.

To make up for the lost water, your brain triggers the thirst response, making you feel extremely thirsty.

So, in essence, high blood sugars set off a chain reaction where (2):

• Your kidneys make more urine to get rid of the excess sugar
• You lose fluids and become dehydrated
• Then you feel thirsty as your body tries to get those fluids back.

3. Increased Hunger (Polyphagia)

Every protein, fat, and carbohydrate you consume is used for your body to:

1. Provide energy
2. Maintain bodily structures
3. Support essential functions

Hyperglycemia means that glucose isn’t efficiently getting into your body cells where it can be used for accordingly.

Your body recognizes this lack of fuel and tries to solve the problem by making you feel hungry (3).

Even if you eat, you still might not feel satisfied because your cells are essentially still “starving” for what it needs..

Without enough insulin to help move glucose into your cells, eating more won’t solve the problem.

In summary, high blood sugar can trick your body into thinking it needs more food, making you feel constantly hungry.

This is one of many, common vicious circles type 1 diabetes may influence!

To make matters worse, if glucose can’t get to the cells, it’s then transferred over to fat deposits throughout your body. By the time it gets to your organs, there’s likely already a few problems going on, such as weight gain, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and fatty organs.

 

4. Unexplained Weight Loss – Why Type 1 Diabetics are Commonly Thinner than Type 2 Diabetics When Diagnosed

This problem of restoring the body cells with energy or glucose is like having fuel but no way to put it in the engine.

To find another source of energy, your body first starts to break down your stored muscle and fat for energy.

This process releases energy, but it also leads to weight loss because you’re using up your fat and muscle reserves (4).

Simply put, you lose weight because your body is dipping into its “savings account” of fat and muscle to get the energy it needs to function because it can’t get it properly from anywhere else!

Type 1 diabetics often weigh less than type 2 diabetics at the time of their diagnosis because their bodies can’t produce insulin, which is needed to store fat and sugar.

So, instead of storing energy, they lose it through urine.

Type 2 diabetics usually produce some insulin but can’t use it well, often leading to weight gain.

Unfortunately, this initial body presentation may not last too long according to 2021 analysis, which found (5):

• 28% of adult T1Ds in the US are obese
• 34% are overweight
• 36% of non-type 1 diabetics are obese
• 28% of them are overweight

If you’ve read my posts on insulin resistance, you’ll understand why!

 

5. Fatigue

We’ve established that energy or glucose can’t get into your body cells without insulin during hyperglycemic states.

Think of it like a car full of gas but with a blocked fuel line:

The car won’t run well, if at all!

Since the cells can’t get the fuel they need, you end up feeling tired and run-down, even if you haven’t done anything physically exhausting.

Your body is essentially in a state of energy crisis because it can’t use the available energy stuck in the blood (6).

So, you feel fatigued, not because you’re lacking sugar in your blood, but because that sugar can’t effectively get to your cells to power on.

 

6. Blurry Vision

The blood in the arteries that go to your eyes help to deliver oxygen and nutrients, helping them function properly and supporting vision and overall eye health.

High blood sugar levels can cause the lens in your eyes to swell up, changing its shape and affecting your ability to focus (7).

Imagine your eye lens like a camera lens; if it gets distorted, the pictures (or in this case, your vision) turn out blurry.

Your eyes may also try to draw fluid from other parts of your body to counterbalance the sugar levels, contributing to the swelling.

So, in a nutshell, high blood sugar messes with the natural structure and balance in your eyes, which may lead to temporary blurriness until your sugar levels stabilize.

This normally isn’t something that happens in the short-term and is more related to long-term instability among one’s blood glucose levels. However, it does happen on occasion when one’s vision may get compromised before officially becoming diagnosied with type 1 diabetes.

 

7. Slow Healing and Frequent Infections

Hyperglycemia can compromise the body’s ability to heal and resist infections, making skin infections, and slow wound healing noticeable (8).

High blood sugar weakens your immune system, making it harder to fight off germs and heal wounds.

Imagine your body’s defense team is slowed down, so they can’t get to the problem areas as quickly.

This leads to frequent infections and more timely healing.

Hyperglycemia also damages blood vessels, reducing blood flow to areas that need healing.

It’s like having a gardening hose with kinks; water can’t reach all the plants, so they struggle to grow.

Poor circulation and a sluggish immune response combine to make you more susceptible to infections and slow down the healing process.

 

8. Dry Skin and Mouth

We’ve already gone over how high blood glucose levels can increase urination, leading to dehydration and thirst.

Imagine you’re draining a pool; it’ll soon get empty and dry.

Dehydration can also make your skin dry because there’s not enough moisture to go around (9).

The same goes for your mouth, leaving you with a parched feeling (2).

In addition, hyperglycemia can mess up your saliva production, which also leads to dryness.

So, elevated blood sugar can be like a double-whammy:

1. it makes you lose fluids and messes with your body’s natural moisturizers
2. leading to dry skin and a dry mouth

 

9. Nausea and Vomiting

When your blood sugar gets extremely high, your body will eventually burn as much fat for energy because it can’t receive it from the sugar in your blood.

This process produces chemicals called ketones, which build up in your system.

Think of these ketones like exhaust fumes when your body’s energy system is in overdrive.

Too many ketones make your blood acidic, upsetting your stomach and leading to nausea and vomiting (10).

This may be the result of a condition called diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).

DKA is like a toxic overload for your body.

Because your blood is too acidic, this can lead to life-threatening complications in addition to organ damage like to your liver and kidneys, .

The nausea and vomiting is your body’s way of sounding an alarm that something is seriously wrong!

This can be a dangerous situation and requires immediate medical attention to correct.

 

10. Tingling or Numbness in Hands and Feet

Over time, high glucose levels can damage nerves, resulting in tingling or numbness, although this is more commonly associated with prolonged and untreated hyperglycemia, similar to the visual problems previouly discussed (11).

High blood sugar levels can damage your nerves over time, especially in your hands and feet.

Imagine your nerves are like electrical wires; when they’re damaged, the electrical signals they carry don’t flow smoothly.

This can lead to feelings of numbness or tingling because the signals that usually let you feel touch or temperature aren’t getting through properly.

In other words, hyperglycemia messes with your body’s neural wiring, disrupting the communication between your brain and extremities, leading to those odd sensations of numbness and tingling.

It’s like static on a phone line, making clear communication difficult.

 

What To Do If You’re Experiencing Any of These Type 1 Diabetic Symptoms

Consult with a Healthcare Provider

If you or a loved one are experiencing one or more of these symptoms, it is crucial to consult a healthcare provider for a thorough examination and consult, as soon as possible.

A definitive diagnosis typically involves blood tests such as fasting blood sugar test, oral glucose tolerance test, and HbA1c.

Emergency Care

If symptoms like nausea, vomiting, or confusion accompany the others, seek emergency medical care immediately.

These could be signs of diabetic ketoacidosis, a life-threatening condition we spoke of earlier.

Record Symptoms

Maintain a diary of symptoms, including their frequency, which can be useful during your medical consultation.

Do Not Self-Medicate

While over-the-counter medications may seem tempting, it is essential not to self-medicate as it may aggravate symptoms.

Patient Education

Educate yourself about type 1 diabetes to understand how to manage the condition better.

There are many resources and support groups available to help.

Note: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for diagnosis and treatment of any medical condition.

By recognizing the early symptoms of type 1 diabetes and acting promptly, you can better manage the condition and prevent complications.

Early diagnosis and consistent management are key to living a healthy life with type 1 diabetes.

Dr. Mo’s Final Thoughts

Hopefully, you now have a better idea of what to look for if you or a loved one are experiencing these symptoms and the next steps to follow for further assessment.

You don’t have to wait for more than one symptom to be present to get tested, either.

This is especially true if diabetes runs in your family!

However, if you’re like me and no form of diabetes is found in your family and you’re experiencing any one of these symptoms or more, I strongly encourage you to get tested immediately to rule out a possible diabetes diagnosis.

Hyperglycemia immediately increases mortality (death) rates the longer this condition is present without proper and successful treatment.

For example, one study revealed patients with elevated blood glucose levels in the intensive care unit (ICU) had a 16.1% chance of dying compared to patients with normal blood sugars (12).

Another study found that those with diabetes and blood sugar troubles have the following (13):

• 9.5% of hospital discharges were from diabetic patients
• 2-fold to 4-fold (200 – 400%) chance of being hospitalized
• 1 – 3 longer days spent at the hospital
• stroke victims have a higher mortality rate if their blood glucose levels are above 110 mg/dL (6.11 mmol/L)

You all are now more aware of what to look for should you or someone you care about may be experiencing any of these common type 1 diabetic symptoms.

I hope this information provided more than enough value for you.

If you feel this info would help anyone else, I urge you to forward them this post.

I appreciate this immensely!

Summary

• The most common type 1 diabetic symptoms are listed:
  • Frequent urination (most popular)
  • Excessive thirst (most popular)
  • Weight loss (most popular)
  • Increased hunger
  • Fatigue
  • Blurry vision
  • Slow healing and frequent infection
  • Dry skin and mouth
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Numbness or tingling in the hands and feet
• What is recommended should you be experiencing any of these symptoms:
  • Consult with a healthcare provider
  • If nausea, vomiting, or mental confusion are present, go to the Emergency Room immediately
  • Keep a record of your symptoms, along with the time and date they occur to detect patterns and review with your doctor
  • Do not self-medicate
  • Educate yourself as well as you can on the condition because success always leaves clues

 

References

6. https://www.diabetes.co.uk/tiredness-and-diabetes.html
7. diabetes and your eyes what you need to know
8. https://apic.org/monthly_alerts/diabetes-infections-and-you/.
9. diabetes and your skin.
10. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetic-ketoacidosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20371551
11. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/library/features/diabetes-nerve-damage.html
12. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2912825/.
13. https://www.jpeds.com/article/S0022-3476(04)01020-0/fulltext