Do you have diabetes?

The disease needs to be caught early to prevent it from becoming a “life sentence”, yet many people are unaware that they have diabetes because the symptoms can seem harmless and normal.

Pre diabetes

Pre diabetes is a condition where, although you experience no physical symptoms, you are predisposed to having diabetes because of the following risk factors:

• • • Over 45 years of age

• • • Diabetes during a previous pregnancy

• • • Excess body weight (especially around the waist)

• • • Family history of diabetes

• • • Given birth to a baby weighing more than 4 kilograms

• • • HDL cholesterol under 35

• • • High blood levels of triglycerides, a type of fat molecule (250 mg/dL or more)

• • • High blood pressure (greater than or equal to 140/90 mmHg)

• • • Impaired glucose tolerance

• • • A sedentary lifestyle

• • • Poor diet.

To be able to detect if you have diabetes, a blood test is taken, processed and correlated with the different risk factors. An elevated glucose level does not necessarily mean that you have diabetes, but a re-test is needed to make sure.

Type 1 diabetes symptoms

• • • • Frequent urination

• • • • Excessive thirst

• • • • Extreme hunger

• • • • Unexplained weight loss

• • • • Extreme weakness and fatigue

• • • • Urinating at night (nocturnal enuresis)

• • • • Numbness or tingling in the hands or feet

• • • • Heavy or laboured breathing

• • • • Drowsiness or lethargy

• • • • Fruity odour on the breath

• • • • Irritability

• • • • Blurry vision.

Type 2 diabetes symptoms

• • • • Blurry vision

• • • • Cuts or sores that are slow to heal

• • • • Itchy skin, yeast infections

• • • • Increased thirst

• • • • Dry mouth

• • • • Need to urinate often

• • • • Leg pain.

Everyone over 45 should have their blood glucose checked at least every three years. Regular testing of random blood glucose should begin at a younger age, and be performed more often if you are at higher risk for diabetes.

Our Employee Wellbeing Programme (EAP) is available 24 hours a day if you want to discuss diabetes. Call us on 0861872862.