As an adult onset type 1 diabetic, I experienced most of these symptoms prior to diagnosis. Erratic blood sugar can make you feel increasingly unwell.
In Australia, the beginning of this decade saw over 1.3 million Australians living with diagnosed diabetes. Hundreds of thousands more are likely to be undiagnosed.
Understanding how high blood sugar levels manifest may help you recognise what is happening to your body sooner rather than later.
If the symptoms below sound familiar, speak to your GP. They can test fasting blood sugar levels to see if you are pre-diabetic or diabetic (type 2 being the most common).
So, so tired
Excessive fatigue is a widely experienced symptom of high blood sugar, yet easily dismissed. We’re all busy, right?
Yes, but in this case, the fatigue is similar to a system short-circuit. Put simply, dealing with extra glucose messes up access to energy for your cells.
You know your body: don’t brush off exhaustion that keeps coming back. I attributed growing fatigue to my endometriosis.
Drinking, and urinating
If blood sugars are high, kidneys work hard to get that sugar out of your body. Unfortunately, your system needs the water, so you end up dehydrated.
I became attached to my water bottle, and still couldn’t quench the increasing thirst.
Other health issues can inspire more toilet visits, but peeing often is considered a potential red flag for uncontrolled sugars.
Dry mouth and cracked skin
Because high sugars are making you dehydrated, the effect starts to show in dry, itchy skin.
A dry mouth sounds innocuous, but actually feels icky. You might blame a new toothpaste, mouthwash or something you ate.
I experienced dry lips. One day, the side of my mouth where the top and bottom lip meet split open and bled while I was laughing.
Infections
Is your ability to heal taking a hit? Keep getting UTIs or thrush? When sugars are high, you become more vulnerable. Circulation can be affected.
I learnt this lesson the hard way, with a small cut that fast became an abscess and then sepsis, leading to surgery and touch-and-go time in the ICU.
Prior to this, I did notice the scratch on my leg from a coffee table stayed red and sore much longer than usual.
Sweaty and shaky
Uncontrolled blood sugar can swing between highs and lows. You may be lightheaded, experience a headache, start sweating, or suddenly weaken – only to feel fine again.
Almost as if you’re coming down with a virus or bug that never fully manifests.
A weird skip to your pulse, like a fluttering sensation, or increased heart rate is another sign. I put moments with a faster pulse down to drinking coffee again.
Losing weight
Since your body is having problems accessing energy, it breaks down fat and muscle. Excessive sudden weight loss this way is unhealthy and in certain cases, dangerous.
A range of digestive issues such as reflux, constipation and/or diarrhoea can kick off. Extreme blood sugar changes can also induce nausea.
I lost a lot of weight due to an upset stomach and slight nausea. Busy moving house at the time, I figured those kilos would come back when my schedule slowed down.
Eyesight
When blood sugars are high, swelling in parts of the eye can render your vision blurry.
Regular blood sugar levels above recommended parameters risks damage to the eyes.
Spending my days typing, and erratic with the eye drop applications, I figured eye strain, but made plans to book an eye test.
Misidentifying symptoms
If you have pre-existing conditions, it’s easy to mistakenly assume some if not all of the above symptoms are part and parcel of those diagnoses.
Having two autoimmune conditions, I made a note to mention stuff at the next specialist check-up. Slowing down and eating balanced meals seemed practical.
But while upping vegetable intake and getting more sleep is good for overall health, an emerging medical condition needs immediate input from a health practitioner.
A personalised care plan focusing on acceptable blood sugar levels will help you avoid potential complications. Prolonged high blood sugar can cause serious problems.
Have you ever experienced blood sugar issues? Let us know in the comments section below.
Also read: Is it time to introduce a tax on sugary drinks?
Disclaimer: This article contains general information about health issues and is not advice. For health advice, consult your medical practitioner.
