Type 1 Diabetes Symptoms

Type 1 diabetes accounts for about 5% to 10% of all diagnosed cases of diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that develops when the body’s immune system mistakenly destroys the insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells. The cause of this destruction is still unknown; however, scientists believe it may occur due to genetic and environmental triggers.

In type 1 diabetes, the sudden onset symptoms are frequent urination and extreme thirst; other symptoms include unexplained weight loss, lethargy, drowsiness, and hunger.

Before going into the symptoms of type 1 diabetes, you should know about glucose homeostasis! What is glucose homeostasis? Glucose homeostasis is a complex process that keeps blood glucose levels within the normal range.

If there is any disturbance to glucose homeostasis, then it will lead to various bodily symptoms. Based on the symptoms, if you can diagnose type 1 diabetes early, then it may help to stop or delay the auto-destruction of pancreatic beta cells.

25 Symptoms of type 1 diabetes

1. Polyuria (frequent urination): Frequent and large quantity of urination; more than 6 to 8 times in 24 hours, especially during the night. If the blood sugar level gets elevated, your body cells are not consuming it. Then, these high-sugar levels remain, until the kidney flushes out this extra sugar in the blood with the urine (pee). Therefore, people with diabetes pee frequently and in large quantities.
2. Polydipsia (excess thirst): A regular unusual feeling of thirst. The human body needs water to maintain enough blood and other fluids. However, frequent urination leads to a depletion of liquid called dehydration which leads to a shortage of saliva, causing dry mouth and throat. Dehydration increases the osmotic blood pressure and lowers blood volume. It makes the kidney release renin-angiotensin which stimulates the hypothalamus to signal thirst. Thus, people with diabetes have frequent thirst and need to drink often.
3. Polyphagia (severe hunger): In almost 40% of people, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is considered as hunger. Also, you feel tired due to the inability to utilize available glucose for energy, so your body signals for energy as hunger.
4. Tired or Fatigue: Always feeling a lack of energy or fatigue. Inadequate insulin secretion prevents the body from consuming the available blood glucose. Additionally, the kidney flushes out excess glucose and minerals (such as sodium, chloride, potassium, and bicarbonate) from the body. These minerals are for energy that gone unutilized. This lack of glucose absorption, removal of vital minerals, and dehydration lead to a lack of energy, thus feeling tired.
5. Visual disturbances (improved or blurred vision): An increase or decrease in blood sugar can swell or shrink the eye lens and (or) corneal tissue proportionally, resulting in varying vision; i.e., clear and blurred vision. With proper treatment, once the sugar level returns to normal, the vision variation returns to its original state.
6. Mood swings (Mental irritability or confusion): Mood swings can be characterized as not liking to do anything, not wanting to go anywhere, feeling tired, and sleepy, having changeable moods, and easily irritated. In children, behavior problems such as irritation are common. It might be due to low energy supply to the brain that leads to brain fog, forgetfulness, confusion, and irritation.
7. Dizziness: This is due to low blood sugar and dehydration by frequent urination. If the dizzy spells are last long, immediately consult your doctor.
8. Feel shaky: During diagnosis, the pancreas still produces some insulin. When you eat food high in carbohydrates, your body's insulin shoots up a lot. Thus, glucose drops suddenly making you feel shaky and craving sugar or carbs.
9. Dry itchy skin: Dehydration and inadequate supply of nutrients to the skin make it lose lust and shine. Furthermore, the dehydrated skin results in dull, flaky, rough, and dry skin, which causes itching.
10. Unexpected cramps: Muscle and leg cramps are common and may be due to electrolyte deficiency caused by dehydration.
11. Low muscular bulk: If your blood sugar level stays high for an extended period. Your body will break down fat and muscles for their energy requirement, thus muscle loss and strength.
12. Weight loss: Unintended weight loss despite eating more. Lowering of muscular bulk leads to sudden weight loss.
13. Yeast & urinary tract infections: Recurrent or hard-to-treat yeast and urinary tract infections - High sugar levels in the urine are the breeding ground for bacterial and yeast infections. Since frequent infection in the genital in adults, and diaper rashes in babies. Also, recurring skin, gum, or bladder infections.
14. Bedwetting: Even children who previously did not bedwet will develop it. Excess glucose in the blood is removed by the kidney which causes frequent urination in large quantities. As a child, they cannot be able to control urination in sleeping, causing bedwetting.
15. Unexplained frequent illness: The immune system is weakened by high blood sugar, which raises the risk of an unforeseen, frequent illness.
16. More vulnerable to respiratory infections. –High blood glucose compromises the immune function. Also, excess glucose in the blood is removed through urine, sweat, and breath. It may lead to respiratory infection.
17. Slow-healing wounds: Cuts, wounds, and scrapes heal slowly. Healing takes longer due to low nutrient supply. Also, high blood usage compromises the immune system. Thus, a diabetic's sore takes longer to heal.
18. Pain, burning, tingling, or numbness in the feet: Elevated sugar can cause some diabetes complications well before you realize you have diabetes. One among them is mild nerve damage causing numbness in your feet. It usually starts in the feet and progresses upward.
19. Repeated oral or genital thrush: Thrush is a yeast infection causing redness, swelling, and itching on or around the affected area. Genital thrush can cause an unpleasant odor with a white curd-like appearance between the penis or vagina and skin; also, soreness during sex.

If you experience some of the above-said symptoms, then you should immediately rush to a hospital for proper treatment. If you miss a timely diagnosis, then your body starts breaking down fat for energy which can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis.

Diabetes Symptoms Children

Diabetes symptoms of adults and children are the same; however, certain diabetes symptoms are specific to children.

6 Diabetes Symptoms Unique to Children

1. Bedwetting.
2. Unexplained frequent illness.
3. Yeast infection causes diaper rashes in babies. Girls and boys develop a yeast infection in their genitals.
4. Slow growth and lazy attitude compared to other children.
5. Specific behavior problems are common, such as irritation.
6. More vulnerable to respiratory infections.

Along with the above diabetes symptoms of children, additionally, they have diabetes symptoms common to all.

How do diabetes symptoms in children develop?

Bedwetting – Children may develop bedwetting. The kidney removes the excess glucose in the blood as urine which causes frequent and excess urination. As a child, they cannot be able to control urination while sleeping, thus causing bedwetting.

Unexplained frequent illness: Excess glucose levels are the breeding ground for microbial (bacteria, virus, and fungus) infections. Elevated blood glucose levels compromise the immune system leading to frequent illness.

Diaper rashes: The kidney expels the excess glucose in the blood as urine. This sugary environment is a favorable condition for the yeast to thrive. So frequent yeast infections cause diaper rashes among diabetes children.

Slow growth and lazy attitude: The kidney removes the excess glucose in the blood with the urine, which goes unutilized. Along with the sugar in the urine, minerals such as sodium, chloride, potassium, and bicarbonate are also removed. Thus, diabetic children have low energy, lazy attitudes, and slow growth compared to healthy children.

Specific behavior problems: Due to shortage or no insulin secretion, the glucose in the blood is not usable and thus removed from the blood along with other minerals in the urine. Therefore, there is low energy causes some behavior problems such as irritation.

More vulnerable to respiratory infections – High glucose levels in the blood can compromise immune function. Excess glucose in the blood is removed through urine, sweat, and breath. Sugar in expiration is a breeding ground for microbes in the respiratory tract, thus leading to respiratory infection.

If your kid experiences these diabetes symptoms and or diabetes symptoms common to all, then they should undergo blood tests to rule out or confirm the diagnosis of diabetes. Also, a blood test is required to distinguish between type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes is more common among kids. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that develops when the body’s immune system mistakenly destroys the insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells.

Once your child’s blood glucose is unable to be utilized, then his or her body starts the breakdown of fat or muscle for energy, this is called diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). If your child experiences DKA symptoms, you should rush him to a hospital for immediate treatment.

Diabetic ketoacidosis symptoms

Diabetes ketoacidosis is a condition that develops due to dangerously high blood sugar levels. Mostly it occurs after a viral illness, and in most cases, the diagnosis of type-1 diabetes is after diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).

1. Fruity breath: Very high blood sugar builds up an acid called ketones, causing fruity breath. Also, they may develop stomach pain. If ketones continue to build up in the blood will lead to a potentially fatal condition called diabetic ketoacidosis.
2. Nausea or vomiting and abdominal pain: High blood sugar can wreak havoc on your digestive system, producing symptoms like stomach pain, cramping, nausea, vomiting, and heartburn.
3. Shortness of breath: High blood sugar will undoubtedly cause unwell feelings including shortness of breath (shallow rapid breathing).
4. Fast heart rate: Recurrent shortness of breath, anxiety, panic attacks, and heart palpitations are often after hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).
5. Sleepiness: Research shows high blood sugar causes inflammation of blood vessels, which increases immune cells called monocytes that induce sleep.
6. Flushed face: Shortness of breath followed by rapid pulse leads to a flushed face.

If DKA is not treated; stupor, unconsciousness, and even death can occur. If you experience DKA symptoms, then you should rush to the hospital for immediate treatment.

Type 1 diabetes treatment: Type 1 diabetes requires 24/7 continuous management with the use of insulin—either via injection or insulin pump. It requires a continuous and careful balance of insulin intake with eating, exercise, and other activities.

What is the Honeymoon period in type 1 diabetes?

Most type 1 diabetes have a honeymoon period, which is a brief remission of diabetes symptoms while the pancreas is still secreting some insulin. The honeymoon phase mostly occurs after starting insulin treatment; it can extend for a week to even up to a year.

During the honeymoon period, the absence of diabetes symptoms should not be interpreted as diabetes is gone (cured). Instead, the pancreas will lose its ability to secrete insulin, and the symptoms reappear.

If you start proper treatment in time, then you can extend the diabetes honeymoon period which is better blood glucose control due to the presence of some leftover beta cells in the pancreas.