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Type 2 diabetes fatigue: Fatigue and Other Signs You May Have Type 2 Diabetes

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Fatigue and Other Signs You May Have Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. It affects how your body processes insulin. Unlike type 1, which has a genetic component, type 2 diabetes can be brought by lifestyle choices. Type 2 diabetes symptoms vary from person to person. 

There are many symptoms of type 2 diabetes. Constantly feeling tired is a common symptom, but here are additional signs of type 2 diabetes that you should monitor. 

Fatigue/Tiredness

As mentioned previously, your energy levels may decrease once you develop type 2 diabetes. According to the American Diabetes Foundation, individuals newly diagnosed with type 2 report feeling fatigued. This fatigue is a result of inadequate amounts of sugar moving from the blood into the cells. 

Blood sugar levels are always high when you have type 2 diabetes, but the sugar has a difficult time entering the cells. This causes the cells to work with less efficiency because they do not have the proper amount of energy. Because of this, a person with type 2 diabetes may feel tired all the time. 

Excessive Thirstiness 

People with type 2 diabetes often feel parched. This abnormal thirst is known as polydipsia and comes from too much sugar in your bloodstream. Your kidneys, a key part of the urinary system, are forced to work harder to rid your body of the extra sugar. This causes frequent urination, which is another early warning sign that you have type 2 diabetes. 

When you urinate all the time, your body loses a significant amount of water. To make up for the water loss, you feel a strong need to hydrate constantly. The urine and thirst cycle can become routine until blood sugar levels reach an acceptable balance. 

Blurry Vision

Blurry vision may be a sign that you have type 2 diabetes. Eye damage is one of the more common type 2 diabetes symptoms. Continuously high blood sugar levels will eventually cause water in the body to be sucked into the lens of the eye, which is an essential part of the human eye that focuses light and images into the rest of the eye. Small blood vessels in the eye may also be damaged. 

If you notice this symptom, you should see a doctor immediately. Permanent eye damage can occur if this issue is not resolved quickly. 

Constant Hunger

Along with chronic thirst, people with type 2 diabetes may feel hungry all the time. When cells cannot access the sugar from the bloodstream, it causes the cells to lose energy. To build up some energy, someone with type 2 may be perpetually hungry until blood sugar levels are back to normal. 

It does not matter how much or how recently you have eaten. If you have type 2 diabetes, you will often feel hungry because you are not getting enough energy from the food you have already eaten. 

Your Wounds Take a Long Time to Heal‍

Uncontrolled high blood pressure can cause nerve cells to work less efficiently. This damage leads to subpar blood circulation, which delays the blood from reaching and healing wounds or sores. The smallest of cuts and scrapes can take many days or even weeks to heal. 

Any of these signs can indicate that you may have developed type 2 diabetes. BASS Medical Group has a team of medical professionals with years of experience diagnosing type 2 diabetes. We can provide the proper treatment to keep your blood sugar levels stable. For more information about signs and symptoms of type 2 diabetes, visit our website or call us at (925) 350-4044.

Tiredness and Diabetes

Many people with diabetes will describe themselves as feeling tired, lethargic or fatigued at times.

It could be a result of stress, hard work or a lack of a decent night’s sleep but it could also be related to having too high or too low blood glucose levels.

Tiredness as a symptom of diabetes

Regular tiredness, particularly tiredness following meals, is a common symptom of diabetes.

  • Read more on the symptoms of diabetes

What causes people with diabetes to be tired?

Two common reasons for tiredness or lethargy are having too high or too low blood sugar levels.

In both cases, the tiredness is the result of having an imbalance between one’s level of blood glucose and the amount or effectiveness of circulating insulin.

If you feel tired during the day, despite having slept well, it could be a result of either high or low sugar levels.

It is best to test your blood glucose levels to see whether the tiredness is indeed a result of having high or low sugar levels.

This is particularly important for people on insulin.

  • Read about the recommended blood glucose levels ranges

Tiredness and high blood sugar levels

Blood glucose levels go high when there is either insufficient insulin (typically in the case of type 1 diabetes ) or the insulin is not working effectively enough (typically in type 2 diabetes).

To provide us with energy, insulin is needed to transport glucose from blood into our cells to be used for energy.

When there is not enough insulin, or the insulin isn’t working effectively, it means the sugar in our blood cannot get into our cells and therefore our cells do not receive the energy they need. As a result, we feel tired.

Managing tiredness and high blood sugar after meals

If tiredness is accompanied by high blood glucose levels after meals, it can indicate one or more of the following:

  • The carbohydrate you are eating is too quick acting for you medication to cope with
  • You are eating too much carbohydrate for your medication/dosage
  • Your medication/dosage is not strong enough

You should only change your medication dosage if your doctor has approved you to.

Putting on weight is a common indication that one’s insulin levels are too high. People who are overweight and experiencing tiredness as a result of high blood glucose levels may be able to combat tiredness by reducing their carbohydrate intake.

A doctor or dietitian should be able to help you with how to reduce your blood glucose levels whilst achieving a healthy weight.

Tiredness and hypoglycemia (low blood glucose levels)

When blood glucose levels are low the body is in a similar position as a car that has run out of fuel; unless you are able to add more fuel, the car will quickly come to a juddering halt.

Similarly, when blood glucose levels are low, you need to take in more carbohydrate to provide your body with the energy your body needs.

If you are regularly experiencing low blood sugar levels, your dosage of medication may be too high.

For people on insulin, hypoglycemia can also occur if insulin is injected (or bolused) too soon before eating.

Tiredness upon waking

If tiredness occurs upon waking after a full night’s sleep, it can also be a result of too high or to low blood sugar levels overnight.

Tiredness accompanied by a headache in the morning can often be a sign of an overnight hypo in people taking insulin.

Managing morning tiredness

If you are regularly feeling tired in the morning, despite having had a full night’s sleep, it’s worth testing your blood sugar upon waking to see if your tiredness is related to your blood glucose

Some people may also wish to wake during the night to test their blood glucose levels to see if they’re experiencing high or low blood sugar overnight.

Blood sugar levels can fluctuate overnight and your doctor or diabetes specialist should be able to advise if your sugar levels are causing any problems.

what is it, symptoms, diagnosis, complications

Diabetes mellitus: what is it, symptoms, diagnosis, complications

What is diabetes
Symptoms
Consequences
Diagnostics

CHECK YOURSELF

Constant fatigue that does not go away even after recovery
sleep and wake patterns is
an alarming symptom of certain diseases, including type 2 diabetes. Constant
fatigue
reduces the activity and performance of a person, worsening his well-being.

Finally, constant fatigue and weakness accompany
dysfunction of the kidneys.

CHECK YOURSELF

Diabetes mellitus in Russia

What is diabetes mellitus

Diabetes mellitus is a group of diseases that occur for various reasons, but
its main symptom is an increase in the level of glucose – or sugar – in the blood.

When there is a lack of insulin, glucose cannot enter the cell,
due to which its level in the blood rises. Most likely it is diabetes.

Without insulin, our cells cannot use glucose for themselves.
energy, glucose remains in the blood, where it circulates in excess and can cause serious
complications.

Why it is impossible to live with diabetes without treatment

The longer elevated blood glucose levels persist without proper treatment of the disease, the
more complications develop.

Some of these may be life threatening4.

Blindness5

– partial loss of vision or total blindness

Leg amputation6

– lower extremity involvement

– pain when walking

– gangrene and resulting amputation 900 03

Heart attack7

– atherosclerosis

– ischemic disease

– angina pectoris and heart attack

Stroke8

– impairment of attention, thinking and speech

– cerebrovascular insufficiency

– High risk of cerebral stroke

Kidney failure9

– Kidney transplant

Damage to the nervous system10

– Pain and numbness of the limbs

– Problems with the digestive system, blood vessels, heart

900 02 Blindness5

– partial loss of vision or complete blindness

Leg amputation6

– lower extremity involvement

– pain when walking

– gangrene and resulting amputation

Heart attack7

– Atherosclerosis

– Ischemic disease

– Angina pectoris and heart attack

Stroke8

– Impairment of attention, thinking and speech

– Brain failure blood circulation

– high risk of cerebral stroke

Renal failure9

– kidney transplant

Damage to the nervous system10

– pain and numbness of the limbs

– problems with the digestive system, blood vessels, heart

All these complications can be avoided by consulting a doctor in time!

BOOK A DOCTOR

The main symptoms of type 2 diabetes11

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) outlines the main
type 2 diabetes symptoms

Frequent urination

Frequent urination11

This symptom may be a sign of diabetes.

If you notice the appearance of frequent and profuse urination, this is an occasion to visit
endocrinologist for diagnosis.

The normal daily volume of urine of a healthy person is 1.5-2 liters.

Polyuria – excretion of more than 2-3 liters of urine per day. At the same time, the frequency also increases.
urination, and one-time volume of urine.

Other possible causes include: taking diuretics, taking
large amounts of water or alcohol intake, as well as liquids containing caffeine, including
number of energy drinks.

Fact

In diabetes, the volume of urine can be up to 10
liters per day. If profuse urination continues for a long time and the cause
its unclear, you should consult a doctor1.

Fact

In diabetes, the volume of urine can be up to 10
liters per day. If profuse urination continues for a long time and the cause
its unclear, you should consult a doctor1.

Blurry vision

Blurry vision11

What causes blurry or fuzzy vision? This could be one of
symptoms of diabetes.

Symptoms of visual impairment in diabetes mellitus may include:

• gradual deterioration of vision;

• sudden loss of vision;

• spots, threads, or other obscurations that float in your field of vision;

• blurry or spotty vision;

• pain in the eyes.

Most often, in diabetes mellitus, the vessels of the retina are affected, which is called
diabetic retinopathy. It is also possible to develop glaucoma and other vision pathologies.

Fact

The prevalence of retinopathy in diabetes is 20.8% and increases with
disease progression.

Diabetic retinopathy is the most common cause of new cases of blindness among
adults aged 20-74 in developed countries15.

Fact

The prevalence of retinopathy in diabetes is 20.8% and increases with
disease progression.

Diabetic retinopathy is the most common cause of new cases of blindness among
adults aged 20-74 in developed countries15.

Intense thirst

Intense thirst11

Thirst is an alarming symptom that should not be ignored.

When developing diabetes, a person who is thirsty drinks from 2 to 6 liters (10-30 glasses)
liquids per day. One of the constant companions of the symptom of thirst is severe dryness.
in the mouth.

If you experience persistent thirst, including at night,
or you have other possible manifestations of diabetes, make an appointment with your doctor
to rule out diabetes.

Fact

Some diabetic patients
can drink 10 or more liters of fluid per day.

Fact

Some diabetic patients
can drink 10 or more liters of fluid per day.

Slow wound healing

Slow wound healing11

If you began to notice long-term non-healing wounds, scratches, sores, do not
ignore this symptom.

There can be several reasons, and one of them is the manifestations of diabetes mellitus. for a long time
non-healing wounds can become part of the so-called diabetic foot syndrome.

Fact

Non-healing wounds in advanced cases
cause gangrene and amputation. That is why it is so important to turn
attention to the symptom and consult a specialist.

Fact

Non-healing wounds in advanced cases
cause gangrene and amputation. That is why it is so important to turn
attention to the symptom and consult a specialist.

Permanent fatigue

Permanent fatigue11

In diabetes mellitus, the following situation arises: glucose seems to be enough, and tissues
the whole body experience starvation. Insulin deficiency and development of resistance
cell receptors to it leads to the fact that glucose is not supplied in the proper
tissue concentration.

The result of these disorders is that the body does not have enough energy to
maintaining all vital processes at the required level. Which leads to
the onset and progression of fatigue.

Numbness, pain in limbs

Numbness, pain in limbs11

In a situation where there is a loss of sensation or numbness of the limbs, it is important
remember that the likely cause of this may be diabetes mellitus.

One of the serious and most common complications of diabetes is
diabetic polyneuropathy (hereinafter referred to as DPN). One third of all complications of diabetes occur in
share of DPN. And after 25 years from the onset of the disease, DPN affects already 50% of all those with poor
diabetes compensation.

Sometimes people with DPN become patients in burn centers. Due to malnutrition of tissues
they feel cold and try to warm their feet in every way. They are on the move
heaters, heaters. As a result of decreased sensitivity in DPN, there is no
normal reaction to thermal stimuli. The person does not notice how
burn. It is recommended to warm the feet only with warm socks.

Fact

When glucose is normalized and maintained at
normal level, the development of polyneuropathy may stop. That’s why timing is so important.
identify diabetes mellitus and start treatment13.

Fact

When glucose is normalized and maintained at
normal level, the development of polyneuropathy may stop. That’s why timing is so important.
identify diabetes mellitus and start treatment13.

Persistent hunger

Persistent hunger11

Most people love to eat, and therefore the feeling of constant hunger rarely causes
think about whether everything is in order with health.

How to distinguish hunger caused by some disease from normal physiological?

The physiological feeling of hunger stops after a normal meal.

Hunger due to disease is uncontrollable
food intake and rapid, excessive food intake.

Constant hunger can be a symptom of diabetes, so take care
him as seriously as possible.

Fact

If you often feel persistent,
persistent hunger after a normal meal or other symptoms of sugar
diabetes, see your doctor.

Fact

If you often feel persistent,
persistent hunger after a normal meal or other symptoms of sugar
diabetes, see your doctor.

Unexplained weight loss

Unexplained weight loss11

The body weight of an adult in the absence of pathology is a value relative to
constant.

But if you notice that within a few months you have inexplicably begun to lose weight without
increased physical activity or special diets,
then such weight loss should not be rejoiced. One of the common causes of unintentional
weight loss in a few months by 5% of the initial body weight or more,
could be type 2 diabetes. The consequences of this are dangerous and fraught with development
ketoacidosis, malnutrition, and muscle atrophy with loss of muscle tone and the possibility
move fully.

To prevent this, you need to see a doctor.

Early diagnosis is the key to diabetes control4

Dizziness

Dry mucous membranes

Itching and dry skin, brittle nails

Nausea, vomiting

Itching in the genital area

Dizziness

Dryness of mucous membranes

Itching and dry skin, brittle nails

Nausea, vomiting

Itching in the genital area

Dizziness

Dryness of mucous membranes

Itching and dry skin, brittle nails

Nausea, vomiting

Itching in the genital area

However, not all people have these symptoms pronounced, so they remain
unnoticed and lead to late
diagnosis and treatment of diabetes1

If you have at least one of the symptoms, get a diagnosis

BOOK A DOCTOR

Do you know your blood glucose level?

In most cases, the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus is made only after 4-7 years from
disease onset 16

Disease progression without diagnosis

living with elevated blood glucose levels. Without proper treatment
this leads to the development of complications of diabetes.

Complications can be prevented by early detection and
adherence to recommendations for keeping blood glucose under control

Risk factors17

Those at risk of developing type 2 diabetes should monitor their blood glucose levels.

These include those who:

physically inactive

suffer from cardiovascular diseases

suffer from arterial hypertension

overweight or obese people

have relatives with diabetes mellitus

have vision problems

90 002 had gestational diabetes during pregnancy

women who gave birth to a child weighing more than 4 kg

men and women over 45

have high cholesterol

Show more

Have you noticed these symptoms in yourself?

Frequent urination

Blurry vision

Extreme thirst

Prolonged healing of wounds

Constant fatigue walking hunger

unexplained weight loss

Please note that you have highlighted 0 symptoms out of 8
basic.

This is a serious reason to consult a specialist.

Make an appointment with a doctor

You can take a detailed test for the presence of risk factors for diabetes you can
Here

Sources

1

Diabetes.co.uk [Electronic resource]: [website]. – Electron. Dan. –
Access mode: https://www.diabetes.co.uk/. – Zagl. from the screen.

2

Ivan I. Dedov, Marina V. Shestakova, Olga K. Vikulova. Epidemiology
of diabetes mellitus in Russian Federation: clinical and statistical report according to the
federal diabetes registry. Diabetes mellitus. 2017;20(1):13

3

Russian News Agency [Electronic resource] : Elektron.
article // Expert: the incidence of diabetes in the Russian Federation overtakes the growth of obesity //
http://tass.ru/obschestvo/4258790

4

Dedov I. I. Diabetes mellitus / Dedov I.I., Shestakova M.V. – Moscow:
Universum Publishing, 2003

5

Diabetic retinopathy [Electronic resource]: [Website] – Electronic data. –
Access mode: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/diabetic-retinopathy/. – Zagl. from the screen (Last
accessed: 01.12.2017)

6

Peripheral Artery Disease & Diabetes [Electronic resource]: [Website] –
Electronic data – Mode of access: http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/More/Diabetes/WhyDi
abetesMatters/Peripheral-Artery-Disease Diabetes_UCM_313866_Article.jsp#.Wh–_W997IU. – Zagl. With
screen (Last access: 12/01/2017)

7

British Heart Foundation [Electronic resource]: [Website] –
Electronic data – Mode of access: https://www.bhf.org.uk/heart-health/risk-factors/diabetes. –
Title from the screen (Last access: 12/01/2017)

8

Demidova T. Yu. Vascular complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus
edge of glycemic control. Diabetes mellitus, 3/2010: pp. 111-116

9

National Kidney Foundation [Electronic resource]: [Website] –
Electronic data – Access mode: https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/diabetes. – Zagl. from the screen
(Last access: 12/01/2017)

10

Mayoclinic [Electronic resource]: [Website] – Electronic data. – Mode
Access: https://www.mayoclinic.org – Chap. from the screen (Last access: 12/01/2017)

11

American Diabetes Association [Electronic resource]: [website]. –
Electron. Dan. – Access mode: http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/symptoms/ – Head. With
screen. (Last accessed: 11/24/2017)

12

Bregovskiy V.B., Khramilin V.N., Demidova I.Yu., Strokov I.A., Guryeva
I.V. Diabetic distal polyneuropathy review of current guidelines. Annals of Clinical
and Experimental Neurology, Vol. 9, No. 1-2015, p.60-68

13

Diabetic polyneuropathy. Overview of modern
recommendations. RMZH No. 32 dated 11/27/2012 p. 1580

14

O.V. Maslova, Yu.I. Suntsov, L.L. Bolotskaya, T.M. Dear, V.K.
Alexandrova. Prevalence of diabetic retinopathy and cataracts in adults
diabetes mellitus type 1 and 2. / Diabetes mellitus, No. 3, 2008, p.12-15

15

Sharon DS, Emily C, Elia JD et al. Diabetic Retinopathy: A Position
Statement by the American Diabetes Association. Diabetes Care 2017 Mar; 40(3): 412-418.
https://doi.org/10.2337/dc16-2641

16

Maureen IH, Ronald K, Tim AW, Matthew WK. Onset of NIDDM occurs at
Least 4–7 yr Before Clinical Diagnosis. Diabetes Care 1992 Jul; 15(7): 815-
819.​​https://doi.org/10.2337/diacare.15.7. 815

17

Diabetes School [Electronic resource]: [website]. – Electron. Dan. –
Access mode: https://shkoladiabeta.ru/diabet/factors/. – Zagl. from the screen.

SARU.DIA.18.05.0884

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Feeling constantly tired in diabetes. Why does it occur and how to deal with it? Sugar Magazine

Feeling constantly tired is a common symptom of diabetes and can be the result of high blood sugar or other symptoms and complications of the disease. Some lifestyle changes can help a person cope with this condition.

Pathological fatigue (fatigue) is different from simple fatigue, when a person usually feels better after rest. With constant fatigue, rest does not relieve the breakdown and lethargy.

  • Author:

    Lyudmila Panchuk, editor

  • access_time

According to the American Diabetes Association, 61% of people with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes report fatigue as a symptom of their condition. In addition, fatigue is the second most common symptom for both type 2 and type 1 diabetes.

Why does diabetes cause fatigue?

There are several reasons why diabetes can cause fatigue, including:

  • changes in blood sugar levels;
  • other symptoms of diabetes;
  • complications of the disease;
  • mental and emotional problems associated with diabetes;
  • overweight.

Below we will discuss each of these possible causes of fatigue.

Blood sugar changes

Diabetes affects how the body regulates a person’s blood sugar levels.

After a meal, food is broken down into simple sugars. In people with diabetes, these sugars accumulate in the blood rather than entering the cells, which is the basis of all diabetes health problems.

When the body’s cells do not get enough sugar, some symptoms occur, including fatigue and weakness. Anti-diabetic drugs help more of these sugars enter the cells and prevent them from accumulating in the blood.

A potential side effect of antidiabetic drugs is an excessive drop in blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia), which can also cause fatigue.

Other symptoms of diabetes

Other symptoms of diabetes can also contribute to feeling constantly tired. For example:

  • frequent urination;
  • excessive thirst;
  • excessive hunger despite a normal diet;
  • unexplained weight loss;
  • blurred vision.

While not all of these symptoms can cause you to feel tired, many of them make you feel unwell.

In addition, some symptoms of diabetes can interfere with a person’s sleep. For example, people with diabetes (high sugar levels) may wake up several times a night to go to the toilet or drink water.

Similarly, discomfort in the limbs can make falling asleep and restful sleep difficult, which in turn can lead to feeling overly tired.

Complications of diabetes

People with diabetes can develop complications that can also cause fatigue.

These complications usually develop when a person’s blood sugar stays too high for a long time, or has severe and frequent spikes, and may include:

  • kidney problems, including kidney failure;
  • frequent infections;
  • diseases of the cardiovascular system;
  • nerve damage known as diabetic neuropathy.

These complications, and the drugs a person takes to treat them, can make people with diabetes feel morbidly tired.

Mental and emotional health

Living with diabetes often affects a person’s mental and emotional health. According to a 2016 study, people with diabetes are 2-3 times more likely to experience depression than healthy people.

Depression can also negatively affect how a person controls blood sugar levels and cause persistent fatigue.

In fact, many of the symptoms of depression are related to fatigue, including:

  • sleep changes;
  • rising too early and inability to sleep;
  • energy loss.

In addition to depression, many people with diabetes may experience heightened anxiety about their health. Like depression, sleep disturbance also causes anxiety to make you feel overly tired.

Overweight

Many people with diabetes, especially type 2 diabetes, are overweight or obese, which can also contribute to fatigue. Reasons for an association between being overweight and fatigue may include:

  • lifestyle choices that can lead to weight gain, such as lack of exercise or an unhealthy diet;
  • increased energy costs required to move the human body;
  • sleep disorders due to complications of being overweight, such as sleep apnea.

How to manage diabetic fatigue

Lifestyle changes can help a person manage both diabetes and symptoms of fatigue.

Beneficial lifestyle changes include:

  • maintain normal body weight or lose weight if necessary;
  • regular exercise;
  • following a healthy diet;
  • compliance with the rules of sleep hygiene, including by setting a regular time for going to bed, while the duration of sleep should be 7-9 hours of sleep and rest before bed is mandatory;
  • stress management and limitation;
  • support for friends and family.

To reduce the feeling of fatigue, it is very important to properly manage your condition and any other comorbidities.

This can be achieved in the following ways:

  • monitor blood sugar levels regularly;
  • follow a diet that limits refined carbohydrates and simple sugars;
  • take all anti-diabetic drugs as prescribed by your doctor;
  • correct treatment of any comorbidities such as cardiovascular disease, kidney disease and depression.

Other possible causes of fatigue

There are other reasons why a person with diabetes experiences fatigue that is not directly related to their underlying disease:

  • other acute illness;
  • stress;
  • anemia;
  • lack of certain vitamins and minerals in the body;
  • arthritis or other chronic diseases causing inflammation;
  • hormonal imbalance;
  • sleep apnea;
  • side effects of drugs.