When it comes to sneaky health issues, diabetes reigns supreme.
While more than 37 million Americans https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/library/spotlights/diabetes-facts-stats.html have the disease, about 20 percent of people with it don’t even know they have it. More than 80 percent of those with prediabetes are unaware.
It’s a manageable condition, but you can’t manage it if you never get diagnosed. The most common diabetes symptoms – often called the three P’s – are easily identified, but they’re also easily explained away if you don’t know to look for them.
Let’s take a closer look at these three signs of diabetes you need to be aware of.
Polyuria: Increased Need to Urinate
The first P in this triangle is polyuria or excessive urination. And by excessive, we’re talking about passing two to three times https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24490488/ as much fluid as normal.
When you have diabetes, your body can’t process blood sugar into energy. It builds up to high levels in your blood, and your body wants to get rid of it.
Flushing that excess out causes your kidneys to filter more water than normal through to your bladder, calling for more trips to the bathroom.
Polydipsia: Increased Thirst and Drinking
The second sign to be watching for is polydipsia or an extreme thirst. After all, if you’re making a lot of bathroom visits, you’re getting rid of a lot of fluids. Your body wants to replace them and drives you to drink constantly to do so.
This is more than the kind of thirst you get after working out, though, when you could chug an entire gallon of water in one go. We’re talking about the kind of thirst or dry mouth that doesn’t go away no matter how much you drink.
Polyphagia: Increased Appetite
The third leg of this triangle of symptoms is polyphagia or extreme hunger. We’re not talking about getting the munchies on occasion, but a hunger that doesn’t go away even after you eat.
This hunger goes back to the fact that your body is unable to process blood glucose into the energy your body needs. Since you’re flushing it out with all that extra drinking and peeing, your body demands more food in an effort to get the energy it needs to function.
This becomes a vicious – and dangerous – cycle. The high blood sugar causes you to need to eat more, and eating more can send those levels even higher.
Keep An Eye Out For The Signs of Diabetes
If you’ve noted an increase in the three P’s, it’s definitely time to get checked out to see if you’re prediabetic or have developed diabetes. These three aren’t the only potential symptoms, but when they develop together, it’s a good indicator that your glucose levels might be higher than normal.
Have you noticed any of these diabetes symptoms? Contact us to schedule a blood test and discuss changes you can make to manage your health.
