Diabetes FAQ

Written by Violeta West, BSN, ThD, Ph.D., DNM

What is prediabetes?

Prediabetes is a condition that comes before diabetes. Blood sugar levels are higher than normal. Most people have it but are not even aware of it and this is called a silent disease. The good news is, it is reversible.

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a disease condition marked by high blood sugar levels resulting from problems in how insulin is produced, how insulin works in the body, or both. It is a condition that changes the way the body uses sugar. This is also reversible with lifestyle changes.

What is the most common cause of diabetes?

Most of the food you eat turns into sugar. This sugar then travels through your blood to all parts of your body. Insulin helps get the sugar from your blood into the cells of your body. Sugar is then used for energy by your body. With diabetes, however, the body has a problem making and/or reacting to insulin. This creates a lack of energy in the body and the body reacts to this by keeping the sugar level higher than normal to use for energy. When this continues for a period of time, the person develops a condition called prediabetes. When prediabetes is not controlled, it can turn into diabetes within a very short period of time.

What are the common symptoms of diabetes?

There are two sets of symptoms to watch for. One is for hypoglycemia which is low blood sugar and the other is hyperglycemia which is high blood sugar. It is good to know the cause of the symptoms as the choice of treatment can be life-saving.

What are the symptoms of hypoglycemia?

The common signs and symptoms of low blood sugar include:  Irritability, Headache, Shaky, Fast heartbeat, Sweating, Dizziness, Anxiety, Trembling, Nervousness.

What are the symptoms of hyperglycemia?

The common signs and symptoms of high blood sugar include: Drowsiness, Nausea, Vomiting, Stomach pains, Blurred vision, Extreme thirst, Weakness, Difficulty breathing, Frequent urination.

What are the complications with uncontrolled diabetes?

When diabetes is uncontrolled, serious complications occur such as stroke, high cholesterol, heart disease, kidney failure, blindness, and premature death.