April 30, 2001
Diagnosis and Symptoms
Question from Gainesville, FLorida, USA:
I am 24 years old, and I am going to the doctor in a couple of days because I suspect diabetes. I am not overweight, but I have had headaches, slightly blurred vision, I’ve been thirsty and it seems to go through me awfully quick, I’ve been exhausted — no matter how much I sleep it’s not enough, I feel shaky — mainly between meals but eating doesn’t seem to help much lately, I feel like I’m walking around in a fog, and my skin has been so itchy that I have actually scratched my skin raw. I thought I had the flu because I felt nauseated and sick to my stomach — that feeling has come and gone, but I haven’t gotten sick. There is only person (an uncle) in my family who has diabetes (type2).
How do people really know they have diabetes without ending up in the emergency room? How closely do people resemble the risk factors? Are these actually symptoms or am I nuts? If they are symptoms, which type do you think it is (so I can be more or less prepared)?
Answer:
Risk factors are simply that: risk factors. They do not contractually mean that someone will develop diabetes (or any other illness with its own risk factors); and the lack of risk factors doesn’t guarantee that you will never develop any particular illness. I am sure that you know of people who have never smoked cigarettes who, tragically, developed lung cancer — and you probably know people who smoke like chimneys who have not developed lung cancer (yet), but smoking is certainly a big risk factor for developing lung cancer.
Having an uncle who has type 2 and not being overweight do not sound like high risk factors for you to develop diabetes, but you clearly are having a variety of symptoms that are sometimes seen in folks with diabetes, although they are not specific for that). You are wise and prudent to be seen by your physician. Good luck!
DS
