Uncontrolled Diabetes: Know the Signs

The latest figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate that 40.1 million people in the United States have diagnosed or undiagnosed diabetes. The breakdown is as follows: 29.1 million have been diagnosed with the disease, 11 million are undiagnosed.

Some people have uncontrolled diabetes yet are not even aware they even have the disease due to lack of diagnosis.  Other cases of uncontrolled diabetes may be the result of ineffective treatment or failure to comply with treatment requirements. Also, there may be people who are diagnosed with diabetes but are not receiving treatment due to lack of a family support system or they do not have access to affordable health care. [1]

Whatever the reason, left uncontrolled or unmanaged, diabetes can damage various parts of the body – nerves, blood vessels, and vital organs - leading to serious health complications.

High blood sugar sign of uncontrolled diabetes

Among the most obvious signs of uncontrolled diabetes is sustained elevated levels of glucose, especially after treatment begins. The CDC indicates that healthy blood sugar levels are usually 60 to 130 mg/dl before a meal, and less than 180 mg/dl two hours after the start of a meal. While targets can vary based on other health problems or other factors, you want to work out what targets are best for you with your doctor.[2]

To bring down blood sugar levels if they are too high, your doctor may have you increase the medication dosage, switch to another medication, or add another medication to the treatment.  Your doctor or medical team also may recommend a diet that complements your medications. [3]

Other signs of uncontrolled diabetes

In addition to sustained elevated levels of glucose, there are other signs of uncontrolled diabetes.

Changes in vision: Diabetic retinopathy is one of the most common complications of uncontrolled diabetes. Diabetic retinopathy occurs when high blood sugar damages blood vessels in the retina, which is the light-sensitive layer of cells in the back of the eye. The damaged blood vessels can swell and leak resulting in blurry vision. New blood vessels may grow, but they are fragile and bleed. Diabetic retinopathy usually affects both eyes. In the advanced stage, vision may become completely blocked if there is a lot of bleeding.

Diabetic retinopathy is a leading cause of blindness in American adults, and it affects over one in four people living with diabetes, while 4 percent have severe cases of retinopathy.[4]

Frequent urination and increased thirst: Another one of the signs of uncontrolled diabetes is frequent urination. It results from excess levels of glucose, which cause the kidneys to work harder. As a result, the body flushes out excess glucose through frequent urination.

Because more frequent urination lowers the body’s water content, you can experience frequent or an extreme form of thirst, which is called polydipsia. More fluid intake to quench thirst can lead to more urine production, resulting in a cycle of fluid intake/frequent urination, which can be difficult to get under control.[5]

Increased appetite but no weight gain: Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas to carry glucose from your blood to your cells, which need it for energy. Even if you have high glucose levels, if your body does not produce insulin or it cannot use insulin efficiently, you may lack energy.

The resulting condition is called polyphagia, which is a term for extreme, insatiable hunger. As your body tries to gain access to fuel, it sends signals to the brain, suggesting that it needs more food to raise energy levels. Eating may help relieve diabetic polyphagia in the short term, but it will not treat the underlying cause.

Even with an increased appetite, you may not gain weight, which is another sign of uncontrolled diabetes. Inability to absorb glucose can lead to weight loss. When the body cannot break down glucose for fuel, it starts to break down fat stores and muscle instead, which can result in weight loss. [6]

Circulation problems: High glucose levels left uncontrolled can contribute to the buildup of plague in the blood vessels. When plague affects blood vessels outside of the heart and brain, it can result in a condition called peripheral artery disease (PAD). PAD symptoms can affect the skin, lungs, joints, connective tissue, and digestive track.[7] Because PAD reduces blood flow to the feet, it can delay wound healing that might occur in the feet (unnoticed because of neuropathy caused by diabetes) and increase the risk of foot infections. [8]

Extreme fatigue: Uncontrolled diabetes can cause extreme fatigue. Several factors can contribute to this including:[9]

·         Being overweight

·         Depression

·         Frequent hyperglycemic attacks

·         Problems sleeping

·         Stress

Diabetic Ketoacidosis: Another one of the serious complications of uncontrolled diabetes is diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). It occurs when the body cannot produce enough insulin, causing a buildup of ketones in the bloodstream. Ketones are chemical structures produced when the body cannot use glucose for energy. They are an alternative fuel made in the liver from the breakdown of fats. Untreated the buildup of ketones can lead to DKA, which is life-threatening.

The most common trigger for DKA is having an infection or being sick. DKA may also be the result of not injecting enough insulin or needing more than usual, not eating enough, or having a reaction to insulin. Early signs include extreme thirst, dry mouth, and frequent urination.[10]

More serious symptoms:

·         Feeling tired

·         Dry or flushed skin

·         Breath that smells fruity

·         Nausea, vomiting, or belly pain

·         Trouble breathing

·         Decreased alertness

Hearing problems: High blood sugar levels over time can damage small blood vessels and nerves in the inner ear. Also, low blood sugar over time can damage how nerve signals travel from the inner ear to the brain. Both types of nerve damage can result in loss of hearing.[11]

Dry skin: Uncontrolled diabetes can leave skin feeling dry and itchy. Diabetes dry skin results from high blood glucose levels in the bloodstream, which causes the body to pull fluid from its cells so that it can produce enough urine to remove the excess sugar.^[12] This leads to diabetes dry skin on the legs, elbows, feet, and other areas. In fact, dry skin may be the first sign someone has diabetes.  An estimated 11.3 percent of people with diabetes report dry itchy skin.^[13]

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, whether you have a diagnosis of diabetes, see your doctor. The sooner you start managing high blood sugar levels, you lower the risk of serious complications.