Although unmanaged diabetes can be damaging to your health, diabetes is manageable and complications may be prevented. When you are diagnosed with diabetes, you want to know basic information to help you navigate what it means and how to live with this condition. 

Whether you are newly diagnosed with diabetes or have had diabetes for many years, it is useful to review this basic information.

What is Diabetes?

To put it simply, you have Diabetes Mellitus when too much glucose is circulating in your bloodstream. Glucose is an important and necessary fuel for our bodies. So necessary that both the liver and the kidneys produce it naturally; however, we get the most sugar from the foods we eat.

Blood glucose levels normally stay in a certain range. In other words, your body has a system that regulates how much glucose is circulating in your bloodstream. That system centers on a hormone called insulin, which is released from cells located in the pancreas. 

Insulin speeds up the transfer of sugar from your blood and delivers it into your muscle, liver and fat tissues where it is used as fuel or stored for your body to use later.

If you don’t have enough insulin, glucose accumulates in your bloodstream and you have Diabetes. There are different factors that determine why you don’t have enough insulin, and those factors determine if you have Type 1, Type 2, Gestational Diabetes or other Types of Diabetes.

Symptoms of Diabetes

• Unexplained weight loss
• Excessive thirst or hunger
• Fatigue
• Frequent urination
• Blurred vision
• Nausea and/or vomiting

The onset of these symptoms may be gradual or sudden. Generally over time, they persist to the point that the patient seeks medical advice. It is then that Diabetes is diagnosed. Diabetes can only be diagnosed by a healthcare provider. If you think you may have Diabetes, you should seek urgent medical evaluation.

More information

To read further about how Diabetes is diagnosed and treatment goals visit the Diagnosing Diabetes and Treatment pages.