Diabetes

[Sweetie77]

Recently I have found that I am always thirsty but also need the loo all the time. Some people say that this is a sign of diabetes but I feel fine, surely I would feel unwell if I had it? I do sometimes have a metallic type taste in my mouth but I put that down as a symptom of being thirsty??

[redcrx]

sweetie,

no-one on here can give you a diagnosis but your GP can get you tested for diabetes to put your mind at rest.

Another thing to ask, could you be pregnant?

[Sweetie77]

Definitley not pregnant! The way my love life is at the moment it would be another miracle birth!! :)

I just don't want to waste the doctors time and be labled as one of those people that self diagnose and think they have loads of different illnesses!! :)

[JonnyBoy12]

You will not be wasting the doctor's time, that is what they are there for, and what we pay our taxes for. There are a number of blood tests they can do, and if you do have this condition it is best to know about it now, and then something can be done about it. I like you, am thirsty all the time, but have been tested and am in the clear. Have you ever given blood, because if you have passed all the tests there, it is unlikely you have got diabetes?

[Sweetie77]

Thanks for the advice! I have given blood but not for over a year as I went to South Africa last year so couldn't give blood for a while! I will book an appointment, like you say better to know!!

Sweetie

[bednobs]

see the practice nurse instead, they can dipstick your wee

[ethandron]

the practice nurse can also do a quick finger prick blood test, which would give a more accurate blood glucose reading, but a uring dip stick gives a pretty good idea. don't mess around, go and see the doctor, or at the very least ring the surgery and ask what they advise.

[terambulan]

I have the same but then am never without a cup of tea.

Do you drink a lot of water? If u do, water runs straight thru you so you would be constantly looing.

I think diabetis would demand sweet drinks.

[Sweetie77]

I do try to drink water but as you say it goes straight through me! But if I don't then I seem to get headaches and my skin is really dry! I try to sip the water instead of drinking it quickly but doesn't make much difference! I just can't seem to win!! :)

[Eve]

The tests take seconds and if you go and mention you feel thirsty a lot and are weeing a lot then chances are they will do it as a matter of course.

The practice nurse could also help as said above. Maybe just ask for a general MOT, weight, pulse, blood pressure, wee test etc... and have a chat to her about health issues in general.

[crisgal]

hi,
before my mum was diagnosed with diabetes, she too was unnaturally thirsty all the time. She couldn't stand to eat anything sweet - even her favourite chocolate cake, and she was very tired all the time.
Now, before my dad was dignosed with it, he didn't have any of the symptoms mum had, but his toes were numb. He went to the docs because he thought it was a circulation problem.
I suppose I'm saying that every case is different so you can't really ever self diagnose.
If you can't get to the dr, don't they do it in some chemists now?

[cruella]

I would see your GP or Practice Nurse just as the others have advised.
It is not always the case that Diabetics crave sweet drinks.
Tell your GP your symptoms and they will test you fir Diabetes. They will take blood from your finger.
If the test is inconclusive, they will ask you to take a Glucose Tolerance Test.
Do not worry about bothering your GP That is what they are there for. Good luck.

[ethandron]

it's completely wrong to assume that a symptom of being diabetic is to crave sweet things, it's the fluid that an undiagnosed diabetic craves due to all the weeing. there is a huge difference between 'feeling thirsty' and having the unquenchable thirst of an undiagnosed diabetic.
there is a vast difference between being type 1 or type 2 aswell. let's hope you're ok , sweetie, and it's just the warm weather making you a bit thirstier.

[Sweetie77]

Thanks for the advice everyone! I will make an appointment asap!

[Jugglering]

Someone with diabetes will have a high sugar level in the blood (because the insulin needed to convert it into energy either isn't there - type 1 - or isn't working very well - type 2). So one of the symptoms is extreme tiredness or lack of energy. This unused glucose continues to rise and the kidneys simply cannot keep up with their normal job of retrieving glucose and it escapes in the urine (the level at which this happens is known as the renal threshold). Dramatic weight losses can occur when there is no insulin around - one of the classic symptoms of Type 1.

The blood is concentrated with sugar and the body tries to dilute it by allowing more and more fluid to flow through the kidneys, leading to dehydration and excessive thirst.

Well, now that you've had the condition explained, all you need to do is visit your GP or practice nurse and ask for the test - it's very simple - just a little pin prick of your blood is tested for the glucose level at a few different times of the day - before breakfast, after eating etc. The problem with testing the urine is that it will only show the glucose level in the urine ... which is an indication of the blood glucose level several hours earlier. Few GP's would bother these days with urine testing, given how quick and easy it is to have an instantaneous snapshot using a tiny blood sample.

The testing barely registers on the pain threshold by the way, so don't worry about that !

[Sweetie77]

Thanks Juggerling!

I think this is the first question for ages that I haven't received any abuse on!! LOL

Makes a pleasant change!!! :)

[Jugglering]

LOL.... they are all too busy hurling insults at each other in CB to notice us over here !

Do let us know what the GP says about your thirst etc... it could be anything from a simple throat infection or something like snoring which gives you a dry throat so you drink a lot and hence need the loo a lot !