A Daily Dose of Insulin

Sometimes it is very hard to diagnose things like diabetes because the symptoms can be pretty severe, but they don’t seem like they would all go together. When I was being diagnosed, even my doctors and family thought it was a long shot but when I got the lab results it was clear that I did have it. The main symptom that tipped us off was a huge infection I got that wouldn’t go away and that was what encouraged us to test for it, but I also had so many more that I just lived with.

The symptoms that I have heard from most diabetics that occurred was excessive thirst, excessive urinating, unprompted weight loss, severe hunger, and blurred vision. The list can go on but these are the most common. Most type 1 diabetics get diagnosed while they are children or teenagers, however, some adults are diagnosed, but it can be difficult because kids are typically active or going through growth spurts, or don’t even know how to tell when something is wrong with their body. This is why it is so important to know the signs so you can advocate for your children’s health.

When I was around 10 years old I got tested for type 1 diabetes and my A1C was around 6.5, it was not high enough to diagnose, but high enough for them to want to monitor and check again 6 months late. Again, it was around 6.5 and they pushed it off and 6 years later when I was 16, I got my A1C checked and it was 17.5, on the verge of being in DKA (diabetic keto acidosis) and rushed to the ER after checking my blood sugar. My symptoms were masked because I was doing sports and being so active, so the weight loss, excessive thirst and urination just seemed to be a sign of getting healthier, but it was just my body going through a disease that was getting no treatment.

If you notice friends, family, or children having any or multiple symptoms, it never hurts to speak to a doctor or have lab work done because it really can save someone’s life. This disease has such detrimental effects for not being treated so early diagnosis are best.