Type 2 Diabetes Symptoms Type 2 Diabetes Early Warning Signs Print By Debra Manzella, RN | Medically reviewed by Richard N. Fogoros, MD Updated October 16, 2018 Paul Bradbury/Getty Images More in Type 2 Diabetes Symptoms Causes & Risk Factors Nutrition & Weight Loss Diagnosis & Treatment Living With A1c Test Analyzer Although 24 million people have been diagnosed with diabetes, it's estimated that an additional 5.7 million people have the disease but don't know it. Diabetes mellitus refers to a group of diseases that affect how your body uses blood sugar (glucose). Glucose is vital to your health because it's an important source of energy for the cells that make up your muscles and tissues. It's also your brain's main source of fuel. If you have diabetes, no matter what type, it means you have too much glucose in your blood, although the causes may differ. Too much glucose can lead to serious health problems. Chronic diabetes conditions include type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. Potentially reversible diabetes conditions include prediabetes—when your blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be classified as diabetes—and gestational diabetes, which occurs during pregnancy but may resolve after the baby is delivered. Complications Long-term complications of diabetes develop gradually. The longer you have diabetes—and the less controlled your blood sugar—the higher the risk of complications. Eventually, diabetes complications may be disabling or even life-threatening. Possible complications include cardiovascular disease, nerve damage (neuropathy), kidney damage (nephropathy), eye damage (retinopathy), foot damage, skin conditions, and hearing impairment. Type 2 diabetes may also increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease. The poorer your blood sugar control, the greater the risk appears to be. Although there are theories as to how these disorders might be connected, none has yet been proved. Signs & Symptoms Type 2 diabetes doesn't always have clear symptoms and often isn't diagnosed until found accidentally during a physical or check-up. Some usual indications can include: Feeling excessively tiredUnquenchable thirstFrequent urinationNumbness and/or tingling in feet or handsChanges in eyesight, such as blurry visionUnexpected weight lossIncrease in infections or wounds that won't healBreath that smells fruity If you, or someone you know, has one or more of these symptoms, make an appointment to see your doctor. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! We know healthy eating is key to help manage diabetes, but that doesn't make it easy. Our free nutrition guide is here to help. Sign up and receive your free copy! Email Address Sign Up There was an error. Please try again. Thank you, , for signing up. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources "National Diabetes Statistics, 2007." National Diabetes Clearing House. June 2008. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), Web. Keith, Taylor. "Type 2 Diabetes: Prevalence, Surgery, Complications & Cost." American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, Web. Continue Reading