type 1 diabetes with insulin injections means you may
have high and low blood sugar from time to time.
High blood sugar usually develops slowly over hours or
days, so you can take steps to correct it before your symptoms become severe
and require medical attention. On the other hand, your blood sugar level can
drop to dangerously low levels within 10 to 15 minutes of exercising or taking
insulin without eating enough. You also can get low blood sugar if you have
previously taken intermediate- or long-lasting insulin and skip a meal.
Signs of complications
The longer you have
diabetes, the more likely you are to develop complications. You are not likely
to develop signs of complications from diabetes until you have had the disease
for about 5 years. Still, you should watch for complications. Signs may
- Burning pain, numbness, or swelling in your
feet or hands. These symptoms may signal damage to the nerves that affect
sensation and touch. This complication is called
peripheral neuropathy. If one nerve is affected (focal
neuropathy), you may have symptoms in one area of your body, such as double
- Blurred or distorted vision; seeing
flashes of light, or large areas that look like
floating hair, cotton fibers, or spiderwebs; or pain in your eyes. These
symptoms may indicate
diabetic retinopathy. You are also at risk for other
eye diseases, such as
- A wound that won't heal or that
looks infected. This may mean you have damage to the blood vessels that supply
that area. It also can happen because your body's white blood cells do not
fight infection well when blood sugar is high.
- Frequent bloating,
belching, constipation, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.
These are signs of
gastroparesis, or slow emptying of the stomach. It
happens when the nerves that control your internal organs and systems are
damaged (autonomic neuropathy).
- A lot of sweating (especially after
meals) or reduced sweating; feeling dizzy or weak when you sit or stand up
suddenly; not being able to tell when your bladder is full or to empty your
bladder completely; erection problems or vaginal dryness; or difficulty knowing
when your blood sugar is low (hypoglycemia unawareness). These also
may indicate autonomic neuropathy.
You will not have symptoms of kidney problems (diabetic nephropathy) until severe damage has
developed. Then you may notice swelling in your feet, legs, and throughout your
body. Having regular tests for protein in your urine is the only way to detect
kidney damage before symptoms develop.