Some less common symptoms may point to the beginning of type 1 diabetes, in addition to the traditional ones. To avoid problems and preserve excellent health, type 1 diabetes must be identified early and managed effectively. Reduced recurrence, infection severity, and improved general health are possible with appropriate diabetes diagnosis and treatment. Further measures to lower the risk of infections in people with diabetes include maintaining proper blood sugar management, washing well, and getting the required vaccines.
Traditional symptoms of type 1 diabetes include increased thirst, frequent urination, intense hunger, weight loss, exhaustion, and blurred vision. Here are a handful of some unusual symptoms:
- Unexplained weight gain
An uncommon early indication of type 1 diabetes may be unexplained weight gain. Certain people may gain weight before they are diagnosed with diabetes, even though weight loss is more frequently linked to the disease because of the body’s improper use of glucose as fuel. Increased hunger, hydration retention, and insulin resistance may be the cause.
- Sudden changes in behavior or mood
An uncommonly early indication of type 1 diabetes might be abrupt behavioral or mental changes. Blood sugar variations can cause mood swings and behavioral changes, even though these conditions are not usually linked to diabetes.
Known as hypoglycemia, sharp decreases in blood sugar can have an impact on brain activity and cause behavioral or emotional disturbances. People who have hypoglycemia may exhibit agitation, disorientation, nervousness, or even hostility as symptoms.
Hyperglycemia, or prolonged high blood sugar, can also affect behavior and mood. Anxiety, weariness, and difficulty focusing can all be caused by high blood sugar levels, and these symptoms might show up as abrupt behavioral changes.
- Dry, itchy skin
An uncommonly early sign of type 1 diabetes might be dry, itchy skin. Although blood sugar swings and other related factors are not usually linked to diabetes, they can cause changes in the texture and moisture content of the skin.
Diabetes’s common consequence, peripheral neuropathy, can damage nerves, impairing skin sensory experience. Still, immune system malfunction and blood sugar swings might make them worse.
- Sudden vision changes
When blood sugar levels fluctuate, the eye’s lens is affected, which can lead to alterations in vision in people with type 1 diabetes.
Vision impairment may result from the ocular lens swelling brought on by variations in blood sugar levels. A common early indicator of diabetes is this.
As blood sugar levels rise and fall during the day, vision may change. That is especially apparent after eating when blood sugar levels increase.
Elevated blood sugar can impair the eye muscles’ capacity to adapt and concentrate appropriately, resulting in blurred or altered near- or far-sightedness.
- Fatigue or weakness
Although weakness and fatigue are common symptoms of many illnesses, type 1 diabetes may be indicated by chronic weakness or exhaustion, especially when combined with additional symptoms like increased thirst and frequent urination.
- Slow healing of wounds
Elevated blood sugar levels can hinder the body’s capacity to repair injuries. Consequently, sluggish wounds, bruises, or pain healing—especially on the feet or lower extremities—may indicate diabetes in its early stages.