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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    What are the symptoms of type 1 diabetes?

    Related Topics
    Endocrinology Type 1 Diabetes
    • 2 answers
    • Diabetes Australia
    • Arlene Normand
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  • Diabetes Australia

    Diabetes Australia is the national peak body for diabetes in Australia providing a single, powerful, collective voice for people living with diabetes, their families and … View Profile

    The following are symptoms of type 1 diabetes:

    • Being excessively thirsty
    • Passing more urine
    • Feeling tired and lethargic
    • Always feeling hungry
    • Having cuts that heal slowly
    • Itching, skin infections
    • Blurred vision
    • Unexplained weight loss
    • Mood swings
    • Headaches
    • Feeling dizzy
    • Leg cramps.

    These symptoms may occur suddenly. If they occur, see a doctor. Through a simple test, a doctor can find out if they’re the result of type 1 diabetes.

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  • Arlene Normand

    Dietitian

    Arlene is a registered practising dietitian, with a private practice in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, and has built a strong business over the last … View Profile

    Although some people have no symptoms, most people diagnosed with type 1 diabetes have the following signs and symptoms of hyperglycemia (high blood sugar):
    blurred vision
    decreased mental sharpness
    extreme thirst and hunger
    feeling tired (fatigue)
    frequent need to urinate
    frequent skin infections
    weight loss despite having an increased appetite
    slow-healing wounds

    In some cases, emergency symptoms of very high blood sugar may develop. They include:
    confusion
    fast breathing
    fruity-smelling breath (a sign of diabetic ketoacidosis)
    loss of coordination
    pain in the abdomen
    shaking
    slurred speech
    unconsciousness
    nausea
    vomiting
    fast heartbeat

    It's absolutely critical to get immediate emergency medical attention if any of the above emergency symptoms develop. Make sure you get to a hospital right away.

    There are short- and long-term complications associated with diabetes. Short-term problems are hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) and hyperglycaemia (high blood sugar). Taking too much insulin, missing a meal, or over-exercising can make blood sugar go too low.
     
    Symptoms of low blood sugar can come along very quickly, and they can include:
    cold sweats
    fast heartbeat
    hunger
    lightheadedness
    numbness of the tongue and lips
    shakiness
    anxiety
    nausea
     
    In contrast, symptoms of high blood sugar (such as thirst, increased urination, or blurred vision) usually come on slowly and can be brought on by circumstances such as taking too little insulin, eating too much food, or during stressful times or illness. A serious condition called ketoacidosis can occur when blood sugar is high and there is not enough insulin circulating in the body. Diabetic ketoacidosis mainly affects people with type 1 diabetes and can be very dangerous if left untreated.

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