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Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: Quantumcat on 13/01/2004 13:00:26

Title: What are the Symptoms of Diabetes ?
Post by: Quantumcat on 13/01/2004 13:00:26
can someone tell me what the symptoms of a person are usually before they are diagnosed with diabetes, either type one or two? thanks.

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Title: Re: What are the Symptoms of Diabetes ?
Post by: Ylide on 14/01/2004 00:03:35
It depends on the severity of the diabetes and the type.  Before my girlfriend was diagnosed, she was having extreme fatigue, headaches, joint pain, dizziness, and nausea.  She was a VERY late onset type I though...she doesn't respond to any of the oral medication so is on insulin.  Usually insulin-dependent diabetics start symptoms as children.  (oddly enough, her diabetes was triggered by a cortisone shot in her knee!)  

I think type II symptoms are very similar, but often less severe unless untreated for too long.  Untreated high blood sugar can lead to neuropathy and ketoacidosis, both of which can cause permanent damage and/or death.  This is usually caused by being obese and excessive sugar consumption, as well as genetic factors.  Type II is often preventable, and usally treatable with minor medication and dietary changes.  Type I diabetics need to take insulin to live.



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Title: Re: What are the Symptoms of Diabetes ?
Post by: bezoar on 14/01/2004 13:57:35
Synptoms:  polyuria-you urinate a lot, polydipsia-you're thristy all the time, hunger, unexplained weight loss.  Those are the most common symptoms.  The symptoms are the same, but my understanding is that type I is more of an autoimmune illness, and type II is more of an insulin resistance.  Type II's sometimes go on insuling too, depending on the severity of the diabetes, however, when they do, they usually go on high doses due to their resistance.  I don't work with many diabetics, but that's my understanding of it.

Bezoar
Title: Re: What are the Symptoms of Diabetes ?
Post by: cuso4 on 15/01/2004 13:40:58
Other symptoms that I can think of are: blurred vision caused by the lost of water in the lens cause by the blood with high concentration of sugar. Weight loss might be due to muscle wastage where protein is broken down and used as another source of energy (since insulin also stimulate the uptake of glucose by cells).

The symptoms mentioned are for diabetes mellitus. Isn't there another type of diabetes? I forgot it's proper name but it's to do with the kidney and water balance in the body.

Angel

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Title: Re: What are the Symptoms of Diabetes ?
Post by: Quantumcat on 16/01/2004 07:46:47
We were studying diabetes in biology class, I was just curious. I'm sure being thirsty and not being very hungry is probably due to the different balance of the different nutrients in french food rather than being diabetic, haha, I'm so paranoid.

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Title: Re: What are the Symptoms of Diabetes ?
Post by: bezoar on 18/01/2004 12:59:22
Diabetes insipidus, but you won't get that from eating French food.  And Quantum, you would be more hungry instead of less, because your body wouldn't be able to use the sugar in the food you're eating for energy, thus it would signal hunger to you in an attempt to get more food.  So, sounds like you're healthy to me.  Could it be that the butter in the food is giving more satiety?

Bezoar
Title: Re: What are the Symptoms of Diabetes ?
Post by: roberth on 22/01/2004 23:21:33
For the coffee drinkers that may be at risk of diabetes the following article will provide some assurance. I would've thought drinking that much coffee had other side effects, but who am I to argue. http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/01/07/1073268070789.html
Title: Re: What are the Symptoms of Diabetes ?
Post by: chris on 23/01/2004 12:52:21
Robert - sorry to break the thread - but only 1 week til I leave for Oz / Sydney. Shall we meet up once I get there ?

Chris

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Title: Re: What are the Symptoms of Diabetes ?
Post by: roberth on 27/01/2004 01:04:49
Yes, I'm looking forward to it. Send the details to me.
Title: Re: What are the Symptoms of Diabetes ?
Post by: chris on 27/01/2004 01:09:01
hi Robert

can you email me your phone no. please - chris@nakedscientists.com - and I'll drop you a line once I'm in sydney.

chris

"I never forget a face, but in your case I'll make an exception"
 - Groucho Marx
Title: Re: What are the Symptoms of Diabetes ?
Post by: mlaga on 01/02/2004 13:20:00
Dear all,

In my search for background information on diabetes, I found this forum by chance. You must know, I'm a scientific PhD student, and I'm trying to unreavel the mistery of the mechanism underlying diabetes. The symptoms of most of the people are idead the ones described by the people on this page. But, the be sure you are diabetic, you should visit a doctor. A doctor can tell you by diagnostic tests if you're diabetic or not. When you have high glucose levels in your blood, your haemoglobin (a molecule that transports oxygen) becomes glycated (having a sugor molecule on it) and is calleds Hb1Ac. The level of this Hb1Ac is an indication if you're diabetic or not.
If you have any other questions or remarks please feel free to contact me. Laga_mathias@yahoo.com.
Title: Re: What are the Symptoms of Diabetes ?
Post by: Ylide on 01/02/2004 17:46:01
welcome to the forum, mathias.  

Is your work focusing on type I or type II diabetes?  Or both?

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Title: Re: What are the Symptoms of Diabetes ?
Post by: bezoar on 02/02/2004 15:08:45
I have a question mlaga.  Once the molecule has become glycosolated, how long before it becomes un-glycosolated, or does it?  So when we get a level of Hb1Ac, how long a period of time does it reflect?  And is there a way of knowing how high the glucose level got at any given time?
Oh, and by the way, welcome to the forum too.
Title: Re: What are the Symptoms of Diabetes ?
Post by: Quantumcat on 03/02/2004 13:14:26
You're going to sydney, chris? How cool! Do the ferry tour of the harbour, it's great.

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Title: Re: What are the Symptoms of Diabetes ?
Post by: MachineGhost on 12/02/2004 08:57:22
quote:
Originally posted by bezoar

I have a question mlaga.  Once the molecule has become glycosolated, how long before it becomes un-glycosolated, or does it?  So when we get a level of Hb1Ac, how long a period of time does it reflect?  And is there a way of knowing how high the glucose level got at any given time?
Oh, and by the way, welcome to the forum too.



I don't know about Hb1Ac specifically, but proteins never become un-glycated (as it is part of so-called "normal" aging), unless you ingest cross-linking breakers, such as carnosine or Alteon's experimental drug ALT-711.  There's also cross-linking inhibitors, such as carnosine, aminoguanidine (also contained in its precursors Goat's Rue and Metformin/Glucophage) and Alteon's experimental drug ALT-946.

Machine Ghost