Symptoms:

Often, people with type 2 diabetes have no symptoms at first. They may not have symptoms for many years.

The early symptoms of diabetes may include:

• Bladder, kidney, skin, or other infections that are more frequent or heal slowly
• Fatigue
• Hunger
• Increased thirst
• Increased urination

The first symptom may also be:

• Blurred vision
• Erectile dysfunction
• Pain or numbness in the feet or hands

Signs and tests:

Your health care provider may suspect that you have diabetes if your blood sugar level is higher than 200 mg/dL. To confirm the diagnosis, one or more of the following tests must be done.

Diabetes blood tests:

• Fasting blood glucose level -- diabetes is diagnosed if it is higher than 126 mg/dL two times
• Hemoglobin A1c test --
  • Normal: Less than 5.7%
  • Pre-diabetes: 5.7% - 6.4%
  • Diabetes: 6.5% or higher
• Oral glucose tolerance test -- diabetes is diagnosed if glucose level is higher than 200 mg/dL after 2 hours

Diabetes screening is recommended for:

• Overweight children who have other risk factors for diabetes, starting at age 10 and repeated every 2 years
• Overweight adults (BMI greater than 25) who have other risk factors
• Adults over age 45 every 3 years

You should see your health care provider every 3 months. At these visits, you can expect your health care provider to:

• Check your blood pressure
• Check the skin and bones on your feet and legs
• Check to see if your feet are becoming numb
• Examine the back part of the eye with a special lighted instrument called an ophthalmoscope

The following tests will help you and your doctor monitor your diabetes and prevent problems:

• Have your blood pressure checked at least every year (blood pressure goals should be 130/80 mm/Hg or lower).
• Have your hemoglobin A1c test (HbA1c) every 6 months if your diabetes is well controlled; otherwise every 3 months.
• Have your cholesterol and triglyceride levels checked yearly (aim for LDL levels below 70-100 mg/dL).
• Get yearly tests to make sure your kidneys are working well (microalbuminuria and serum creatinine).
• Visit your eye doctor at least once a year, or more often if you have signs of diabetic eye disease.
• See the dentist every 6 months for a thorough dental cleaning and exam. Make sure your dentist and hygienist know that you have diabetes.