The Truth About Living With Diabetes

More than 38 million adults in the U.S. are living with diabetes. Of those, it’s estimated that about 8 million are undiagnosed — which means they may not know they have diabetes.

Estimates are another 97 million people — 38 percent of the entire U.S. adult population — have prediabetes, a condition where the blood sugar level is higher than normal, but not high enough to be considered diabetes. Only one in five of the people with prediabetes are aware of their condition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates.

Taken together, these statistics indicate there is a huge gap in knowledge about diabetes and its warning signs. To help our members who may have diabetes or prediabetes and don’t know it, this article discusses what signs to watch out for. We also examine several myths about diabetes and tell you the truth about living with it.

What is Diabetes?

Glucose is a type of sugar that’s an important source of energy for our bodies. We get it mainly from foods we eat that have carbohydrates. Our bloodstream carries glucose to cells where it’s used as fuel to keep us going. To help get glucose through the bloodstream and into cells, the pancreas makes a hormone called insulin.

• With type 1 diabetes, a person’s body makes little or no insulin and they need to take supplemental insulin. Type 1 diabetes often begins in childhood or during adolescence.
• Type 1.5 diabetes (also known as latent autoimmune diabetes in adults or LADA) happens when an autoimmune disease slowly destroys insulin-making cells in the pancreas. Symptoms of type 1.5 diabetes start in adulthood, usually after age 30.
• With type 2 diabetes, the body doesn’t make enough insulin and/or cells in the body don’t use insulin properly (insulin resistance). As a result, glucose stays in the blood and its levels can get too high, possibly damaging internal organs like the kidneys and heart. It can also damage body parts like the feet and eyes. Type 2 is the most common form of diabetes.
• In prediabetes, blood glucose levels are elevated and there is a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the future. There is also a higher risk of heart disease.

Symptoms of diabetes include:

• Often being thirsty and having dry mouth
• Urinating frequently
• Fatigue and feeling weak
• Headaches
• Blurry vision
• Unexplained weight loss
• Numbness or tingling in hands or feet
• Sores or cuts that heal slowly
• Frequent skin, gum, or vaginal infections
• Irritability or mood changes

Increased thirst and urinating more often is a common warning sign of diabetes. Why does this happen? The kidneys have to work harder when glucose builds up in a person’s blood, in order to remove it. As the kidneys go into overdrive, they drain more fluid from the body, making the person dehydrated and feel thirsty. This increased kidney activity also increases urine output.

With type 2 diabetes, some symptoms are not always present. Or they may come on so slowly that they go unnoticed. That’s why some people are unaware they have diabetes. 

Lab tests can be used to identify high blood sugar levels before there are symptoms of diabetes. When diabetes is diagnosed early, people can get into treatment sooner and the risk of complications like heart disease is reduced.

Most of the people who have prediabetes don’t experience any symptoms. A few may get darkened skin in certain areas, such as the armpits and neck. Because there aren’t many warning signs, the only way to know if you have prediabetes is to have a screening test done to check your blood sugar levels. 

Diabetes Myths and Truths

Let’s take a look at some of the misconceptions about diabetes and the truths about this chronic disease.

Myth: You won’t get diabetes if no one in your family has it.
Truth: A family history of diabetes is a risk factor, but you can get diabetes even though no one else in your family has it. 

Myth: People with type 2 diabetes are always overweight.
Truth: Being overweight and physically inactive does increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes or prediabetes, but there are several other reasons why you may get it. Those include your age (being 45 or older) and your ethnicity (African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, Alaska Natives, some Pacific Islanders, and Asian Americans are at higher risk). 

Myth: People who eat a lot of sugar will get diabetes.
Truth: There is no direct connection between eating sugar and getting diabetes, which is caused by the body not making enough insulin or developing insulin resistance. Eating foods with too much sugar and drinking sugary beverages, however, can make you gain weight — which puts you at increased risk for developing diabetes.

Myth: You can’t eat sweets if you have diabetes.
Truth: Consuming sweets increases glucose levels in the blood, so people with diabetes have to be careful about that and manage their diet. They can still have small amounts of sweets if they plan for it. For example, having a sweet as a special treat and cutting back on other carbohydrates to make up for it.

Myth: People with diabetes shouldn’t eat carbohydrates.
Truth: Carbohydrates are an important part of getting the right nutrition, so they should not be excluded. People with diabetes can safely eat carbohydrates, but they need to plan for them to avoid sudden increases in their blood sugar levels. A nutritionist or diabetes educator can help with meal planning. Also, check out our blog article on eating well to manage diabetes.

Myth: You shouldn’t exercise if you have diabetes, as it may not be safe.
Truth: Not only is it safe to exercise if you have diabetes, getting regular exercise is an important way to manage the condition, as it helps lower blood sugar levels. Resistance training can be very beneficial (check out our blog article on resistance training). Be sure to talk to your health care provider before beginning an exercise routine.

Myth: My blood sugar levels are below what’s considered to be diabetes, so I’m ok.
Truth: If you have prediabetes, where your blood sugar is higher than normal, you are at high risk of developing diabetes in the future. You should take action to get your blood sugar back into normal range, including losing weight and exercising. Talk to your health care provider about steps you can take to control prediabetes and lower your risk of developing diabetes.

Myth: Drugs can cure diabetes.
Truth: There are now prescription drugs available, such as Ozempic (semaglutide), which can be used as part of a treatment plan for adults with type 2 diabetes. These pharmaceuticals help the pancreas make more insulin, thus assisting with lowering blood sugar levels. However, the drugs by themselves are not a cure. They should be used along with a healthy diet and exercise to manage the disease.

Follow Your Treatment Plan

We hope this article has shed some light on diabetes and provided information you can use to better control the condition, if you have it. An important thing to remember is that adopting a healthy lifestyle can make living with diabetes easier. It’s also very important to work with your health care provider to develop a treatment plan and then follow it closely.