Recognise the symptoms of diabetes (Diabetes UK)
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00:00 Diabetes is a condition where your blood glucose level, also known as blood sugar level, is too high.
00:06 There are two main types of diabetes, type 1 and type 2.
00:11 There are also some rarer types, but they're all serious and can be diagnosed by your GP.
00:16 The signs and symptoms you need to look out for are
00:20 Weeing often, because your body will be trying to lower your blood sugar levels by flushing out the extra sugar in your blood.
00:29 This can lead to other symptoms, including feeling really thirsty, or genital itching and thrush.
00:36 This can happen if your wee contains a lot of sugar from your blood, because it can create an environment for fungal infections.
00:43 You may also feel tired, because the sugar in your blood can't get into your cells to turn into energy.
00:51 This could lead to your body trying to break down its fat stores instead, so you might find that you are losing weight without really trying to.
00:59 Wounds might also take longer to heal, because high blood sugar levels can limit nutrients and oxygen from getting to your wound.
01:08 And your eyesight might be blurry, as blood sugar can build up, making it harder to see.
01:15 With type 1 diabetes, the symptoms can be more obvious and develop much quicker, over a few days or weeks.
01:23 With type 2 diabetes, the symptoms can develop much slower, and some people may not have any symptoms.
01:30 This is why some people can live with type 2 for years without realising they have it.
01:36 If you do notice any of the symptoms, contact your GP straight away.
01:42 Getting diagnosed can be the first step to getting treatment and support, so that you can find ways to live well with diabetes, as soon as possible.
01:50 [Music]