Signs that You Are Not Managing Diabetes Properly

Being diagnosed with diabetes means you need to take extra care of your health. It is very important to keep your blood sugar levels under control to reduce the risk of diabetes-related health complications.

Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to a number of short- and long-term complications, including hypoglycemia, heart disease, nerve damage, amputation, and vision problems.

It is common to feel overwhelmed, sad or angry when suffering from diabetes, as you need to check your blood sugar all the time and take pills or stick yourself with needles to supply your body with insulin.

This is why most people have trouble sticking to a diabetes management plan over time. Even more frustrating, some people may have high blood sugar even after taking their medicines and insulin on time.

According to the World Health Organization, high blood glucose was the cause of 2.2 million deaths in 2012 (1).

High blood sugar can cause several changes in the body. So, you need to be aware of the signs that indicate that your blood sugar levels are not under control. Keeping an eye out for the signs will help you take necessary steps and prevent complications.

Bear in mind that with good diabetes control and living a healthy, active lifestyle, you can live years without suffering from diabetes complications.

Here are some signs that you are not managing your diabetes properly.

1. Constantly Thirsty

No matter what, one common sign of high blood sugar is increased thirst. This means you will suddenly start drinking more water than usual.

The main reason why high blood sugar makes you thirsty is polyuria. When your blood sugar level is high, the kidneys cannot function properly and end up producing more urine to get rid of the excess glucose they cannot absorb. This causes you to become dehydrated, and to combat that, you start drinking more water.

The American Diabetes Association provides a list of seven symptoms of diabetes and excessive thirst tops the list (2).

So, if you are feeling abnormally thirsty and drinking water doesn’t satisfy your thirst, test your blood sugar level. If it’s high even though you’re taking your prescribed insulin, consult your doctor.

2. Frequent Urination

Despite taking medicines or insulin, if you need to use the bathroom more frequently, it is a clear sign that your blood sugar is out of control.

According to Diabetes Self Management, excess urination or polyuria in diabetes occurs when you have excess levels of sugar in the blood. In fact, it is a classic symptom of high blood sugar levels (3).

Constantly needing to urinate is directly linked to constant thirst. As the kidneys are not able to keep up with the excess sugar, they try to get rid of it through urination. So, you end up making more visits to the bathroom, especially during the night.

Hence, it is very important to keep track of your trips to the bathroom. If you notice you are going every hour, check your blood sugar level immediately.

3. More Tiredness

Following the same routine, but still getting fatigued and tired more easily is a clear indication that your blood sugar levels are not under control.

Fatigue and extreme tiredness are linked to uncontrolled blood sugar. When your body is not processing insulin properly, the sugar remains in your blood rather than getting into your cells to be used for energy. Moreover, the kidneys are not able to absorb the glucose and create energy, ultimately leading to weakness and tiredness.

A study published in Diabetes Care in 2014 found a strong relationship between hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) and chronic fatigue in people with type 1 diabetes (4).

If you are experiencing fatigue and weakness despite eating properly and enjoying adequate sleep, see your doctor and get your blood sugar level checked.

4. Slow-Healing Wounds

Cuts, scrapes, bruises, and other wounds are common, and they often heal quickly. But cuts and scrapes heal more slowly in diabetics as compared to people who do not have this condition.

However, if you are diabetic and your wounds take more time to heal than usual, it can be due to uncontrolled blood sugar.

Uncontrolled blood sugar levels can cause nerve damage and affect blood circulation, especially in the lower legs and feet. Slow healing can cause even minor wounds to be more prone to infections, which can become very serious.

A 1990 study published in the Nursing Clinics of North America reports that slow wound healing in diabetic people can be due to both an inherent (genetic) defect as well as decreased insulin availability and increased blood glucose concentration (5).

Make sure to consult your doctor soon if a wound is taking a long time to heal and there are signs of infection.