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Frequent urination (polyuria): High blood sugar causes the kidneys to work harder to remove excess glucose from the blood. This leads to increased urine production, especially at night.
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Increased thirst (polydipsia): Excessive urination causes the body to lose fluids. To compensate, people with diabetes often feel very thirsty.
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Increased hunger (polyphagia): Despite eating normally or more, the body’s cells cannot effectively use glucose for energy. This leads to persistent feelings of hunger.
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Fatigue: When glucose cannot enter cells properly, the body lacks an efficient energy source. As a result, individuals may feel tired even after adequate rest.
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Blurred vision: High blood sugar levels can cause fluid shifts in the lenses of the eyes. This affects the eyes’ ability to focus clearly, leading to temporary blurred vision.
When to worry
- You feel constantly thirsty or tired.
- You need to urinate more often than usual.
- You notice unexplained weight loss or increased hunger.
- Cuts or wounds heal slowly or become infected easily.
- You experience numbness, tingling, or pain in your hands or feet.
When to see a doctor
- Your blood tests are not in target range – e.g. random blood glucose > 15 mmol/L, or HbA1c > 48 mmol/mol.
- You have ongoing symptoms of high blood sugar that do not improve.
- You have a family history of diabetes and develop symptoms; or are overweight or inactive and have risk factors such as high blood pressure or CKD
- You are pregnant and have symptoms or abnormal blood sugar results.
- You develop severe symptoms such as confusion, vomiting, or loss of consciousness (seek urgent medical care).
