A staggering 4.3 million people in the UK are currently living with diabetes. However, experts say up to 850,000 people across the nation could have the condition without realising. If left undiagnosed, diabetes can cause a slew of health issues including damage to the nerves in your feet.
Type 1 diabetes can develop quickly over ‘weeks or even days’, while type 2 diabetes (which is the most common type, affecting 90 per cent of all adults with diabetes) is rarely caught early on as the symptoms tend to be too general. There is one common side effect known as ‘polydipsia’ which could be a sign to see a doctor.
Polydipsia is the medical term for excessive thirst, caused by high blood sugar levels. It may also be accompanied by xerostomia (dry mouth) and the urge to urinate frequently. “We all get thirsty at various times during the day,” says Diabetes.co.uk. “Adequate daily intake of water (several glasses) is very important as water is essential for many bodily functions, including regulating body temperature and removing waste.
“However, if you feel thirsty all the time or your thirst is stronger than usual and continues even after you drink, it can be a sign that not all is well inside your body.” It’s important to note that polydipsia is a ‘persistent’ symptom that won’t go away by simply drinking more water.
According to the NHS, the main symptoms of diabetes are:
George West is a medical student who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes over four years ago. In his first year of studying, he noticed he had started to lose weight. In fact, the student went from around 100 kilos to 70 and said he felt ‘exhausted.
“At the time, I was studying hard for exams and my focus was just on passing them,” he told Diabetes UK. “But it got to the point where I couldn’t go an hour without needing the toilet and I was drinking around six or seven litres of water a day – the thirst really was unbelievable.”