30 December 2023 , 10:00
953
0
For many, Christmas goes hand-in-hand with indulging on mouth-watering treats while spending time with our families - and during a time where we spend time with people we don't see often, there's no harm in being aware of any changes to our loved ones' health.
According to recent figures, more than 4.3 million people in the UK are living with diabetes, a condition which causes a person's blood sugar to become too high. In addition, more than 2.4m people are at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes, which is the most common form.
Diabetes is a serious and life-changing condition, which is why it's important to notice any symptoms early as possible. If left untreated, it's likely to get worse - and it can cause other long-term health problems. It's important to be aware of diabetes symptoms at any time of year, but because the Christmas season brings together family members and friends we might not see so often, you could pick up on signs you might not have seen.
One of the signs you might pick up from a family member or friend who has undiagnosed diabetes is "extreme fatigue". During the Christmas holidays, when we're eating a lot of food, have lots of plans and see more people than usual, it's not uncommon, particularly for senior individuals, to become tired.
However, this is also a symptom of diabetes. In extreme cases, someone who has diabetes might feel too tired to be active for the celebrations. Extreme fatigue is a common symptom of undiagnosed diabetes because of the increased blood sugar levels, which makes the body work hard to get rid of the excess sugar.
'I was so ashamed of diabetes that I injected myself under desk and became ill'
It can lead a person to feel very tired, which might cause them to sleep a lot. Fatigue isn't the same as just feeling tired, but can involve lack of, or no energy, difficulty carrying out simple, everyday tasks, and/or feeling down or depressed.
It's important to remember that having these symptoms might not mean you have diabetes, but it's worth speaking to a GP if you have any worries at all. For example, there are many reasons you can feel fatigued - and the most common one is lack of sleep. Most adults need between six and eight hours of sleep per night. Other causes of fatigue include anaemia, depression, infections or Coeliac Disease.
According to the NHS, you should see your GP as soon as possible if you experience any of the main symptoms of diabetes:
- feeling very tired
- feeling very thirsty
- peeing more frequently than usual, particularly at night
- weight loss and loss of muscle bulk
- itching around the penis or vagina, or frequent episodes of thrush
- blurred vision