I recently had a friend ask me what my symptoms were when I was first diagnosed with diabetes. She had been feeling not-so-hot and thought maybe it could be diabetes. That's when I realized that most people don't recognize the symptoms of this bitch of a disease.
Before I provide my always exceptional knowledge, please watch this short, "educational" video provided by Dr. GloZell entitled, 'The Ghetto Diabetic Test.'
(Disclaimer: I'm 99.9% sure that this is not backed-up by the FDA. I'm also quite sure that Dr. GloZell is NOT indeed a real doctor. But it's entertaining and somewhat accurate all the same.)
Besides the bits about Smurf pee, she's actually right. So now that you have an amazing, ghetto-liscious understanding of a few symptoms, here is my (still kind of ghetto) take on it. The list of diabetes symptoms is long. Really long. So I narrowed it down to the 2 biggest and most common categories to look out for.
#1:
Excessive thirst and urination
I'm not kidding guys. Thirst is not an accurate word for how much water your body will be craving. This also explains the urination. When you're gulping about 5 bottles of water every 15 minutes (not an exaggeration) you will pee like a pregnant, diabetic race horse. That's how the saying goes, right?
Why is this happening? Your body is overloaded with sugar and is getting rid of it by flushing it through your kidneys. Side note: THIS IS BAD. Don't put your kidneys through that, y'all. You need those suckers.
I get that it's summer and you're going to be thirstier and drinking more than usual. But if you notice that it's severe thirst that can never be quenched, ever, then consider getting tested for diabetes.
#2: Severe lethargy paired with a skull-splitting headache
When I say lethargy, I mean it feels like there are magnets on your feet pulling you to the ground. Your body and brain are a confused muddle of sleepy, lazy, checked-out, and for lack of a better word, blah. This is once again because your body has an overload of sugar everywhere- your blood, pee, etc.
The headache is how we caught my diabetes in 8th grade. I had a headache that was so severe I couldn't even stand up. Mom took me to the doctor, who literally saved my life, and I guess the rest is history. Really crappy history.
Headaches are normal. If you have a bad headache don't go screaming, "diabetes!" But if it's paired with you feeling like a beached Orca whale who just overdosed on Benadryl, maybe get tested.
In fact, everyone should check their blood sugar every now and then. I'm not saying you necessarily need to take Dr. GloZells advice and pee on a paper towel and leave it out for the ants. Although that would totally work and, hey, I don't judge. Just don't let your neighbors catch you. But chances are you know a diabadass who would be more than willing to let you use their meter.
Get tested, people! I'm trying to save your feet!
Holy Moley. This girl is legit. She also has a video about dog poop. No lie. And have you seen the one where she eats a habenero thinking it's a CHERRY?? Yeah....
ReplyDeleteI understand that her method of peeing on a paper towel andleaving it out for the ants is a "good" test. But really? All I can think of is having to clean where ever it is you are laying said paper towel down at. I like your method better!
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