Diabetes does not come on suddenly. It starts with pre-diabetes or borderline diabetes. It means you do have higher than average blood glucose but not high enough to be classified as diabetes. Signs of pre-diabetes often mean you are already on the path of developing full-blown diabetes. Learn about some of the warning signs of pre-diabetes.

Early warning signs

Weight changes.

A sudden weight loss or gain is an alarm bell. If either of this happens to you get to your doctor who may order blood glucose tests.


Hunger.

Excess hunger is often an early warning sign of pre-diabetes. Because your body is becoming insulin resistant, sugar cannot enter the cells. You experience an overwhelming hunger.


Excess urination coupled with thirst.

A spike in blood glucose drags sugar in the urine as a result you need to urinate frequently. This also leads to excess dehydration and need to drink more water. You may experience a dry mouth and lips.


Tiredness and fatigue.

When your blood sugar rises above the normal range, your body is unable to utilize sugar properly as it enters the bloodstream. You feel dehydrated and tired. Do not ignore a feeling of chronic tiredness and fatigue.


Visual disturbances.

One of the first signs of pre-diabetes. You may experience eye strain or blurriness. Do not neglect these signs. Check out with an ophthalmologist who may ask you to see a diabetologist.


Itching and rashes.

Dry skin, redness and rashes are common signs. Itching can often occur in the genital areas and lower limbs.


Frequent infections.

Especially infections in the genitals such as vaginal yeast infections. If you experience this more than once in 3 months, go for a blood glucose check.


Numbness and tingling in the hands and feet.

One of the signs often missed by patients. Frequent episodes of hands and feet going to “sleep” needs to be investigated.


Slow healing.

If you notice your wounds taking longer than usual to heal, treat it as a warning of pre-diabetes and check your blood glucose.


Sexual dysfunction

This is an uncommon sign but some people do experience discomfort because of genital dryness and frequent infections. If this occurs over a prolonged duration, do get checked out.