What it is
Insulin is the hormone that lets sugar move from the blood into the cells. When it stops working well, blood sugar rises. Over time, high blood sugar can affect the eyes, kidneys, nerves, feet, heart and blood vessels, which is why regular checks matter.
Family history, age, weight and how active you are all affect the risk. It is different from type 1 diabetes, where the body stops making insulin altogether.
Common signs
- Being thirsty and passing urine more often, especially at night
- Feeling very tired
- Cuts or infections that heal slowly
- Blurred vision
- Many people have no symptoms and find out from a routine blood test
How it is usually diagnosed
- Blood tests: fasting blood sugar and HbA1c, which reflects the average blood sugar over the last two to three months
- Sometimes a glucose tolerance test, with blood taken before and after a sugary drink
- Once diagnosed: regular checks of the kidneys (blood and urine), cholesterol, blood pressure, eyes and feet
Records worth keeping
Keeping these together makes each appointment easier, especially when you see a new doctor:
- Every HbA1c and blood sugar result, so the trend is easy to follow
- Kidney tests (creatinine, eGFR, urine albumin)
- Eye screening reports
- Foot check notes
- Letters from the diabetes clinic with your medicines and doses
Questions to ask your doctor
- How often should I have HbA1c and kidney tests?
- Should I check my blood sugar at home, and when?
- When is my next eye and foot check due?
- What should I do when I am ill and cannot eat normally?
When to get help right away
Call 112 or go to the nearest emergency department if you have:
- Confusion, drowsiness or fainting
- Being sick repeatedly and unable to keep fluids down
- Fast or deep breathing, or breath that smells fruity
This page is general information. It is not a diagnosis and does not replace a doctor who knows your history. Medfold keeps your records organised; it does not interpret them.