It is believed that there are around 8.1 million people in the United States with undiagnosed diabetes according to the American Diabetes Association. That is a big chunk of the population walking around without any medical treatment for their disease.

Why Do So Many People Go Undiagnosed?

There are many reasons for not getting tested, including lack of health insurance, fear, or simply not realizing there is a problem. Type 2 diabetes is a sneaky disease. Many people who have it don’t know there is anything wrong until they start to develop symptoms and complications. Some of these, include:

• pain or tingling in your feet
• increased thirst
• excessive urination
• blurry vision
• slow healing wounds
• frequent infections
• weight loss
• fatigue

The symptoms may not show up for months or years and the usually start out as mild irritations before progressing to something more harmful. You might also develop symptoms of hypoglycemia, which can occur when the blood glucose level drops sharply.

What Can You Do?

Symptoms usually appear when you have high blood sugar levels over a period of time. Pay close attention to when you experience any of the above, especially if it is after a carbohydrate-rich meal or snack. You might even want to make a note of what you eat and any symptoms you experience from day-to-day. This can help you identify whether you potentially have diabetes.

Go Get Tested

You don’t want to end up getting diagnosed in the hospital emergency room after developing a major complication, like cardiovascular problems. The test is usually something that your family doctor can administer during a check-up. Be sure to let the doctor’s office know that you want a diabetes test beforehand, as they may ask you to fast the night before. Once you have the diagnosis, you can start treatment. Plus, lots of people with diabetes don’t even need to take insulin. They manage it with oral medication and lifestyle changes.