diabetes

[kimwaller]

How do you know if you have diabetes? My friend has these panic attacks his face gets tingly and his hands to and we have to put them in warm water and he goes hot and cold. Also he thinks really negative when he gets these attacks. He has been drinking alot of water and going to the bathroom alot to. Are these symptoms of diabetes and how does he get diagnosed?

[Zoelula]

Panic attacks are not symptoms of diabetes. However drinking a lot of water and going to the bathroom a lot can be. If your friend thinks he might have diabetes it is easy enough to go to a doctor who will recommend either a fasting glucose test or an OGTT where he drinks a really sweet drink and watches how it affects his blood sugar over time. He should definitely have it checked as untreated Type 1 diabetes can make you very sick.

[Jodi1968]

Hi Kim,

Just a quick note that sometimes I get what feels like a panic attack but it is actually low or high blood sugar which can give you heart palpitation, trembling hands, sweating, etc...so if your friend is drinking and urinating frequently with other symptoms a simple blood or urine test by a physician can rule out diabetes.

[Zoelula]

I stand corrected. I've never heard those symptoms as being described as similar to a Panic Attack. To me a Panic Attack has a very particular connotation, but I can see now how they can be confused. Good catch, Jodi.