Raise diabetes awareness this November

This November is all about diabetes awareness, and spreading awareness of the disease throughout the community. One of the most insidious aspects of diabetes is that the condition often goes undiagnosed, and recognising the disease at an early stage is crucial for successful treatment.
Unfortunately, symptoms of diabetes can easily be mistaken for normal bodily problems. These can include the need to urinate frequently, above average levels of thirst or hunger, unusual loss of weight, increased fatigue levels, being irritable and a blurring of the vision . All of these symptoms can be normal parts of the ageing process, particularly amongst the overweight and obese … so diabetes can go unnoticed for years.
Diabetes commonly comes in three forms: type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes. When diabetes is not kept under control, there can be serious side effects and complications. At their worst these can include heart disease, retinopathy and lower limb amputation .
Diabetes is a lifelong condition – it cannot be cured. Type 2 can be prevented but there is no known prevention for type 1 diabetics. The spread of awareness needs to carry beyond the diabetic community and into the wider world.