Diabetes is a long-term condition where you have too much glucose (sugar) in your blood because your body can’t use it properly.  This is because your body has a problem making or using the hormone insulin. Insulin is normally made in your pancreas (a small gland that sits just underneath your stomach) and it helps glucose get in to your body cells where it is used for energy. In diabetes, your pancreas either doesn’t make enough insulin, or the insulin it does make is unable to work properly. Diabetes can’t be cured, but with support and education from your doctor/nurse it shouldn’t stop you enjoying your life to the full.

Some of the symptoms of diabetes are:

• Passing urine frequently
• Feeling very thirsty
• Extreme tiredness
• Weight loss (in some cases)
• Blurred vision
• Regular episodes of thrush or genital itching
• Slow healing of cuts or grazes

In Type 1 diabetes these symptoms come on very quickly, usually over a few weeks. But in Type 2 they are not so obvious and you can easily put them down to “getting on a bit” Sometimes people with Type 2 don’t have any symptoms at all.

The only way to definitely diagnose diabetes is to go to your GP for a blood test.

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