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If you have diabetes, you have too much glucose (sugar) in your blood. When the level of glucose in your blood gets too high, doctors call this hyperglycemia. It causes most of the symptoms of type 1 diabetes.

There are two main types of diabetes. In type 1 diabetes, you get symptoms quickly, over a few days or weeks. In type 2 diabetes, your symptoms can come on over several years, but many people don't have any symptoms. This information is for people with type 1 diabetes. We also have information on type 2 diabetes.

Some of the common symptoms of diabetes are listed below.¹

Your body tries to get rid of the extra glucose in your blood by flushing it out in your urine. You might need to go to the bathroom more often, especially at night. This is an early symptom of diabetes.

You might feel thirsty more and more often. You might even wake up during the night feeling thirsty. One reason for this is because you urinate more. Losing all that fluid leaves you dried out. Feeling thirsty is also one of the first symptoms of diabetes.

Glucose can't get into your cells, so your cells don't get the fuel they need to work properly. Your brain senses that you need more fuel, and it makes you feel hungry so that you'll eat more. At the same time, you get tired because your cells aren't getting the glucose they need. The energy supply is there, but you can't use it.

Because your cells can't use the glucose in your blood, they start to burn up fat instead. Your body fat starts to go down, and you will notice that you've lost some weight.

If you have type 1 diabetes and your blood glucose gets very high, you may get a condition called ketoacidosis. This is a serious medical emergency. To find out more, see Hyperglycemia.

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment. ©BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2008. All rights reserved.