How Do People Know if They Have It?

People who have type 2 diabetes may not know it because the symptoms aren't always obvious and they can take a long time to develop. Some people don't have any symptoms at all.

But when a person gets type 2 diabetes, he or she may:

pee a lot because the body tries to get rid of the extra blood sugar by passing it out of the body in the urine
drink a lot to make up for all that peeing
feel tired all the time because the body can't use sugar for energy properly
Also, people whose bodies are having problems using insulin or who are overweight may notice a dark ring around their necks that doesn't wash off. They may see thick, dark, velvety skin under the arms, in between fingers and toes, between the legs, or on elbows and knees. In addition, girls with insulin resistance may have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). In PCOS, the ovaries get bigger and develop fluid-filled sacs called cysts. Girls with this condition often have irregular periods or may stop having periods altogether, and they are more likely to have excess facial and body hair.

Doctors can say for sure if a person has diabetes by testing pee and blood samples for glucose. Even if a person doesn't have any symptoms of type 2 diabetes, doctors may order blood tests to check for it in people who are more likely to get it — like those who are overweight. Some kids and teens with diabetes may go to a pediatric endocrinologist (pronounced: pee-dee-ah-trik en-doh-krih-nah-leh-jist) — a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating children and teens living with diseases of the endocrine system, such as diabetes and growth problems.