may be a stupid question, but do most obesely overweight people get diabetes? and what are the symptoms?

[juicychops]

my dp continues to put on weight. He wont talk to me about it, its been a long ongoing issue. Anyway, myself and his family are very worried about him. Im pretty sure he's had depression for the last few years and his eating is a symptom of that as well as an unstable home/work life.
Hi dad has diabetes so i know he is more at risk of it. I dont know how much he weighs but its more than just overweight, id say he's in the obese category. and its all around his belly rather than all over. his belly looks like it will one day burst.

He wont go docs, he wont acknowledge there is a problem, he wont cut out the crap and the choc and the coke. he doesn't live with me so i can't control what he eats when he isn't with me. he eats lots of take aways.

He's also been taking viagra for a year which he doesn't know that i know about. This is prescribed by a doc, although im pretty sure its just a repeat prescription - if he has seen a doc im pretty sure he's not discussed depression or weight issues.

He's always tired, although he's under tremendous stress at work and his home life (he lives with his parents and has a lot of stress with them and also with his ex - they have 3 teenage kids). he's a heart attack/stroke waiting to happen.
I wrote him a letter a week ago saying everything ive said here about how he needs to see a doc or he's going to end up with diabetes or have a heart attack. Ive said i wish he'd see a doc about depression and maybe medication. Hes not even mentioned the letter but i know he's definately read it.

ive read type 2 diabetes can go undiagnosed for years and is usually picked up in a routine check. is it possible he already has it? i don't really know what to look out for.

I read recently, can't remember where, but ut may have been diabetes UK website that around 10% of overweight people will develop diabetes. If his father has it he is more likely to develop it. There are symptoms. Thirst, weeing a lot, tiredness. He could have a test at some pharmacies. Very easy. It would be ideal if he would go to the GP.
I'd be very surprised if a GP would prescribe Viagra without testing for diabetes as erectile dysfunction would also be a symptom.
It is very possible he already has it. The letter was a good idea. But IMO you now need to back off and let him make his own (even I'd they are unwise) decisions.

thanks for replying chopchop i really hope your right and the doc did check for diabetes before prescribing viagra. He has his cholesterol checked a year ago and it was something like 8.2 and he was meant to go back in Jan to get this re checked but he didn't, so unless its a different doc, they don't seem to be doing anything to convince him his health is at risk.

thats the hardest thing backing off and let him carry on as he likes. his sister told me to do the same too. i can't do anything for him until he wants to do something for himself. Il give it til after xmas when his work has settled down and try again. Im just worried about the diabetes thing. Il have a look on the diabetes website and look out for the symptoms. The only thing i notice at the moment is the immense tiredness but he is under a lot of stress and he also doesn't sleep well at night so it could be down to that.

My DH is diabetic, both grandmothers were diabetic but his parents, and their siblings (11 in total) dont have it, it's skipped a generation.

This happens regularly, however sometimes it's in the family due to diet not genetics.

Tirdness is a symptom of diabetes people often associate with age/stress/family commitments.

Some pharmacists can do blood sugar tests, you dont have to fast it just gives you a snapshot of what is going on. The gp would look for a fasting glucose of 7.2mmol or more to confirm diabetes, a normal reading would be 4-4.5mmol.

I know exactly what you mean with the weight, my dads the same and my mum has spent 36 years worrying about it. He isnt diabetic but has high blood pressure.

Oh I forgot to say the accepted symtoms are tirdness, frequent urination, esp at night and thirst, people say its unquenchable.

I diagnosed DH when he said "my eyesights always blurred for the first half an hour in the morning" I'm a podiatrist and I just thought "oh shit he has diabetes" he had no thirst or tirdness or frequent urination. Off to the gp after that and he did all the tests and he came back as type II diabetic.

I had a patient who was insulin and tablet controlled and one day thought "sod this I'm going on a diet" he lost 5 stone and the gp said if he lost another stone he would try him on no medication at all for it.

thanks flufflcloudland. my dp doesn't seem to pee lots and doesn't seem overly thirsty in my opinion - nothing ive noticed anyway, and has never said anything about his eyesight so maybe luckily he's not got it - yet.

his dad got diabetes through his weight too.

i would imagine dp's blood pressure is through the roof with the stress he's under and often feels dizzy/headaches/light headed which ive always put down to a rise/drop in blood pressure (is this right?)

i shall keep you all updated if i get anywhere with him, but as chopchop advised, i think im going to have to just take a step back now and hope he sees sense before something bad happens

My dads BP started with dizzyness. But we all get headrushes sometimes if you stand up suddenly and your body doesnt react quick enough.

Its really hard with these men.