DS16 diabetic?

[walsallwarrior]

Hi all
DS16 has been showing some(?) symptoms of diabetes lately and not sure if it’s enough to get him checked. He has experienced some tingling in his hands, has drier skin than usual, gets foot and hand cramp easier, and “sees bright lights weird” - how he described it to me. He has also had a much smaller appetite recently and his bowel habits have changed accordingly.
He isn’t particularly active but isn’t overweight, but has an appalling diet (95% carbs), inadequate amounts of f+v and far, far too much chocolate since he was eight or nine. I have tried unsuccessfully to change this several times and now he regrets not listening
He is a catastrophiser and has made me wonder whether something could be causing this.
I know mumsnet isnt the place to ask but we are on holiday and he is very worried so if anyone with experience could advise either way we would both really appreciate it. Tia xx

Can you go to a pharmacy and get blood sugar checked? If you seriously think it could be diabetes then you may need to be seen urgently

The usual symptoms of diabetes in a teen would be increased thirst, increased urination, weight loss. Can also get increased hunger. As they get more sick with it can add in abdominal pain, deep sighing breathing, and a funny smell on the breath. If he has symptoms of diabetes, then he needs to be seen urgently.

@nocoolnamesleft Thank you this is useful. I don’t know whether the foot and hand cramp thing is because of dehydration? He doesn’t urinate frequently which is a relief

Basically, as the sugar level rises, this leaks out into the urine. This sucks water after it, so they produce more and more urine. So drink more and more. It's the excess urination that produces dehydration in diabetes.

Oh wow thank you i didnt know that

It would be unusual for a 16 year old to get type 2 diabetes…. And type 1 is absolutely not diet related. It is however a medical emergency and if you really do think he is at risk you need to call 111 and get him tested ASAP.
undiagnosed type 1 can be fatal much faster than people would believe (days not weeks if the circumstances are right)

My dd was diagnosed type 1_in 2020 at the age of 15, and her symptoms were increased urination, dramatic weight loss and increased sleeping during the day. Hope this helps.

If your DS is experiencing a thirst which is unquenchable as well as vomiting none stop day and night followed by rapid wight loss then these are all sure signs of T1 diabetes and these symptoms are what happens before coma and death so if this is what your son is going through you should ring 999.

Hunger is not a sign of T1D before diagnosis because the blood becomes very sweet due to the cells being starved of energy due to lack of insulin, the last thing people can do is eat because everything comes back up.

I was diagnosed T1D as a child and have over 40 years lived experience of this condition.

Your son may not have T1 but his symptoms may be T2 as the tingling may be neuropathy but that is also followed by a burning sensation. I suggest you take him to a walk in clinic and speak to a health care professional who should be able to help him.

Just had a look on the nhs website and DS has many symptoms of autonomic neuropathy?? Which can be caused by undiagnosed diabetes. Am quite alarmed. Didn’t think nerve damage could be the first symptom of t2 diabetes?

Paediatric nurse here. It is very unusual for teenagers to get type 2. As a PP has said. I've only come across it once and that was in a lad who was morbidly obese. And even more unlikely to present with neuropathy. He needs to see his GP. Or if he had any of the Symptoms described in other posts then A&E. It could be that he's deficient in something.

It seems as if there is something wrong. I would go to the GP and ask for blood tests.