I am 28, with weight loss and high glucose. Is it diabetes?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am a 28-year-old man who has been experiencing extreme thirst, frequent urination, and unexplained weight loss over the past few weeks. My recent blood work revealed a random glucose level of 340 mg/dL, an HbA1c of 11.2 percent, and the presence of ketones in my urine. I feel constantly tired despite getting enough sleep, and I have noticed my vision becomes blurry at times.

My family has no history of diabetes, but these symptoms are very concerning, and I am worried about diabetic ketoacidosis. Could these signs indicate type 1 diabetes, and am I at risk for serious long-term complications such as kidney damage or heart problems?

Kindly advise.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

It is really challenging to deal with the diagnosis of a health condition, especially at an early age and with highly uncontrolled values. I also understand that you do not have a family history of diabetes. Therefore, you need to determine whether you have type 1 diabetes mellitus or not. For that, you need to have your urine C-peptide levels tested.

Also, since your glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) is very high, and I am assuming you have been started on some anti-diabetic agents (such as Metformin or other oral hypoglycemic drugs), it is crucial to follow a strict diabetic diet and start regular physical exercise. Your blurry vision is likely due to high blood glucose levels affecting the retina at the back of the eye. Therefore, a complete eye examination, including fundoscopy, is necessary.

Always keep monitoring your serum creatinine levels and get the urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR) tested regularly to assess the extent of kidney damage. It is true that high blood glucose levels gradually affect all organs. However, if blood glucose levels are well-controlled and frequent spikes are avoided, the progression of damage will be much slower and minimal.

I hope you are satisfied with my answer. For further queries, you can consult me at iCliniq.

Thank you.