Initial Symptoms of Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes

Dear Ask The Doctor: I am 15 about to be 16 (in may) anyways i am always thirsty, andd hungry even after i eat. I blacked out today and couldn't see anything, i was in the shower and couldn't hardly breathe right, my mom said that it was because my blood sugar was way too low. Now i am scared that i have type 2 diabeaties, it runs in my family but i am afraaid i brought it upon myself. Could these symptoms be a diagnosis of diatbeaties?

Dear Courtney: Diabetes is a condition in which a person has a high blood sugar (glucose) level as a result of the body either not producing enough insulin, or because body cells do not properly respond to the insulin that is produced. Type 1 diabetes, an auto-immune disease, results from the body's failure to produce the hormone insulin, and requires the person to inject insulin. The symptoms can include: polyuria (frequent urination), polydipsia (increased thirst), increased hunger, and weight loss. Type 2 diabetes results from insulin resistance, a condition in which cells fail to use insulin properly, sometimes combined with an absolute insulin deficiency. This is frequently seen in overweight middle-aged people. I advise you to attend your family doctor for a full history and clinical examination. He can carry out a simple test to check your blood sugar level and aid further diagnosis.