A doctor has issued a health warning after being concerned by his friend’s ‘suspicious’ habit. Dr Sam Choudhury, who goes by the username Skingapore online, posted a video from a recent trip he took with a friend.
Dueting their time together, he noticed a red flag that could point to diabetes in his friend. In the video, Sam documents every time his mate needed to go to the bathroom.
The GP worried his frequent visits could be due to polyuria – a condition that causes an excessive need to urinate. It is often paired with the second symptom he noticced – polydipsia – which means to drink a lot.
In the TikTok, his friend was seen going to the toilet as many as 10 times in just one day. He even needed to relieve himself after waking up at 4am.
Dr Choudhury admitted: “It was the waking up at 4am to pee that was highly suspicious… I was worried, and reminder that diabetes doesn’t just happen to the older and heavier people.”
Dr Choudhury’s friend was later diagnosed with an overactive bladder. However, needing to urinate frequently during the day, and especially at night, is a warning sign of diabetes.
Diabetes is a common condition but many people fail to spot the signs until it is too late. Knowing the symptoms and spotting them early can make a world of difference.
Diabetes UK states that type 2 diabetes tends to be more aggressive in younger adults (aged 40 and under) compared to older adults. Failure to treat type 2 diabetes can result in lasting harm to the body caused by the accumulation of sugar in the bloodstream.
Type 1 diabetes means the body can’t produce insulin due to the immune system attacking and destroying the cells that make it. Type 2 diabetes means the body doesn’t produce enough insulin or the insulin produced isn’t effectively used.
Type 1 diabetes is typically diagnosed in childhood but can develop at any age. It is more likely to be diagnosed in individuals under 40. However, the risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases with age, and certain ethnicities are at a higher risk.
Not everyone will experience all the typical signs of type 2 diabetes; some may only have a couple or not even realize they have them. It varies from person to person.
If you’re unsure about the symptoms of type 2 diabetes, here are the most frequent ones to watch for:
- peeing more than usual
- feeling thirsty all the time
- feeling very tired
- losing weight without trying to
- itching around your penis or vagina, or repeatedly getting thrush
- cuts or wounds taking longer to heal
- blurred vision
The NHS says certain factors can make you more at risk of developing the condition. These include being over 40 years old – or over 25 if you’re from an Asian, Black African or Black Caribbean ethnic background.
You could be at risk if have a close relative with diabetes (such as a parent, brother or sister), are overweight/living with obesity or are not very physically active
It’s important to get a blood test for diabetes as soon as possible. If your GP can’t do it, you may need to go to your local health centre or hospital. Starting treatment early can help lower your risk of other health issues.