Diabetes in women over 50: the main signs

Diabetes bells make themselves felt when a person crosses the 40-year mark. The causes of the disease can be:

  1. Wrong lifestyle (lack of adequate nutrition and physical activity);
  2. Overweight;
  3. Fluctuations in cholesterol levels;
  4. Hormonal disorders arising with age.

The first type of the disease is most often hereditary and is caused by an insufficient amount of insulin produced by the body. The second is more common and is associated with a malfunction of the pancreas. If there are relatives suffering from an illness, you should take care of your own health.

Diabetes mellitus is a consequence of a violation of the metabolism characteristic of a healthy body. The age risk zone for this ailment is from forty to sixty years, when age-related problems with hormonal background appear. After sixty and seventy, the first symptoms appear extremely rarely. In women over fifty, diabetes is associated with an improperly formed diet, where sugary and flour products predominate, or lack of nutrients, especially if it is chromium or vitamin E. Sedentary work and low physical activity also provoke the development of the disease. Stressful situations or frequent worries become an aggravating factor. The disease develops for a long time and proceeds in a latent form for almost a decade.

Initial symptoms

Initially, diabetes hardly manifests itself. First of all, it is characterized by increased fatigue and excessive fatigue. The body needs a source of energy, which is glucose, but it is not absorbed. Not everyone is able to pay attention to this , because age-related changes also lead to similar sensations.

Statistics show that the manifestations of the disease are often observed in those who grew up in single-parent or dysfunctional families, where the diet was simple and consisted mainly of carbohydrates.

Other signs of diabetes in women over the age of 50 are:

  • Extra pounds appear due to indigestible carbohydrates;
  • Ulcers, poor tissue healing;
  • Atherosclerosis;
  • Dysmenorrhea;
  • Hypertensive manifestations;
  • Oncological diseases;
  • Polycystic ovary disease;
  • Infertility and testosterone build-up.

The most common manifestations can be considered:

  • Frequent urge to use the toilet;
  • Headaches;
  • Deterioration of vision;
  • Dizziness;
  • Thirst and hunger, poor satiety;
  • Absent-mindedness;
  • Itching in the intimate area;
  • Memory loss.

Gradually, the manifestations increase, and there is a danger of complications – up to a coma or gangrene.

An alarming sign is the appearance of suppuration even with small damage to the skin.

Let’s talk about some of the symptoms that appear in women after 50 years in more detail.

Weakness and chronic fatigue

The body needs glucose as a source of energy, when it is not enough, fatigue manifests itself. It is not easy for the brain, since the lack of treatment leads to hypoxia, strokes. Pains appear in the extremities, muscles become weaker, vascular walls are destroyed, which is fraught with trophic ulcers. Weakness is also caused by impaired renal function, because the level of toxicity in the blood increases.

Drowsiness

After eating, the concentration of glucose increases, which is not absorbed at all. This provokes a strange tiredness, which is difficult to explain to yourself. Gradually, this state becomes habitual. Together with it comes the deterioration of the processes of memorization, mental activity is inhibited.

Thirst

The most obvious symptom of diabetes is excessive thirst. This symptom is typical for diabetes of the first and second degree. It is connected with the fact that the body feels the need to get rid of toxicity in the blood. This leads to frequent urination, which leads to dehydration. It is normal for a person to drink up to two liters of fluid a day. Diabetics use more than five.

Overweight

Diabetes mellitus provokes severe bouts of hunger, which are satisfied uncontrollably. The portion size is increasing, and it attracts mainly to foods high in sugar and fat. A hearty meal does not give a feeling of satisfaction, hunger continues to torment, since the pancreas does not work well. The appearance of extra pounds deposited on the waist and hips shows that the body is not sensitive to insulin.

Diagnostic measures

Suspicious symptoms require diagnostic testing. It is advisable to think about a comprehensive examination, whose results can compose a picture of the disease. The therapist usually prescribes several referrals to other doctors. Should visit:

  1. Cardiologist;
  2. Endocrinologist;
  3. Gastroenterologist;
  4. Psychotherapist.

The research needed is:

  • Determination of the performance of the thyroid gland (study for the content of hormones, including insulin and others);
  • Measurement of blood pressure during the day, hypertension in women after 50 years becomes a sign of the onset of diabetes;
  • Are you overweight and what are the waist-to-hip ratios;
  • Analysis of urine for protein content;
  • Ultrasound of the kidneys, liver and pancreas;
  • MRI and CT for the pituitary gland and adrenal glands to make sure that Itsenko-Cushing’s disease does not develop;
  • A biochemical blood test to find out what is the cholesterol content, glucose levels and other indicators.

Diabetes mellitus requires special attention to how research is conducted. It is necessary to strictly follow all available recommendations so as not to provoke incorrect indicators.

Repeated tests are also required to ensure the accuracy of the diagnosis.

Possible consequences

Violation of carbohydrate metabolism and other manifestations of diabetes mellitus can ultimately lead to disastrous consequences. The work of the cells and tissues of the body is disrupted, and harmful changes are increasing. The sensitivity of the feet disappears. Vessels change, it is especially dangerous if changes occur in the kidneys, since later this can provoke renal failure. Retinopathy is considered one of the unpleasant consequences – in this case, the retinal vessels change, which is fraught with impairment of vision and complete blindness. Hyperglycemic coma, which occurs when glucose levels rise sharply, is sometimes fatal. Similar to her and hypoglycemic coma, when blood sugar drops too quickly.

Women’s diabetes is usually aggravated by severe psychological problems, including depression. Deterioration in appearance, depression, disturbances in the work of the heart lead to the fact that life expectancy is reduced by almost eight years.

What do expert doctors advise

Having found the first symptoms of diabetes mellitus, it is imperative to carry out a complete diagnosis. If the diagnosis is confirmed, you will have to follow a strict diet. Without this, treatment measures will be ineffective. It is required to get rid of extra pounds and make vegetables and fruits the basis of the diet, and the portions should remain modest, and food should be taken at least four times a day. Attention should be paid to physical activity. Calm views are suitable – walking or yoga, aerobics, swimming. Diabetes is of the first, second and third types. The latter implies the signs of the first two, moreover, it manifests itself much less, although its harmful effect on the body is enormous. It should be treated according to the principles characteristic of the second type of therapy. Latent diabetes, when sugar refining is disrupted, may not be felt for decades. Recommended medicines:

  • Amaryl , Maninil and others, whose action is aimed at reducing sugar;
  • Octadin , Pentamin – medicines to normalize blood pressure;
  • Choletar , Simvastol – to reduce cholesterol;
  • Ankir-B , MCC – drugs aimed at reducing appetite, they help the breakdown of fats and activate the digestive tract;
  • Lipoic acid for the removal of excess cholesterol.

It is incredibly important to respond to the first signs of diabetes after age 50 in women. This will greatly simplify further treatment and allow you to adjust your lifestyle without losing activity and reducing its quality.

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