Both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes share the same diabetes symptoms, although the onset of the diseases can be quite different.

Because Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease, symptoms develop rapidly, often after a flu-like illness, intensifying over the next few weeks. In many cases, cell destruction could have been occurring for months or years earlier.

Type 2 diabetes symptoms tend to develop gradually and are not as pronounced or severe as the same symptoms in Type 1 diabetes.

Symptoms of both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes include increased thirst and urination, hunger, unexplained weight loss, blurred vision and extreme fatigue. Type 2 diabetes symptoms also include slow-healing or non-healing sores, frequent infections and increased urination at night.

Regardless of which type you may have, a doctor will want to do one of several blood sugar level tests: the fasting glucose test, a two-hour glucose tolerance test, or a random blood sugar test. Each test has its own range for normal and high levels, and your doctor will be able to guide you through the readings and explain diabetes care that can reduce high levels.

You should also consider your risk for diabetes. Certain risk factors increase your chances of developing diabetes, including: pre-diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance identified by a medical professional; age 45 or older; high blood pressure; being overweight or obese; history of gestational diabetes; or being of African American, Hispanic, Asian or Native American descent.

Detecting diabetes early is an important component of controlling the disease, although it often goes undiagnosed because symptoms of the illness can be easy to overlook. You should see your doctor if you have any of the diabetes symptoms listed.

Additionally, once diagnosed with diabetes, you need to monitor any potential symptoms of high glucose levels (hyperglycemia) or low glucose levels (hypoglycemia). Both conditions occur at different times, depending on whether your body has too much or too little blood sugar. If blood sugar is low, you may feel tired, confused, shaky, sweaty or cranky. If your blood sugar is too high, you’ll experience a recurrence of the initial symptoms of diabetes extreme thirst, increased urination or blurred vision.