The 20 million or so diabetes patients in the United States suffer damage to many of the body’s organs and diabetic side effects in the form of other conditions and diseases caused by diabetes. Even for patients that do their best to strictly self-manage their diabetes, some diabetic side effects are all but inevitable. Depending on the type of diabetes and the length of time they live with it these diabetic side effects will vary widely, and will vary from minor to severe.

In all cases, long-term damage and diabetic side effects can be reduced by better control of blood glucose levels. According to the American Diabetes Association, the most common diabetic side effects seen follow:

  • Diabetic Retinopathy causes more than 20,000 diabetes patients to go blind every year. The damage done to the small blood vessels in the retina is the main cause of this tragic statistic.
  • Foot ulcers are open sores on the bottom of the feet. This is one of many diabetic side effects that results primarily because nerve damage dulls or eliminates the pain that would normally alert a person to a wound or sore ( in this case on the foot) that is becoming infected. Since these sores tend to remain untreated longer because they can’t be seen or felt, they become infected at a higher rate than is found in the general population. Foot ulcers end up in amputations far too often.
  • Circulation problems arise because diabetes causes the body’s blood vessels to harden and constrict, resulting in poor circulation. Poor circulation affects the extremities more than other body areas, and also results in strokes and heart attacks.
  • Diabetic dermopathy shows up most often on the front of the legs, and appears as scaly, circular patches of skin that turn brown in color. This is another condition caused by changes to the small blood vessels, under the skin in this case.
  • Neuropathy refers to diabetic nerve damage, resulting in a decrease in the ability to feel temperature extremes and/or pain, again usually in the extremities. This is the condition that often leads to the shape changes in a diabetic’s toes and feet.

 

Diabetic Side Effects Caused by Medication Taken to Treat the Disease

 

All medicines have side effects, and it’s impossible to cover here all the medications that are used by diabetics to control their condition. But it is safe to conclude that many diabetic side effects are caused by the medicines taken and not by the diabetes itself.

Insulin is the most widely used diabetic drug, and it has been known to cause side effects. Although rare, allergic reactions to insulin can be severe and can create a significant health risk. Any severe allergic-type reaction should be treated as an emergency. Sometimes the reactions are mild, and include swelling, redness around the injection sites, or itching and hives. These are not necessarily emergencies, but should be brought to the attention of your doctor.

If you have nausea and vomiting that won’t stop and aren’t the result of a virus, it could also be a sign of an insulin allergy.

If you are not type 1 diabetic, you may look into alternate treatments that don’t require insulin or other medications. Natural approaches that emphasize nutrition and exercise can be effective, and can eliminate at least one cause of some of the diabetic side effects.