## Constant thirst If it is not hot outside, you have not been engaged in sports or heavy physical work, and you drink enough water yet your mouth is constantly dry, this is an alarm bell. It also makes sense to check your sugar levels if you notice that you are drinking much more water than usual. ## Frequent urination With elevated sugar levels, urination is often unrelated to the amount you drink. Frequent urination that occurs no matter how much liquid is consumed should prompt you to think about the cause. ## Dry skin and mucous membranes Abnormal flaking of the skin, peeling lips, and dryness of the vagina for women can be symptoms of type 2 diabetes. ## Slow healing of scratches A shallow scratch normally takes a week to 10 days to heal. If the process takes longer, a visit to the doctor is worth considering. ## Acne If the appearance of acne is atypical for you, and lately your skin has "gone bad," the first thing to do is to take a glucose test. ## Deterioration of vision Deterioration of vision by a diopter or more over a year can be a consequence of diabetes mellitus. ## Fatigue High sugar levels can be the cause of constant fatigue, even if you've slept enough and haven't been overworked. ## Where should you start? To rule out or confirm the presence of diabetes, the first step is to get a blood test for fasting glucose levels. The standard readings are: - 4.1-6.1 mmol/L (venous blood) - 3.33-5.55 mmol/l (capillary blood) If the reference value is near the upper limit of the norm, the doctor may suspect prediabetes. If the sugar level exceeds the norm by one unit or more it may indicate diabetes. In this case, additional tests will be ordered to make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe treatment.