Type 1 Diabetes Health Center

If you have diabetes, your risk of a heart attack is the same as someone who has already had a heart attack. Both women and men with diabetes are at risk. You may not even have the normal signs of a heart attack.

After many years, diabetes can lead to other serious problems:

• You could have eye problems, including trouble seeing (especially at night) and sensitivity to light. You could become blind.
• Your feet and skin could develop sores and infections. If you have these sores for too long, your foot or leg may need to be removed. Infection can also cause pain and itching.
• Diabetes may make it harder to control your blood pressure and cholesterol. This can lead to heart attack, stroke, and other problems. It can become harder for blood to flow to the legs and feet.
• Nerves in the body can become damaged, causing pain, tingling, and loss of feeling.
• Because of nerve damage, you could have problems digesting the food you eat. You could feel weakness or have trouble going to the bathroom. Nerve damage can also make it harder for men to have an erection.
• High blood sugar and other problems can lead to kidney damage. The kidneys might not work as wellas they used to. They may even stop working.