Early Signs of Diabetes in Women

If you are a woman and you fear that you might have gotten type 2 diabetes, you 
shouldn’t delay in getting tested by your doctor. However, before you do that, it is good 
to look at some of the common signs and symptoms of having diabetes. Here are some 
common early signs that a woman has diabetes.

Vaginal Infections

As uncomfortable and often embarrassing as they are, vaginal and urinary infections do 
tend to be early signs of having diabetes if you are female. Women who are getting 
repeated yeast infections or vaginal infections like thrush, often talk to their doctor, who 
runs tests and finds evidence of type 2 diabetes. Infections like these typically cause 
vaginal discharge, odor, itching, and sometimes pain during intercourse, so if you have 
these symptoms, talk to your doctor. You may also be getting urinary infections, which 
happen more frequently for women who have diabetes. 

PCOS

If you have recently been diagnosed with PCOS or have symptoms of this condition, 
then it might also be an early warning sign of diabetes. Polycystic ovarian syndrome 
(PCOS) is closely linked to diabetes since both of them can be caused by an insulin 
resistance. If you have unexplained weight gain, extra facial hair or hair loss, darkening 
of your skin, or missed periods, you may have PCOS. This can in turn lead to diabetes. 
Your doctor will provide treatment options that help with both conditions, so they can 
often be treated simultaneously. 

More Early Signs and Symptoms

The rest of the signs and symptoms of diabetes are for both men and women. As a 
woman, you might have any of these symptoms:

Weight changes – You may notice that your weight fluctuates rapidly without you 
making any changes, either with weight loss or weight gain.

Eye health issues – Diabetes is linked with eye changes due to the condition, so if you 
have signs of glaucoma, cataracts, or blurry vision, you might also have diabetes.

Fatigue – Increased fatigue and sluggishness is very common among women and men 
with diabetes. If you are getting plenty of sleep, but the fatigue never seems to go away, 
it is time to talk to a doctor.

Increased thirst – Dry mouth and increased thirst and hunger is also a common early 
symptom for diabetes.

Dizziness – People with type 2 diabetes who don’t treat it properly often experience 
severe sugar crashes from the high blood sugar levels, which ca cause dizziness and 
fainting. 
