Hi! Thank you for your question. Yes, diabetes has a strong genetic component to it so it’s always good to look out for early symptoms of diabetes especially if you have a strong family history. Nevertheless, it does not mean you will have diabetes just because your parents have them.

There are other factors which comes into play here. These include obesity, increasing age, lifestyle and ethnicity. So eating healthy and exercising does not mean diabetes is not possible. As for your symptoms mentioned. Yes, lethargy/tiredness and increase frequency of urination are important symptoms of diabetes.

Other symptoms of diabetes includes:

• increase thirst (polydipsia)
• weight loss
• blurring of vision
• itchiness at the private part (due to infection)

These symptoms can occur over a period of 4 weeks or several months even years. Diabetes can also present with its complications.

These complications include:

• skin infections
• damage to the eyes (present with poor eyesight or detected during a visit to the optician)
• erectile dysfunction (due to damage in nerves and blood vessels)
• kidney problems (patients will usually present with frothy urine)
• heart attack (diabetes increases the risk of heart attack)
• tingling sensation or numbness in the feet (due to nerve damage)

This also can cause unwanted cuts and bruises as the person is unaware of the accident. Besides the numbness, diabetes can also cause poor healing of the wound and cuts and this will eventually lead to infection.

In conclusion, since you are experiencing a couple of important symptoms of diabetes plus a strong family history of diabetes. I would suggest you to obtain further test from your doctor. Only once the test is done, a diagnosis can be made. Earlier diagnosis means earlier treatment which gives better outcomes!

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