First of all, there is Type I Diabetes, the kind which requires daily injections of insulin.  People with insulin-dependent diabetes may find themselves urinating frequently and being exceptionally thirsty or hungry.  They may be losing weight rapidly and feel weak and tired.  Type I Diabetes may also cause unexplained irritability, nausea and vomiting.

Then there is Type 2 Diabetes, the kind that requires oral medications and usually occurs in overweight adults over the age of forty.  The warning signs here include tingling or numbness in the legs, feet or fingers.  People with Type 2 Diabetes may have blurred vision or other changes in eyesight, experience frequent skin infections and find that their cuts and bruises are slow to heal.  Type 2 diabetics can have central nervous system symptoms too, including drowsiness.

These, then, are signs which may herald the onset of diabetes; if you have any of these symptoms, you should see you doctor.  With the right kind of treatment, diabetes can be managed, and those with the disease returned to fully productive lives.  For a copy of this script, visit our web site, speakingofhealth.com.  Speaking of Health, I'm Dr. Steven Andrew Davis for CBS News.