🧂“I Thought I Was Just Hydrated – My Type 1 Diabetes Symptoms Before Diagnosis”

Drinking Liters of Water? I Thought I Was Just Healthy

Let’s rewind to August 2022. It was hot, I was constantly thirsty, and drinking 4–5 liters of water a day felt like the smartest thing I could do. I even joked that I was a hydration guru. Friends were impressed. I felt like a wellness influencer, just without the yoga mat.

The more I drank, the more weight I lost. And that felt like a bonus. I didn’t question it. After all, I was still eating fast food, drinking beer, and living my best life. So how was I losing weight? “It must be the water,” I thought. Spoiler: It wasn’t the water. It was one of the classic Type 1 Diabetes symptoms — and I had no idea.

Rapid Weight Loss and Zero Concerns

From 92 kg (203 lbs) down to 80 kg (176 lbs) in just a couple of months. My jeans were loose, my energy was low, but I was strangely proud. I hadn’t changed my diet or started exercising. I just assumed my body finally figured itself out. Naïve? Yes. But also understandable — I didn’t know anyone with diabetes. It wasn’t even on my radar.

I ignored the signs:

• Constant thirst 🥤
• Weight loss 📉
• Fatigue 😴
• Frequent urination 🚽

These weren’t just random annoyances — they were classic Type 1 Diabetes symptoms screaming for attention. I just wasn’t listening.

That Burning Feeling in My Feet

Why I Didn’t Google Anything?

Then came the weird stuff. My feet started to burn at night. Not like “I walked too much today” burn — more like “my nerves are staging a protest” burn. It was subtle at first, then regular.

My mouth was always dry in the morning, no matter how much I drank the night before. I started waking up multiple times a night to pee. I still didn’t panic. I blamed the heat. I blamed stress. I even blamed beer. I blamed everything — except my pancreas.

And still, no Google searches. Zero. Not once did I type in “Why am I drinking so much water?” or “Why do my feet tingle at night?”
Looking back, that’s the wildest part. I’m a curious person. But denial is a powerful thing.

What My Symptoms Really Meant?

Still, I didn’t panic. I didn’t even Google it. I just assumed I was… I don’t know, maybe evolving? Becoming a more “desert-adapted” version of myself?

The real problem? I didn’t know anyone with diabetes. No one around me had it. So, the dots didn’t connect.

Until one day, they did.

The Day I Got Diagnosed

Eventually, I couldn’t ignore it anymore. I was constantly tired, thin, thirsty, and confused. On December 21, 2022, I walked into a clinic and walked out with a blood sugar reading that made the nurse raise her eyebrows and whisper to a colleague. That was the day I officially met my new lifelong companion: Type 1 Diabetes.

Not exactly the holiday season I had planned. But honestly? It was a relief. Everything suddenly made sense. I wasn’t crazy. I wasn’t falling apart. I was just diabetic — a whole new identity I’d have to learn to live with.

Looking Back with (Some) Humor

It’s funny how obvious the signs were… in hindsight. The water, the weight loss, the late-night bathroom visits, the foot tingling — it was all there. Like clues in a mystery novel. Only I was too busy living (and drinking) to put the pieces together.

But I don’t blame myself. Most people associate diabetes with Type 2, with age, with diet. I was in my early 30s, active-ish, and no one in my family had it. I didn’t fit the image in my head. But diabetes didn’t care.

Now I know better. And if you’re reading this wondering if your weird symptoms might mean something more — go get checked. Trust me.

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💡 Coming up next: How I handled my diagnosis, became a full-time diabetes Googler, and slowly learned how to eat, live, and even drink again — responsibly. Stay tuned.