Below is a list of possible complications that can be caused by badly controlled diabetes:

  • Eye complications – glaucoma, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, and some others.
  • Foot complications – neuropathy, ulcers, and sometimes gangrene which may require that the foot be amputated
  • Skin complications – people with diabetes are more susceptible to skin infections and skin disorders
  • Heart problems – such as ischemic heart disease, when the blood supply to the heart muscle is diminished
  • Hypertension – common in people with diabetes, which can raise the risk of kidney disease, eye problems, heart attack and stroke
  • Mental health – uncontrolled diabetes raises the risk of suffering from depression, anxiety and some other mental disorders
  • Hearing loss – diabetes patients have a higher risk of developing hearing problems
  • Gum disease – there is a much higher prevalence of gum disease among diabetes patients
  • Gastroparesis – the muscles of the stomach stop working properly
  • Ketoacidosis – a combination of ketosis and acidosis; accumulation of ketone bodies and acidity in the blood.
  • Neuropathy – diabetic neuropathy is a type of nerve damage which can lead to several different problems.
  • HHNS (Hyperosmolar Hyperglycemic Nonketotic Syndrome) – blood glucose levels shoot up too high, and there are no ketones present in the blood or urine. It is an emergency condition.
  • Nephropathy – uncontrolled blood pressure can lead to kidney disease
  • PAD (peripheral arterial disease) – symptoms may include pain in the leg, tingling and sometimes problems walking properly
  • Stroke – if blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and blood glucose levels are not controlled, the risk of stroke increases significantly
  • Erectile dysfunction – male impotence.
  • Infections – people with badly controlled diabetes are much more susceptible to infections
  • Healing of wounds – cuts and lesions take much longer to heal