Most people do not experience complications such as neuropathy until long after diabetes is diagnosed, but on some occasions, I have known
diabetic people whose first symptom was some complication such as
neuropathy or loss of vision. The complications are caused by long periods of elevated glucose readings that damage small blood vessels and/or nerves, and it IS possible for a person who is developing diabetes to live with elevated glucose levels that are not high enough to be critical (i.e.