When you’re coughing, sneezing, or feeling nauseous, the last thing you probably want to do is worry about your diabetes.

Over time, managing diabetes (checking blood sugar, taking medication, watching what you eat, and fitting in exercise) may become stressful, especially on top of everything else in your daily life.

Kidney disease happens to some people with diabetes. It means that your kidneys are not doing their job as well as they once did to remove waste from your body.

Diabetes can damage your nerves and slow blood flow to your feet, making it hard to know if you have a cut or sore (which can turn into something worse).

Nerve damage can happen over time with diabetes, lowering your ability to feel pain.

Diabetes increases your risk for heart disease and stroke. Over time, high blood sugar can damage the blood vessels and nerves that control your heart.

High blood sugar can put pressure on your eyes and damage the tiny blood vessels, which can lead to retinopathy, cataracts, or glaucoma if it’s not under control.