Updated on October 24, 2025.
Type 2 diabetes can cause kidney, nerve and eye damage, as well as other scary complications. See what's actually happening inside the body of someone with type 2 diabetes with Sharecare's revolutionary virtual reality experience.
Medically reviewed in October 2018.
Transcript
NARRATOR: This is a virtual-reality-enabled video. Use your mouse if you're on a computer or finger if you're on your phone to move around.
Jenny, that's, like, your eighth glass of water. Thirsty much? I don't know what's the matter with me, but I am so thirsty all the time.
I cannot get enough water. We do live in a dry city. But is everything OK? It's weird, right?
That and the-- I am waking up all night to go to the bathroom. It keeps me tired all the time. Is that why you keep on missing yoga?
Yeah, and I'm not really exercising anymore in general. I'm just too tired. And my feet are slow to wake up.
They tingle. Should I worry about that? NARRATOR: The truth is these symptoms could be nothing,
or they could be signs of diabetes. When you have diabetes, the body stops responding well to insulin, and your pancreas can't make enough insulin
to compensate. When this happens, your blood sugar stays high for long periods of time, which doctors call hyperglycemia,
causing many serious health problems. Jenny should take these hints from her body seriously and get checked out.
Let's go inside the body using our virtual reality avatar to see what may be happening to Jenny. Jenny talked about tingling in her feet.
This is caused by nerve damage and reduced blood flow. Nerve damage can cause loss of sensation, leading to increased risk of injury to your legs and feet.
In some cases, this nerve damage can lead to amputation.
Take a look at Jenny's kidney. Because of her diabetes, her kidneys will suffer from being thickened and scarred by high amounts of glucose.
Her kidneys cannot do a good enough job filtering her blood, and proteins are leaking out of her blood while harmful waste products are remaining.
Did you know that type 2 diabetes is one of the main causes of blindness in adults? Well, with type 2 diabetes, high glucose levels
cause the blood vessels that normally keep the eye functioning well to leak and bleed.
Now take a look at Jenny's pancreas. It appears that all of her symptoms, and the other signs the body is telling us,
mean that Jenny probably does have type 2 diabetes. See here? Her pancreas has to work extra hard
to produce more insulin than normal. Insulin is what tells her body's cells and other organs to remove the glucose out of her bloodstream
and use it for energy. In type 2 diabetes, the pancreas cannot keep up with demand. Without treatment, Jenny's pancreas may slowly wear out,
and eventually, it may not be able to produce insulin at all.
After discussing her concerns with Diane, Jenny did go to the doctor and was diagnosed, as we expected, with type 2 diabetes.
Her doctor then discussed a course of action for treat. Diabetes is serious. But if it's under control and the watchful eye of a doctor,
Jenny can lead a healthy, happy life. First, the doctor told Jenny that a change in her diet
would greatly improve her condition. She should swap out processed carbohydrates for a full diet of lean proteins, healthy fats, fruits,
vegetables, and whole grains. Second, Jenny was instructed to be more active. She should be getting at least 30 minutes of exercise five
days a week, and this should help keep her blood sugar levels in check. Beyond a diet and exercise change, there are medications to help her.
There are several types of oral medications Jenny's doctor can prescribe to help Jenny manage her type 2 diabetes.
That was great. We walked four miles today. How are you feeling? Better than ever.
Now that I have my health in control and I'm doing the right things for my body, I no longer have the symptoms that would have kept me home on a day like today.
