What should you know about excessive hunger and thirst?

Thirst may follow sweating, fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, salty food, or inadequate fluid intake. Ongoing thirst with increased hunger can also occur when glucose is not moving into cells normally, as in Type 1 Diabetes or Type 2 Diabetes. Prediabetes may have few noticeable symptoms, so symptoms alone cannot identify the cause. Chronic Kidney Disease and some medicines can alter fluid balance or urination. Note whether you are also passing urine often, losing weight without trying, feeling tired, or experiencing blurred vision.

Drink water regularly and replace fluids lost through heat or illness; avoid trying to correct persistent thirst with very large amounts at once. Keep a brief record of meals, drinks, urination, medicines, and symptom timing. Arrange a primary-care appointment if the change continues, disrupts sleep, or comes with weight change or fatigue. A clinician may check blood glucose, urine, kidney function, and medicines.

Seek urgent care for confusion, fainting, severe weakness, repeated vomiting, deep or rapid breathing, or inability to keep fluids down. Get prompt help for marked thirst with frequent urination and sudden weight loss, particularly if symptoms are progressing quickly. Heat Exhaustion and Dehydration may need urgent treatment; IV Fluid Therapy is sometimes used when drinking is not enough.

Ask whether your symptoms warrant glucose and urine testing, whether a medicine could be contributing, and how much fluid is suitable for you. Mention any kidney condition, recent illness, diet change, or family history of diabetes.