Hi,

I'm 20, i'm a little overweight and quite short. My brother and my grandmother both have diabeties. When my brother was diagnosed, i learnt that it can be a sign to have discolouration around the neck and armpits. Now that i'm older, i've been looking back at my life and realised i've had this discolouration since i was about 6. I was overweight as a child also. I've never been tested for it, and none of my doctors or family have ever thought I have it either. I don't really know what the other symtoms are apart from the discolouration, i remembered that because i know i have the same. Could I have diabeties? I'm not overly concerned or I would have been to the doctor, as i feel fine, i have no health problems that haven't already been determined to something else. But it is something that is itching me in the back of my mind! Let me know what anyone thinks..

I've never heard of the discoloration thing. Is this true and if so what would it be due to?

I'm really not sure. I don't know much about it, but it has stuck in my mind because I have the same kinda thing and i remember my mother saying to the doctors "yeah we always thought he just needed to clean more and didn't believe him when he said he was" because its like a discolouration of having dirt on you. That colour you get when you get brown soil/dirt on your skin you shake it all off but its still got that brown colour. Apparently thats a sign of diabeties when its around your neck and in your armpits, or they might have even said in creases of the body that rub, ie armpits, and neck in overweight people. People would just look at it like you need a shower.

I think it's called Acanthosis Nigricans. I heard about it a long time ago. I can't remember if it's specifically associated with Type II. Though I do remember that when I saw my endocrinologist for the first time he did ask me if I noticed any discoloration around my neck or armpits...

I've done a bit of digging, and its related to insulin resistance and possibly type II diabeties. I also came across alot of cases that have been related to PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome). I have some days wondered if i have both of these (on seperate occasions obviously and not related to eachother). I think i may do one of those home test diabeties tests that i see in the shops. Then I think i'll go to see a doctor.

Just a conformation that I was taught the same thing. However, I thought it was related to type 1.

It may be. All the sources i've read lead me to believe its for Type II, plus thats what my brother had. But it could be for both.