Damon Wayans’ 1st Type 2 Diabetes Symptom Was Easy to Miss — Here’s What to Watch For
For adults in their 40s and 50s with diabetes in the family tree, the early signals can be easy to brush off. Damon Wayans knows that firsthand. The actor recently opened up about how his type 2 diabetes diagnosis caught him off guard — and how a single, dismissible symptom turned out to be his body’s first warning.
Following the diagnosis, Wayans overhauled his lifestyle in ways that mirror what many midlife adults are weighing themselves: cutting alcohol, restructuring meals and getting serious about movement.
The Diabetes Symptom Damon Wayans Almost Dismissed
Wayans told Fox News Digital in April 2026 that the trouble started around 2017 with one persistent issue: he could not stop urinating.
“It was like 2017 and I just remember going to the bathroom and peeing so much that I thought maybe my blood was draining out, too,” he said. “And it kept happening and I’m just like — I’m not even drinking that much water.”
The biology behind that symptom is straightforward, even if the experience is disorienting. According to Healthline, excess sugar in the bloodstream forces the kidneys to work overtime trying to reabsorb glucose. When they cannot keep up, the body flushes the extra sugar out through urine — pulling hydrating fluids along with it.
More Concerning Symptoms Followed
Frequent urination was only the first flag. Wayans also began experiencing pain in his feet, numbness in his toes, episodes of delirium and blurry vision. His sister Kim eventually pushed him to see a doctor.
The bloodwork was alarming. His blood sugar registered at 535 mg/dL — a level that left him, in his words, “scared straight.” Diabetes also runs in his family, a risk factor he could no longer ignore.
Yale New Haven Health explains that a normal fasting blood sugar level is 99 mg/dL or below. Levels starting at 100 mg/dL are considered abnormal. Readings between 100 and 125 mg/dL indicate prediabetes, while a level of 126 mg/dL or higher is classified as type 2 diabetes.
For readers tracking their own warning signs, the broader checklist of type 2 diabetes symptoms includes increased thirst, increased hunger, unexplained weight loss, frequent infections, tingling in the hands and feet, darkened patches of skin and dry skin.
What Changed After Damon Wayans’ Diabetes Diagnosis
Wayans decided to make some big changes to his diet and fitness routine.
“I used to drink wine, love wine. I don’t drink wine [anymore],” he said. “It’s a much healthier life I’m living, and I’m aware of all the joys that I have now that I just took for granted back when I wasn’t taking care of myself.”
His exercise routine now centers on weightlifting, burpees and yoga.
“I also wear a glucose monitor, so I know what exercise does to me [and] to my blood sugar,” he said. “I know if I lift weights, I feel better, and also I’m burning [calories] for the rest of the day.”
Damon Wayans’ Advice to Others Putting Off a Checkup With Their Doctor
Wayans urged people who suspect something is wrong to stop avoiding the doctor’s office. “You’d be surprised at how simple the treatments are, but you can’t treat it if you don’t know what it is [and] if you never get diagnosed,” he said. He also acknowledged that the cost of care is a real barrier — but argued that early action pays off. “Even if you have to spend a little money now to get it under control, it’s worth it. Because there’s so much life to live, unless you do nothing.”
He is now partnering with biotech company Genentech’s All Eyes on DME campaign to raise awareness of diabetic macular edema. Wayans does not have DME, though he has depth perception issues.
Why Eye Health Matters in the Diabetes Conversation
Diabetes is the leading cause of new blindness in the United States, according to Prevent Blindness, and DME may affect up to 10% of people with diabetes. The condition is caused by fluid buildup in the macula — the part of the retina responsible for sharp, central vision — and it can progress over months.
Symptoms include blurry or double vision, floaters, dark spots and trouble seeing in glare or bright light. Cleveland Clinic notes that about one in 14 people with diabetes develop diabetic macular edema.
The Risk Factors Worth Tracking at Midlife
There is no cure for type 2 diabetes, and Mayo Clinic identifies insulin resistance as the main cause. When cells stop responding properly to insulin, the pancreas works harder to compensate — until it cannot.
You are more likely to develop the condition if you have a biological parent or sibling with type 2 diabetes, are older than 45, have a BMI greater than 25, exercise fewer than three times a week, had gestational diabetes, have high blood pressure or high cholesterol, have prediabetes or have polycystic ovarian syndrome.
More than 40 million Americans have diabetes — roughly one in 8 — and 90% to 95% of those cases are type 2, according to the CDC.
This article was created by content specialists using various tools, including AI.
