Posted on 08/30/2018 8:52:19 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Diabetes complications can include nerve damage and poor blood circulation. These problems make the feet vulnerable to skin sores (ulcers) that can worsen quickly.
The good news is that proper diabetes management and careful foot care can help prevent foot ulcers. In fact, better diabetes care is probably why the rates of lower limb amputations have gone down by more than 50 percent in the past 20 years.
When foot ulcers do develop, it's important to get prompt care. More than 80 percent of amputations begin with foot ulcers. A nonhealing ulcer that causes severe damage to tissues and bone may require surgical removal (amputation) of a toe, foot, or part of a leg.
Some people with diabetes are more at risk than others. Factors that lead to an increased risk of an amputation include:
High blood sugar levels
Smoking
Nerve damage in the feet (peripheral neuropathy)
Calluses or corns
Foot deformities
Poor blood circulation to the extremities (peripheral artery disease)
A history of foot ulcers
A past amputation
Vision impairment
Kidney disease
High blood pressure, above 140/80 millimeters of mercury (mmHg)
Here's what you need to know to keep your feet healthy, the signs you need to see a doctor and what happens if amputation is necessary....
(Excerpt) Read more at yahoo.com ...
My father recently had a toe amputated because of a diabetic ulcer. Im diabetic myself, so I take very good care of my feet.
Thanks for this important information .
Since going on a lower carb diet, the blood sugar of both is no longer a problem. The concern is that both crave carbs for now.
diabetes: chromium and vanadium
It makes everything 50-100% harder. Just getting food from the freezer or an upper shelf, cooking, doing the dishes ... everything. And we have to have everything delivered now.
I’m sorry for wife’s experience.
My mom coats her feet nightly with Watkins salve, which has eucalyptus to prevent that.
Vick’s vaporub could be useful as well.
I’m sorry to hear of your trauma, I know it’s tough because I lost a friend a little over a year ago who suffered with diabetic foot and leg issues for years. They’d gotten his legs in the best shape in years when something else got him, but it would have gone a lot easier if he’d followed this advice earlier.
Just lost another toe last Friday. Time to change my handle.
supposedly Manuka honey can heal bad ulcerated skin- I don’t know if it’s true or not- haven’t tried it or needed to but look into it- might be worth pursuing- and get medical grade manuka IF you find you would like to try it- which you can purchase off amazon
I have burns and blistering on both sides of my right ankle. The likely reason is setting the heating pad too high. I discovered the inner burn while inspecting my feet. The outside burn just kinda showed up 3 days later when it became painful when the blister popped all on it’s own.
The inner burn has healed while I’m still struggling with the outer burn. It’s fine when I put a dry bandage on, but hurts like hell unbandaged (while walking) A nurse visits me once a week at home and I have to remind her to check up on it during her visits. At this stage she say’s I’m supposed to keep it dry and open and elevated to help speed the healing. I think it has to do with heal cracking around the wound. Other than an Epsom salt with tea tree oil and Eucalyptus I don’t do anything except a dry bandage every other day and a few squirts of Hydrogen peroxide on the no bandage days.
Any comments or suggestions? Anybody familiar with Hospice care and whether they withhold life threatening developments?
My MD has put me on a low-carb diet, which takes away everything I like!
Lost 2 toes and several foot bones on my right foot still have small sore on the bottom keeping it in check is a daily thing
Lost my left leg last year to just below the knee the infection snuck up on me through calluses lost the whole bottom of my foot before the amputation
diabetes is very hard to keep under control when your pancreas doesn’t work right diet and exercise help some people not all never was a sweet eater or a soda drinker
ive had kidney cancer most likely caused by diabetes so they say we got it before it metastasized so i only lost 1/3 of my kidney
All i can tell folks is don’t let the calluses build up on your feet AT ALL and don’t clip your toenails to short keep your feet clean and believe it or not if you live near the ocean wading through the ocean everyday will cut down on sores greatly because it will put minerals back into your skin
rub your legs massage them or have a loved one massage them every day to keep the circulation working well because stagnant water in your legs will cause Cellulitis which if not kept under control or gone completely can kill you because it will spread throughout your body quickly !!
Be safe out there
Vick's is effective against toenail fungus.
But you do have to be patient. Two or three applications a day, for months.
My mom doesn’t do it for a time. It is a perpetual thing for her, but it is protective.
www.metanx.com
I take Jardiance and Tresiba and they help greatly.
Will pass this on to my best friend who is diabetic.
Thanks 2DV
Thanks. I have problems with diabetes and I need to do a better job addressing it.
Problem is that there is a lot of confusion Especially related to diet.
Doc put me on Jardiance, to help control my blood sugar.
I stopped taking it as when I needed to urinate, which was often, it was I need to go NOW, as in right now.
Almost peed myself a couple of times stuck in traffic.
Switched me to Glimapeide instead.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.