Foot Care, part II

21

John,

I wanted to check back in and let you know that I am having some luck with the Healthifeet lotion with L-arginine as far as the cold goes. My toes are still cold but not frozen and stiff like they were. (At one point I felt like I had planks strapped to the bottom of my feet.) They recommend using it twice a day for five days. I did some research and think I will also start taking some l-arginene supplements. From the web research I have done its an amino acid that helps with increasing blood flow at the microvascular level. Its been used by weight lifters and some people take it just for a boost in their energy. I am going to do some more research and cautiously venture into this territory. This may have been discussed in other posts, but I am not the best at mining them.

This improvement makes me wonder if I may have some neuropathy in my feet that neither my GP nor podiatrist is admitting to. Frustrating when you cannot get answers. Seems like shouting questions down a well.

I too feel like I am walking right on the bones in the ball of my feet. I’m not sure if this is from the bones shifting. (Drs in denial again) I’m not sure how that is treated. Orthitics?? I have a pair, which have helped, but the feeling of marbles and no cushion on the bottom of my feet still continues in spite of them. I know it has a name but cannot remember it and am not finding it easily on the web.

I forgot to mention before that I also see an accupressurist/shiatzu therapist about once a month. For the week after my session with her I feel like I could become a Flamenco dancer just like I dream of being when I grow up. Its like having normal feet again. Then they get stiff and inflamed again until the next appointment. She says the tightness in the feet comes from tightness in the hips and stretching them out does seem to help. That is probably why walking also helps.

The other solution I found is one that cannot be easily duplicated. My mom knit me some socks for Christmas and they are the warmest thing I have had on my feet in a long time. Yes, I opened them early. She mailed them and when they arrived I got caught up in the excitement and off came the wrapping paper. 75% wool is just enough to keep my toes warm.

Again, good luck to you with this one. I am eager to hear how it goes for you. If I learn anything else I will post. I too am still trying to figure this one out.

Christina

22

Okay, found it. Its called Charcot foot. It is mentioned under Causes in this article. I dont like the sounds of it.

http://www.spbj.net/tabid/15632/mid/27570/ContentPubID/123/ContentClassificationGroupID/-1/Default.aspx

23

Hi Mike,

appreciate you asking. I don’t know what to say, or how to explain. Basically, I have been scammed out of hundreds of dollars by a doctor who, by my watch, earns $1285 an hour and tells people nothing of value. My regular doctor looked at my feet, poked my toes, felt the pulse in the mid foot, and told me that what I have, doesn’t look at all like anything caused by the diabetes. Makes sense, my numbers have never gone very high, and things are well controlled.

So he told me to see a diabeties podiatrist in the clinic that he thinks very highly of. Took a week to get in to see him, this AM. Who goes to the podiatrist when its not a real need, such that they can be so full up, no one gets in who is in serious discomfort or pain without a week’s wait? I believe I had to wait, because I have no insurance, and he can make more money off insurance companies, than he can by giving me a whole 20% discount. That is what happened several years ago when I need a heart stress test. If I had had insurance, they would have taken me that day, but since it was cash, I had to wait almost a month. Just the consultation itself was $150, and that is with 20% off. It makes me ill that people think they are worth so much, yet give back so little. Looking forward to the government making this all better… :frowning:

He spent a grand total of seven minutes in the room with me. The rest of the time was getting x-rays, and waiting around for him to come back with them. Told me my arches are too high, nice to know after using them for 54 years without a lick of trouble, and that I have damaged several nerves, in both feet. Both feet at the same time. Go figure… He pointed them out in the x-ray, real fast so I couldn’t really see anything. Didn’t know nerves showed up on an x-ray. Told me I needed arch support, and offered me a pair of $235 shoes that would help, but not cure it…I will start in walgreens with Dr Scholls arch supports.

Offered cortisone, which won’t cure, just postpone it. Only about $100 for both feet. Told me I would have to live with the discomfort, and to have a Merry Christmas. He was gone faster than St Nick in the Night Before Christmas.

Apparently, I can’t hurt it, so I will need to “play through it” for the rest of my life. I am pretty bummed, sad, upset, and more than a little angry.

I am satisfied tho, that its not a diabetes related issue, other than I probably did in the nerves with the increased exercise routine, which btw, I have completely lost all of this month with a cold, and now I can’t really walk. If it was just the discomfort in the feet, oh well, but it alters my gait, and my knees and back are taking a real beating from it.

I got an Rx for inflammation, which I have been using for a shoulder issue long ago, so I will ice them down as often as I can, and take the pills and see what happens.

I wish someday, I could go to a doctor who really cared about the patients, but between all the fears of lawsuits, the desire for huge profits, and the simple fact that there are not enough doctors to go around as it is, its no wonder they run us in and out of there as quick as they can. Only met a few real jerks in my day. Most are nice persons, but just don’t seem interested, other than doing as many patients as they can. Again, can’t wait till our leaders add 40 million more customers, all the while, angering doctors who are leaving their practice over all the issues. This is my worst nightmare, and its coming true. Tethered to a doctor for the rest of my life.

I suppose I sound like an angry, upset old man. Hey… I am! :slight_smile: In a few days, I hope to feel a little better, at least emotionally.

Merry Christmas to you as well.

John

24

Yep, go out and shovel the snow. Makes my feet so numb, no pain at all :slight_smile: Getting clobbered on the west side of the Salt Lake Valley right now.

Merry Christmas,

John

25

My endo suggested Alpha lipoic Acid 300mg twice a day, but I think that’s more for foot pain. I also sleep between 2 fleece ‘snuggies’ which keep my feet nice and warm now. Hope this helps.

26

Hi Christina,

I read it, and wow, that is nothing to make anyone smile. Thanks for posting it. I don’t think that is my issue, but you know, the more you read, the worse it gets to where you think you are just doomed to lose your feet and be disabled the rest of your life. I am hoping that since my dx was a fairly low A1c, and I have gotten it even lower, never seeing 140, I can buy a few more years before it all unravels.

I don’t buy what the specialist sold me tho, and I share your frustration. If your feet feel anywhere near like mine, I am sad for you because this is just awful. Your descriptions are spot on as far as how it feels to walk.

the real bummer is, my feet want nothing to do with heat, so sitting by the radiant heater to warm them and get rid of that “cold toes and feet” feeling, inflames the nerves, so I actually have to keep my feet cold. Then, the worst happens because using the electric blanket at night is how I make it through the winter, but its one of those that makes more heat down by the feet, so its too warm, and it makes my feet ache all night long. I turn it down to the min, and the rest of the bed goes cold. I can’t win, today :slight_smile: Time will tell. Hopefully, some cheap arch supports and the drugs will clear things up over time. I only know I am not going to a doctor again about it. Might as well buy an X-box and spend the rest of my life with my feet up, playing games, as to give away hundreds of more dollars to a medical profession that, well, frankly in my frame of mind, is just pathetic. Between the way they handle diabetes, and my bummer of a day today, I don’t care if I ever see another doctor’s office.

I am sure time will alter that attitude as well, but for now…

I wish you well in your search for relief, and really thank you for the comments and the information.

Have a Merry Christmas.

John

27

Where does one find this magical medication, under what name?

Never mind. Don’t know why I always ask, and then realize I can search it out myself. I found it :slight_smile:

I have a horrific time with the pain that having blankets on my toes causes. I like to lay on my back until I am about out of it, and that puts the old toes straight up. No matter how loose, the tips of the big toes really get upset about that. Can’t sleep in one position :slight_smile: so its just frustrating.

Thanks Kathleen, Merry Christmas to you.

John

28

John sorry to know you didn’t get satisfaction from your specialist visit but don’t give up. I have learned in the years of living with D and just life in general that there is always an answer, so don’t give up.

A bit of info a Podiatrist should be part of your healthcare team. Although I know you don’t have ins. try to include foot dr. visits when you can…take care.

29

Thanks Betty,

At $150 a visit, it just can’t happen, and I would certainly not go back to that guy again no matter what.

Based on how it feels tonight, I think I should have dropped the coin, and gotten the cortisone shot :slight_smile:

John

30

Thanks to being able to talk about this, and getting ideas, I had a “duh!” moment last night and grabbed some chair cushions and used them to make a “tent” at the foot of the bed which kept the blankets up and off of my feet. Needs some fine tuning, like all good ideas :slight_smile: but at least I was able to sleep “toes up” without them holding the weight of the sheets and blanket. The exasperation level for all of this is very high, and I spent the whole night fixated on how much it has gone from uncomfortable, to actually hurting. For whatever reason, the warm of the bed, with the blanket on low, inflames the nerve and it shoots right up the side of each big toe. Fact is, that is right where the doctor drew the line from the base of the toes, up along the side of the big toe. During the day, the toes are okay, and the discomfort is in the base of the front “hinge” where is feels walking on concrete, bare foot, no matter how thick and cushy the carpet is. Changes from during the day, to how it feels when I go to bed.

So, time as usual, makes things a little easier to deal with, but my biggest issue is that I am not really doing anything to cure the problem. The drugs may turn down the flame on the nerve, but apparently its a problem with my foot that is not going to go away, so I am kicking myself for not sitting in front of the exam room door, and making the dr wait until I had a chance to better digest all that he had told me, to formulate a plan. If the inflammation goes down, it will only return as the cause has not been taken care of. Even cortisone will only postpone its return. I guess I have to consider the $250 shoes, but hope to find some arch inserts today that will maybe at least make things a bit better.

Since I can’t have my feet warm, you want to talk about cold toes?? :slight_smile: Wow, just no way to warm them up without irritating the nerves. I love winter. Maybe I have to move to a warmer climate if this is gonna be a part of me for the rest of my life.

Hope everyone has their shopping done and is ready for a nice holiday.

thanks for everything,

John

31

Another downside to have D is that cortisone raises our bs. In other words it’s between a rock and a hard place…I think that’s how it’s said.

32

So sorry you haven’t found relief. Awful:(

High arches are a curse. I have them also. Never knew this was problematic until podiatrists started shaking their heads with a “ooo, you have high arches” like I have an extra foot.

Know your pain isn’t diabetic related neuropathy, but you might consider alpha lipoic acid supplements. ALA helps rebuild the myelin sheath that surrounds nerves. ALA also helps BG. The only downside is that this stuff is expensive.

33

For Gerri, and anyone else still reading this thread :slight_smile: Once again, no “reply to this” on your last message, so I will just fake it and post a quote:

“High arches are a curse. I have them also. Never knew this was problematic until podiatrists started shaking their heads with a “ooo, you have high arches” like I have an extra foot.”

This is humorous to me, because that is how I felt when I was walking the floor while the dr looked at my feet, and then again at the x-rays :slight_smile: Like I said, 54 years, and suddenly, one day within a few hours, and my feet are broken because of them? Its not like I just bought new shoes, or did anything that would precipitate an injury or something… Same shoes for like, a year, iirc.

Meanwhile, since its not a diabetes issue as far as I can find out, maybe its not really a topic for this board, but I will stay on it until someone calls me on it.

If you have high arches, what are you doing, or did you do anything it? I was at Wally Mart and limped over to the Dr Scholl section and got some cheezy arch support inserts and wore them all day. I have to admit, they felt comfortable, but actually aren’t enough support far as I can tell. I kept off my feet as much as I could all day, and thought “hey, this might be it” but tonight I took the shoes off and walked the carpet for a few minutes, and nothing seems to have improved. Still really stiff and sore at the joints of every toe, but it will take time.

Been taking NSAIDs at probably the max dosage I should. I worry about what those things do to the rest of me, but near as I can find out, a few weeks, and even a month is not likely to cause too much trouble. If I feel like this ten days from now, I am not sure what I will do. Christmas/New Years is depressing enough as it is, without being totally stuck in the house for the whole time.

I am still wresting with the doctors notion that I have issues with some nerves in the foot, and he says walking on it won’t hurt it. I would think such a thing would demand rest. When I get tennis elbow, it stays around until I manage to immobilize the arm for at least a few days…

Anyway, one more thing before I put everyone to sleep with this, but there was this machine at Wally World from Dr Scholl’s where you stand on it, and follow the directions about which foot to press down on and move around, and basically, the thing kicks out a number of the device you need to use in your shoes, to match what the computer comes up with based on sensing your feet movements, etc. Wonder if anyone has ever seen this thing? I doubt Dr Scholl is the all encompassing cure for foot ailments, and the inserts were in the $50-$75 range which is a bit steep if you ask me. I was gonna give it a try, but they put the machine right in the aisle near the pickup line for prescriptions, and I frankly would have felt foolish dancing on this panel while it analyzed my feet. lol! They should put it some place more quiet and out of the way… but that’s just me. I will see if I can get one of my kids to go to walmart with me, and just give it the old “hey, what’s this thing?” and see if they will keep me company while I dance

Well, another long winded post. Just curious about the solution for high arches. I have always liked shoes that press up on my arches. They just feel more comfortable that way, but I was told not to wear them (long ago) because it would not allow the arch to function, and might cause problems with my feet. The irony is only slightly amusing…

I just wish I could wrap my feet in fluffy pillows at the perfect body temperature. I know it will get better, but right now, its sad to think I may have to learn to live with it. “Between a rock and a hard place” is actually a description of what if feels like to walk :slight_smile:

Thanks Gerri.

John

34

I always thought my high arches were attractive & teased my husband who has completely flat feet. The tracks he makes in sand look like a monkey’s, no kidding. That’s what I get for making fun of his chimp feet.

We’re the same age, so all I can guess is that it’s one of those charming things that happen with age. What I’ve been told about my arches–don’t go barefoot ever (which I love), wear shoes with good arch support (not flip flops, or slide type shoes) & get custom made orthotics (which I can’t afford).

Guess resting an inflamed tendon is a different situation.

I haven’t found that any Dr. Scholl products helped. Never saw the device you mentioned, but it sounds interesting. When I’ve had bouts of plantar fasciitis, I bought every kind of cushion out there with no relief, but that’s a different problem caused by high arches. I bought a $12 arch support on line that’s instant relief when my high arch feet hurt. It’s just basically a support with velcro that goes around the arch. Don’t know if this would do anything to help you, though. I do foot stretching exercises regularly. Acupuncture helped also.

I think the ALA is worth a try.

Sucks to think of living with this! Hate this for you. Wish there were fluffy warm pillows you could wrap your feet in. Am picturing big down filled pillows with heating units inside. Might as well throw in a foot massager in there also. There are heated socks, but that doesn’t help with the cushioning.