I am not yet into my first year of being dx’d as a T2, but I read and I want to know what to expect in the coming years.
The topic of the day is: Foot Care
Its fairly common knowledge among us that we need to be aware of things that can happen in our feet due to complications. At this point in my disease, my numbers are pretty low, I don’t think they were ever way over the top in the first place, and I consider them to be tightly controlled, so I am not particularly worried about complications just yet, but I am aware that anything can happen, so being prepared seems a logical thing to do.
My doctor never mentions anything except our fights over how many strips I should get, and lacking insurance, I am on my own to keep an eye out for things that might become problems.
I walk a lot on my treadmill, and this stresses my feet and I won’t attempt to explain what one of them feels like lately. I have been working in the garage on the frozen concrete, as in zero degrees, for a week, and so for all I know, I have frostbite on the bottom of my feet However, a small amount of paranoia sneaks in whenever something starts to feel different anywhere in my body, and so I tend to be very sensitive to what is not quite right.
Anyway, what should a diabetic be looking for when he/she checks her feet? We are supposed to do it rather regularly, but I am not aware of exactly what it is I should be looking for? I can imagine the extreme which would be toes turning black, stifling pain, and all those horrible things we used to read about, but I am not going there just yet
What about numbness? Temperature seems like something a foot doctor would consider, but that is hard to do in the dead of the winter with cold hands and feet most of the time.
Anyway, enough of the usual rambling. If we are to take special care of our feet, what is it that we are looking for, when we do so?
Links, or books would be welcome, or maybe those whose doctors check them regularly would share what is being looked at?
Much obliged for any insight or experiences.
John