I was diagnosed with NLD today. It mostly occurs in diabetic women. Only 3 in 1000 diabetis have it. Anyway, it is like a nasty rash on my shins. I’ve been given a steroid ointment to use on it. The doctor said something about inflamation of the little blood vessels. I’ve had Type 1 for 39 years and really don’t have much in the way of complications. Does anyone else have any experience with this condition?
Yeah, thanks. I’ve had injected steroids where I had to double my basal rate for at least a month.
I wonder why they are so unpredictible? Another one of life’s mysteries.
Hello Dena, sorry to hear about your diagnosis. As if diabetes wasn’t enough, it always seems to come with ‘extra’ things to deal with.
Click here to read a discussion about NLD and you will see that you are not alone!!
I have it too, I am 29, T1 for 25 years, but only a 2" shiny, slightly blobby, purple mark at the moment. My doc mentioned something about collagen, but didn’t give me much info and no treament… yet, i frightened myself silly googling it, can I recommend that if you get upset don’t google it :o) Interestingly it is just pure bad luck, nothing to do with how tight your control is, and tighter control won’t improved it either :o(
I don’t know how extensive or serious your nld is but you need to try not to bang your shins.
I am pretty sure that it can sometimes respond to some steroids (cortisol was mentioned) and uva (i think) light therapy.
I was going to speak to my acupuncturist because before we knew what it was (GP’s kept ignoring it) she treated it and it faded almost completely (temporarily)! x
Hi Dena: 
Ya, I have NLD(I think it is beening slowly changed to NL since a percentage of non-Diabetics also have it).
When I was 19, I noticed a light red, dime-sized spot on my left ankle. I didn’t think anything of it. I just put cream on it. About 4 years later, I became pregnant and my first Endo saw my ankle and dxd. me right there with NLD. I was prescribed the usual steroid cream. It didn’t help much.(use that stuff sparingly, it thins the skin). This patch had grown but it didn’t bother me much. Hey, I wore shorts and hot pants and bikinis during the spring and summer. If anyone was looking at my ankle, I didn’t notice. I was busy having Fun with my Family and Friends.
One thing is to make sure that you protect the patches from getting hit. My Boss had purchased my 2 year old Son, a ride-on truck. One day he accidently scooted the truck over and yup, hit my patch. That hurt like HELLo. I ended up with 2 or 3 ulcers on the spot. I was given cream and covered it with gauze and it healed in a couple weeks. I’ve always protected it since.
Obviously, I still have the patch on my ankle although it is skin colour and has been for a long time. I still wear dresses with nylons on occasion and shorts, if I’m not freezing. If People notice it, they usually think it’s a healed burn and I let them. I actually consider it one of my Diabetes battle scars. It doesn’t bother my Hubby either. I don’t let Diabetes or stuff like this hold me down. I hope that you won’t either.
Hi Lou, I was wondering if you have had any more success on treating your NLD and what you have used?
I have a 4 inch area on my left shin that is persisting and cortisone cream never worked for me. Would love to hear about alternative therapies and if/how much acupuncture helped you!
Thanks,
Laura
I ended up using a lotion called Clobex which was a sample given to me by my dermatologist. Cleared it right up.
I was just diagnosed today and am pretty freaked out about it. My doc said that it should clear up and told me to take aleve twice a day for a week or two and elevate the leg when i get home from work. He also told me that the the extreme heat (i work in 100+ temperatures) is causing it to swell. My leg aches as well. I guess I’m not entirely convinced that this diagnosis is correct but I’ve googled pictures and they’re similar. Mine is just so faint and doesn’t itch anymore, just hurts to press on. I have had very tight control and am really bummed about this. It’s nice to know that there are ppl on this forum to talk to. Thanks everybody!!
Wow. Hope yours clears up quickly. Mine wasn’t so bad. I have had a couple small reoccurances over the past couple years but the medication takes care of it. Good luck Jennitar!