I was dx about two months ago as T1. I have no complications what-so-ever, and I want to keep it that way. I was looking up preventative foot care for diabetics, but it seemed like it might be tips for people who are already suffering some neuropathy, and wouldn't notice an injury on their foot. I would, as I'm so newly diagnosed and caught it early (lucky!!) that I don't have any neuropathy at all.
So, my questions:
What sort of things do I need to be doing to take care of my feet now?
Do I really need to always wear closed-toed shoes and never go into hot water, or is that advice really for someone a little "further along the road" than I, and suffering from some neuropathy?
What's the actual proper way of cutting my toe nails?
Can I wear nail polish?
Why are all these websites talking about removing callouses? Aren't you supposed to have callouses on your feet?
Lastly, why is it feet? Hands are an extremity, too. Why aren't hands as susceptible to all the same feet drama?
I was diagnosed about 7 years ago and can only tell you what I do and don't do. I'm probably a bit careless in some areas and a bit too rigid in others. Like you I don't have any neuropathy.
1. I see a podiatrist once a year for an annual check up. It's probably not crucial at this point but I think it makes sense to "have a doctor" before you need one. 2. I only wear sandals inside and never go barefoot for more than a few steps. This is probably where I'm most conservative.
3. If you can both see and feel your toes, you can use nail clippers to cut them. My podiatrist told me to cut "straight across" but I don't follow that advice. If you cut straight across you get sharp edges which can cause cuts. You can also use a nail file to trim your toe nails.
4. The websites often tell you to do a daily foot inspection. I don't. I look at my feet but I'm not paying all that much attention.
5. I put Nivea on my feet and wear socks to bed. It helps keep your skin soft and combat dry skin.
The hands are an extremity as well but if you have an open cut on your hands you'll see it and treat it. Your feet are not quite as visible. I use Neosporin on all cuts (including hands). Even when well controlled, diabetes slows healing and doing everything possible to avoid needless infections should be a priority.
Have a great Thanksgiving and don't go crazy if your numbers aren't very good post meal. It happens to all of us sometimes.
I almost always wear something on my feet, just to be careful. but I do wear sandals and flip flops. cut your nails straight across. do not put lotion between the toes. I would never cut a callous, but sanding them down with a foot pumice, wearing well fitting shoes, and moisturizing will cut down on them. I see no reason why you can't wear nail polish. as for the "feet, not hands" - I don't know. maybe the feet are furthest away from the heart.
I started developing peripheral neuropathy in my feet after about 25 years with T1 diabetes. I'm much more careful now, always wearing supportive shoes or sandals, and examining my feet when I bathe. I think if you have good control you have many years or decades before developing neuropathy, if ever. Use common sense, and yes, I get pedicures and have my toenails polished. I test hot water with other parts of my body for safety.
I have had T1 for fifty years. I have no foot problems at all. As Maury said, I do not go barefoot--a huge family thing recently as wearing shoes in a house seems to bring GERMS to the carpet.
I have not been to a podiatrist in years, but my PCP and endo check regularly to ensure my feet feel things.
I do pedicures in the summer, BUT...NO razors, ever.
I don't pay that much attention but I had one issue, the first time I ran > 30 miles in a week, it was January and the last run was 7 miles and it was 7 out so I wore two pairs of socks and one toenail turned black and then got pink and puffy so I went to the doc and they were totally in agreement that I needed to see them, rx'ed "strong" antibiotics (I don't remember what...) and took the nail off. I keep an eye on my feet but have made it through a couple of marathons, pretty constant running, since then (2011 maybe?) without any problems. I wear Birkenstocks and flip-flops (those Olukai ones...) constantly in the summer.
I have had everything go wrong with my feet that can happen, except broken bones. The only time I had no problem with my feet since I've been diabetic is when I was in a wheelchair for 6 months. This is what I've learned: do go barefoot where it's safe. I do this in my house. It helps my feet and legs to have contact with the floor. The diabetic shoes I was told to wear everywhere but to bed are the worst things for my feet, it's like being encased in concrete and they're so stiff and bulky I trip over them and fall down. I have 6 pairs of shoes, including a pair of sandals, and change them at least twice a day so callouses don't become extreme. I don't let the podiatrist "trim" my callouses anymore. Twice I got serious infections that way and yes, we're supposed to have callouses. If they get out of hand, I put lotion on my feet at night to soften them and occasionally use a pumice on them. I have neuropathy up to my knees, it mostly affects my balance. I keep my blood sugar under A1C 5.5 and nicks and cuts heal pretty fast.
I was diagnosed with Type 1 five years ago, fortunately no complications yet. I go barefoot indoors, but no longer outdoors. I do wear sandals, but I have full sensation in my feet. I don't have callouses. I use lotion on my feet in the winter. I had an ant bite on the top of my foot last year (I was wearing shoes at the time) which looked as though it might be infected. We treated it much more aggressively than we would have before I was diabetic, including incising it and using a strong antibiotic. I agree with Maurie that it could be the reason we hear so much about checking our feet rather than our hands is that our hands are so visible to us.
I was diagnosed 10 years ago and i do not pay much attention to my feet. It might be wise to check them every time you shower, other than that i wear open shoes in summer and go barefoot a lot as i love that feeling… never had any problems yet, just be careful and try to notice any changes. as long as you live a healthy lifestyle nothing dramatic should happen...
T2 for 15 years, tightly controlled for 5 months, wildly out of control for 18 months before that, "acceptably" controlled gradually getting worse for the 13 years before that.
So, with that brief history, I've got PN in both my hands and feet, though mild. Some loss of sensation in fingertips, and while I was out of control, chronic numbness in my right pinky and ring finger.
In my feet, I have mild, discomforting burning/tingling on the bottoms in the evenings while lying supine reading or watching TV. I tend to unconsciously rub my feet on the bedspread like cleaning shoes on a doormat, which gives a bit of relief.
Ironically, the feet have gotten worse since I got good, tight control. I'm taking this as a positive sign, based on many things read and people's other experiences -- I'm optimistic my neuropathy is healing, and this is part of the process. My endo agrees.
All that said, I do nothing special with my feet. I have plenty of sensation for injury, temperature, etc., so cuts/scrapes/bruises/etc. never happen unnoticed. I go barefoot all the time at home, including outside. I wear flip-flops in the summer routinely.
The discussion here is making me paranoid that I'm not taking proper care of this aspect of my diabetes management, but honestly, my feet seem just fine and no more vulnerable than a non-diabetic's -- other than the annoying tingling thing.
A friend of mine, T2, got out of the pool on a cruise and walked around the cruise boat barefoot. He got 3rd degree burns and didn't even know. He had to get skin grafts. Please be careful if you have PN. :(
Also, I recently got noticed that a medicine they use for PN (...celebrex?) is now available as generic. Just an FYI to ask your doctor about it if you're on any medicine. :)
May I suggest? I take a separate pair of shoes or slippers or flip flops that I only use for wearing inside the homes of other people who prefer a "no shoes" policy. I switch footwear at the door and explain that I only wear the footwear indoors. Hope this helps with your family issue!
