General Chat

I wouldn't mind staying on them too Jean as the doc said they do help bone strength, but I have no reason to think I have a problem with my bones, I was prescribed them to up my vit d as I had low levels and my hair was getting very sparse and thin. I was surprised at the time to be given the calcium with the vit d - assume no separate vit d tablets available for prescription.

Lizx

I take ad-cal for my bones, so will probably stay on them.

Jean, that's bad that the diabetic nurse didn't react at all to your wet foot but glad the hospital clinic is better. How odd that you couldn't feel that tack but odd that the corn is in that spot now.

I am relieved as my results were ok, blood sugars fine, cholesterol levels fine, bp a little high but nothing to worry about and vit d levels not too bad now. I am so glad I won't have to start taking bp meds or worry about diabetes meds. Ecg ok apparently as nothing flagged up, she said she couldn't see results but they would have shown up if there had been a problem. They are not prescribing adcal with vit d now as apparently vit d on it's own is better and they recommend getting it from Boots or somewhere! I took in a urine sample as I hadn't realised they were doing the blood test as well, but she found some white cells in my water which is a sign of an infection. I don't have any symptoms so she said she would sent the sample off for checking just to be sure.

Quite a relief that things are ok, must try and lose a bit of weight and get more healthy and fitter tho

Lizx

Just remembered wwhy I have a corn under my foot. I went to see a podiatrst to see if i could get more comfort with my feet. He looked at my left foot and said i had an injury there. Sure enough, when he looked at my shoe he found a brass tintack in the sole had pushed through and caused an injury. Have had a corn there ever since. On another occasion i went to see the diabetic nurse at our practice on a rainy day, and it wasnt until I took my shoes off for feet to be examined that I realised my shoe was full of water. I said to the nurse that i hadnt felt a thing, but she didnt react in any way. Do you wonder that i prefer the hospital clinic. I know far more about diabetes than the practice nurses, having Oh with it for 45 years and me for 24.

That's awful Sue, what a tragic situation for the poor chap to end up losing his leg.

A family friend had to have a foot off last year around this time, and then had to lose the other one later in the year. She died in November aged 90. What a lot to go through at such an age and then for it to only give her a few more weeks of life. Still thinking of you, Ivy.

Lizx

I have a friend and her ex hubby had diabetes for years,,he always had his monthly visit from the chiropodist.

2 years ago the chiropodist was cutting his toe nails and must have clipped his skin without him feeling it..

She never told him what she had done.
A week later he had to be taken to the doctors who sent him to the hospita a day after he was in theatre having two toes amputated..
Six months later he had the leg off above his knee.
Within the next year he had to have his other leg amputated above the knee and he lived with his disability for 18 months..

He died the day after Boxing day last year..

So just make sure you watch the chiropodist and please look after your feet..

So sorry if I brought up sad memories Angelsong.

Jean, it's good to be aware. My late Mum had diabetes but did have visits from a chiropodist as she was older and less able to get out.
I remember once when I was young, she was dozing in the chair and someone knocked at the door, she jumped up quickly not realising her foot had gone to sleep too and sprained her ankle. That was long before the diabetes but can happen if you don't take your time to be steady.

I keep trying to tell o.h. to be more caring of his feet, now he is diabetic.
I knew someone who lost a leg because of neglecting his feet when diabetic.
We take our bodies for granted and don't look after them as we should sometimes.

Lizx

Yes very aware Liz, as a diabetic don't wear open toe shoes, go for check up every year, wear socks to keep feet warm, gave up smoking 10 yrs ago due to heart attack, oh the joys of getting old lol
Carol

Gulp, thanks for the warning Liz. My late fil lost one leg due to diabetes, and died before the second could be amputated.

Purple, this is something we both watch for. My OH has his feet seen at chiropodists every four weeks and me every eight, as I am more aware of my feet. They have got worse over he years and I have to stand up and stand still for a moment while my feet get the message. I notice that my feet drag quite often.

Norwich diabetic in warning after toe amputations
Kim Briscoe, Health correspondent
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
3:23 PM



A diabetic from Norwich is urging people with his condition to look after their feet after he ended up having three toes amputated.


Tips on looking after feet

Be aware of any numbness, tingling or ‘pins and needles’.

Wash feet daily and dry them thoroughly.

Inspect every day for redness, cuts and injuries and seek help if there is no improvement within three days.

Avoid going barefoot.

Wear well-fitting shoes and keep feet warm in soft, comfortable socks.

Stop smoking, because this is known to make healing more difficult.

Nigel S.' undiagnosed diabetes led to him losing feeling in his fingers and in his feet, so he did not notice when a pastry cutter accidentally fell into his boot and he ended up walking around with the kitchen implement embedded in his foot.

Mr S. 58, a retired senior master who taught French at Beeston Hall School in West Runton, had all the symptoms of diabetes, but put off going to the doctor.

It was at the end of 2009, that he really started to feel unwell and in early 2010, he took his Scottish deer hound Ileugh for a walk.

Mr S said: “Unbeknownst to me this pastry cutter was in my boots.

Mr Simpson at his Norwich home.“I have absolutely no feeling in my legs and in the tips of my fingers too.

“When I took the boots off I saw my sock was damp, but I thought the boots had leaked.

“When I took the sock off I noticed a cut so I bathed it and put a plaster on it.

“Forty-eight hours later it was black and then 24 hours after that I was found in the hall in a coma.”

Many patients with diabetes have damaged nerves in their feet, leading to numbness (neuropathy), ulcers and eventually, if the wounds fail to heal, to amputation. Catherine Gooday, principal podiatrist at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, said: “A lack of pain and discomfort is a serious problem because small cuts and sores may go unnoticed and the feet can become seriously neglected.”

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Do take care, folks


Lizx