[Diabetes] General Chat and Support Thread

Buford T. Justice XIX · 11-09-2018 2:15pm

A "ground-breaking" drug that helps people with diabetes re-grow insulin-making cells has been developed.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-45473636
Interesting developments but I'll not throw away my meter just yet.

imfml · 16-09-2018 10:30pm

Hi all,

A quick question. I am T1D. I got a small cut on my foot last Wednesday and it is slow to heal.

I’ve been minding it but it started to appear infected. I contacted my health insurer nurse on call and have started antibiotics as a precaution.

I am now on antibiotics and am keeping it clean, dry, covered and monitoring it. I haven’t visited my GP.

I’ve done some online researcher and I am now very concerned about this. Am I over reacting to scaremongering online? Am I doing enough or should I visit my GP ASAP and get their opinion?
Or should I just continue as I have been for 24-48 hours and visit my GP if still not happy.

The cut is in an awkward location and wearing shoes irritates it, no doubt setting back healing. Didn’t wear shoes today and will try to avoid for 48 hours.

It is pretty inconvenient but it’s my first cut since diagnoses and I am concerned.

Any advice? Thanks

arybvtcw0eolkf · 17-09-2018 6:10pm

imfml wrote: »

Hi all,

A quick question. I am T1D. I got a small cut on my foot last Wednesday and it is slow to heal.

I’ve been minding it but it started to appear infected. I contacted my health insurer nurse on call and have started antibiotics as a precaution.

I am now on antibiotics and am keeping it clean, dry, covered and monitoring it. I haven’t visited my GP.

I’ve done some online researcher and I am now very concerned about this. Am I over reacting to scaremongering online? Am I doing enough or should I visit my GP ASAP and get their opinion?
Or should I just continue as I have been for 24-48 hours and visit my GP if still not happy.

The cut is in an awkward location and wearing shoes irritates it, no doubt setting back healing. Didn’t wear shoes today and will try to avoid for 48 hours.

It is pretty inconvenient but it’s my first cut since diagnoses and I am concerned.

Any advice? Thanks

You're right to be concerned about any cuts or broken skin on your feet.

Last October I got a blister on a toe while I was preparing for a Judo competition. But because my feet are numb I wasn't feeling any pain so I kept cleaning it, dressing it and continues my competition prep.

After the comp I asked a girl who is both a Judoka, member of the club and a nurse in the diabetes dept in Beaumonth hospital.. To put it mildly, she freaked at me and made me go in for immediate treatment.

I won't put a photo of it here, but by that time I had a grade II-III ulcer and started treatment. I'm a very active person so off loading my foot was the real killer for me.

Thankfully recovery was relatively quick for me, I have excellent circulation. I think it took about six weeks before I was back jogging again.

Since then its the point has been labored to me over and over how cuts or blisters on a diabetic persons foot has to be taken very seriously.

If you're concerned, and you obviously are since you're posting here then I'd have it seen by a medical professional.

Why am I reading this, well I've done it again. Done a 5km run on Saturday, went home and took the dog out for a walk. I stupidly wore sandals (no socks) and walked 7km. It wasn't until Sunday morning that I discovered I've ripped the skin from the entire pad of my right big toe. My sis-in-law is a community nurse so she got treatment started immediately, but I can tell you I'm really anxious about it now.

Don't leave it to chance. I posted a photo of my ulcer in this thread last year, its nasty so I won't post it here but if you want to see how a tiny blister turned into an ulcer so easily do a search.

Best of luck.

Dick Dastardly · 20-09-2018 9:04pm

Hi. Wondering if anyone can give a steer please. Currently on a medtronic pump which is about to be out of warranty. Diabetes nurse is suggesting upgrade to 640g which looks fine - just wondering if 670g is available in Ireland - to buy or on LTI or any timescales for it please? Some of the features in the 670g look really good so I’d consider delaying the upgrade if I could jump up to it. Asked Medtronic with no response.

Thanks

DD

Roberto_gas · 26-09-2018 7:00am

Folks what is the process to get checked for diabetes and have medicines etc ? Do you goto your GP or HSE ? Asking on behalf of a friend who has recently moved to ireland. Thanks in advance.

ohnonotgmail · 26-09-2018 10:19am

Their GP is the first port of call.

arybvtcw0eolkf · 26-09-2018 9:56pm

Roberto_gas wrote: »

Folks what is the process to get checked for diabetes and have medicines etc ? Do you goto your GP or HSE ? Asking on behalf of a friend who has recently moved to ireland. Thanks in advance.

Hickeys Pharmacies do a diabetes screening test.

Roberto_gas · 26-09-2018 10:10pm

Adalyn Big Numeral wrote:

do a diabetes screening test.

Thanka..So once you do this test what happens next ? I think you have to goto GP in anycase...

arybvtcw0eolkf · 26-09-2018 11:04pm

Roberto_gas wrote: »

Thanka..So once you do this test what happens next ? I think you have to goto GP in anycase...

I haven't done the Hickeys test, but I'd imagine they're refer you to your GP.

A diagnosis is a lot more involved than just a questioner and a blood test so my advice for anyone with a genuine concern would be to make an appointment with your GP and, and if the appointment is early enough fast from midnight.

arybvtcw0eolkf · 27-09-2018 6:39pm

Anyone (T2) on Lipitor (for high cholesterol), and if so did it affect your bloods?.

Buford T. Justice XIX · 27-09-2018 9:28pm

Adalyn Big Numeral wrote: »

Anyone (T2) on Lipitor (for high cholesterol), and if so did it affect your bloods?.

On Artovastatin, the cheapo version, for 10 years now and no issues at all. I had an Angiogram a few weeks ago and 2 minor narrowings was all that was found.

Apparently, the doc was expecting a lot worse after 25+ years on insulin and I am a lot better than average for my age.

I'm taking that as a compliment btw so don't burst my bubble :pac:

CramCycle · 27-09-2018 9:36pm

Anyone on the 640G, the CGM thing is bugging the F out of me. If it keeps this sensor updating going much longer I may F$%^ the whole lot out the window. Any tips?

arybvtcw0eolkf · 27-09-2018 9:54pm

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

On Artovastatin, the cheapo version, for 10 years now and no issues at all. I had an Angiogram a few weeks ago and 2 minor narrowings was all that was found.

Apparently, the doc was expecting a lot worse after 25+ years on insulin and I am a lot better than average for my age.

I'm taking that as a compliment btw so don't burst my bubble :pac:

Thanks for the reply.

Seem's since I turned 50, and despite regularly training Judo, cycling and jogging that Father Time is nipping at my healing and taking small chunks out of me (I keep a super clean diet too, gonna have to look at that now too).

I'm a bit cheesed off tbh.

CramCycle · 27-09-2018 9:59pm

Had my eye test the other day. Left eye is in better shape than the right but I was so tired and had to get back to work that i just rammed through the letters and made mistakes out of tiredness. I await the results with bated breath. My money is on minor retinopathy, with advice to look after myself more.

Buford T. Justice XIX · 27-09-2018 10:32pm

Adalyn Big Numeral wrote: »

Thanks for the reply.

Seem's since I turned 50, and despite regularly training Judo, cycling and jogging that Father Time is nipping at my healing and taking small chunks out of me (I keep a super clean diet too, gonna have to look at that now too).

I'm a bit cheesed off tbh.

If it's any help, that kinda goes for everyone hitting 50, everything gets just a bit more difficult. I'm farming and find it getting just a wee bit harder every year. But once we're around to complain, it's not too bad.

Off now to post on the auld ones forum :pac:

ohnonotgmail · 28-09-2018 9:17am

CramCycle wrote: »

Had my eye test the other day. Left eye is in better shape than the right but I was so tired and had to get back to work that i just rammed through the letters and made mistakes out of tiredness. I await the results with bated breath. My money is on minor retinopathy, with advice to look after myself more.

Does the quick eye chart test they give at the start have any real bearing on the results they give you? Is it not more about the retinal photography?

banie01 · 28-09-2018 9:26am

ohnonotgmail wrote: »

Does the quick eye chart test they give at the start have any real bearing on the results they give you? Is it not more about the retinal photography?

The quick eyetest is really just used as a indication of any sudden or major deterioration.
The retinal photography is the primary diagnostic screen for retinopathy.
It is a pain in the hole if you are tired, or your bloods are out of whack when you are doing the eyetest tho.
I've had the dreaded diabetes blur once or twice for mine, but my vision is 20/20 despite Retinopathy present in both eyes.

silverharp · 28-09-2018 9:34am

Adalyn Big Numeral wrote: »

Thanks for the reply.

Seem's since I turned 50, and despite regularly training Judo, cycling and jogging that Father Time is nipping at my healing and taking small chunks out of me (I keep a super clean diet too, gonna have to look at that now too).

I'm a bit cheesed off tbh.

whats your diet strategy? I cleaned up my diet this year (new year’s resolution) and steadily just reduced my carbs, for instance during the summer I was getting a low 7 reading 2 hours after dinner, I checked again this week and it was 5.7 and in the morning my readings have dropped to 5.3 from a stubborn 5.9 which I was constantly getting during the summer. I had the lucky coincidence that my job moved so now commute by bike so that gets me over 7hrs built in exercise a week. Ive about 4 inches off the waist to go to get me into the normal range and will hopefully knock my blood pressure down the last 10 points for it to fall into the normal range.

arybvtcw0eolkf · 28-09-2018 7:27pm

silverharp wrote: »

whats your diet strategy? I cleaned up my diet this year (new year’s resolution) and steadily just reduced my carbs, for instance during the summer I was getting a low 7 reading 2 hours after dinner, I checked again this week and it was 5.7 and in the morning my readings have dropped to 5.3 from a stubborn 5.9 which I was constantly getting during the summer. I had the lucky coincidence that my job moved so now commute by bike so that gets me over 7hrs built in exercise a week. Ive about 4 inches off the waist to go to get me into the normal range and will hopefully knock my blood pressure down the last 10 points for it to fall into the normal range.

Diet is brilliant actually, I'd find it hard to tweak it anywhere to be perfectly honest.

Like I posted earlier I regularly train Judo, I cycle and run.

I have dropped a ton of weight in the last 18 months. Last year my at my first Judo competition I fought at 130kgs, my last competition I fought at 97kgs.. I'm fighting again in November and if I tried I think I'd get under or very close to 90, but I want to stay just under the 100kg for competition.

My fasted bloods are usually 5.7-6.5'ish.

BP is slightly high (I'd have to go get my diary to give you accurate numbers).

Tbh I'm just cheesed off (and yes I know others would swap with me in a heart beat). But since turning 50 I've been prescribed testosterone replacement therapy, Metformin and now Lipitor.

Realistically I'm probably looking at retiring from competitive Judo due to peripheral neuropathy. Last November I had a very nasty ulcer on a toe which frightened the bejaysus out of me.

Judo is very tough on your feet and every time I get blisters I hit the panic button until they've healed.

I'm just ranting. Things will pick up again in a few days. I'll do a nice cycle and parkrun (5km) [parkrun.ie] and that'll left my spirits. Until then I'll sit here wallowing in self pity lol.

silverharp · 10-10-2018 9:04am

Article about fasting helping to reduce/reverse diabetes symptoms drugs requirement in Type 2.

https://m.cnn.com/en/article/h_1ba092a81d34a6592b935bfc616f2257

(CNN) - Three men with Type 2 diabetes used "intermittent fasting" to reverse their dependence on insulin, according to a report published Tuesday -- but you shouldn't try it without medical supervision, experts say.

The new case report says the three patients also lost weight, and their HbA1Cs, a measure of blood sugar levels, improved.

"People are focused on giving drugs to Type 2 diabetes, but it's a dietary disease," said study author Dr. Jason Fung, medical director of the Intensive Dietary Management Program in Toronto.

Experts say this clashes with the widely held belief that diabetes is strictly a chronic, irreversible disease -- though Fung said that's been changing in recent years.

"In general, the concept of reversing or curing diabetes ... is not well-accepted in the medical field," said Dr. Abhinav Diwan, associate professor of medicine, cell biology and physiology at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. "It is not even a therapeutic goal when people start to treat diabetics."

gerrybbadd · 10-10-2018 9:22am

silverharp wrote: »

Article about fasting helping to reduce/reverse diabetes symptoms drugs requirement in Type 2.

https://m.cnn.com/en/article/h_1ba092a81d34a6592b935bfc616f2257

Intermittent fasting definitely helps with insulin resistance, blood sugar control and the HBA1c. Talking from experience.

I (used to) do 2 or 3 days a week. All i'd have all day was black coffee. So I'd have my dinner say, Tuesday at 8pm. And not eat again then until dinner time the following day, again roughly 8pm.

silverharp · 10-10-2018 9:36am

gerrybbadd wrote: »

Intermittent fasting definitely helps with insulin resistance, blood sugar control and the HBA1c. Talking from experience.

I (used to) do 2 or 3 days a week. All i'd have all day was black coffee. So I'd have my dinner say, Tuesday at 8pm. And not eat again then until dinner time the following day, again roughly 8pm.

I started this year back in April with 18/6 during the week, now I often do “one meal a day” and have started just last week with a full day fast. Surprisingly easy to do, in fact on Monday I went from 8PM Sunday to 6PM Tuesday so the bones of 48 hours. I havnt done the HBA1c test but I have noticed that combined with going low carb that my fasting levels have dropped since the summer or testing 2 hrs after a meal.
If the article is anything to go by it wont be embraced quickly by doctors but so many people get general benefits from this that there is nothing to lose.

JP Liz V1 · 10-10-2018 3:52pm

Is there a special foot cream for hard skin on feet for diabetics or is any like from Scholl ok to use?

RobbingBandit · 10-10-2018 6:19pm

Paraffin cream is what I was advised to use during my foot ulcer episode last year don't put it in between your toes. Boots sell it cheap enough

arybvtcw0eolkf · 11-10-2018 8:40am

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

Is there a special foot cream for hard skin on feet for diabetics or is any like from Scholl ok to use?

If you've a lot of hard skin you're probably best off going to an podiatrist to have it removed, then keep on top of the moisturizing there after.

I love my podiatry appointments actually, my feet come out feeling brand new for weeks

For daily moisturizing I buy a 500g tub of cream in Dealz, costs €1.50 so I slap it all about twice daily and it contains the very same ingredients as E45 which costs almost ten times as much.

Like mentioned, keep between your toes dry.

arybvtcw0eolkf · 11-10-2018 8:49am

RobbingBandit wrote: »

Paraffin cream is what I was advised to use during my foot ulcer episode last year don't put it in between your toes. Boots sell it cheap enough

How did you get on with the ulcer?.

I had one last November, it scared the crap out of me if I'm to be honest.

Diabetes diagnoses only came early last year and although it was hammered into me how important it was to look after my feet I ignored that advice (almost to the point of losing a body part).

Preparing for a Judo competition I got a blister on one of my toes, this is common place in Judo (we call them 'mat burns').

I was four weeks out from the competition so I just kept taping directly over the blister, stupidly not checking its progress because I wasn't feeling any pain from it.

After the comp I asked one of the girls in the club to look at my 'blister' (she's a nurse in the diabetic clinic in Beaumont Hospital).. She absolutely lost it with me, told me my 'blister' is a grade II/III ulcer and needed immediate treatment.

Long story short it took almost two months (or maybe more) to completely heal.

At the end I did breathe a sigh of relief, but it scared the crap out of me.

Sorry for the long winded story, but guys never neglect your feet. Never.

banie01 · 11-10-2018 10:46am

Folks, Those of you attending an opthamology clinic for Retinopathy screening and reviews after being referred on from the Retina screen programme?
Out of curiosity, how often are your appointments?
Is it a more regular visit than the yearly screening?

RobbingBandit · 13-10-2018 11:39pm

Took me several months to get on top of the ulcer situation limiting my activities didn't help my sugar levels which in turn didn't help.my ulcer situation or vision problems due to my retinopathy it's a balancing act really and will differ from person to person depending on your own situation for me it hasn't really worked out too good as the amount of treatment in each situation has left me with Charcot foot and cataracts in both eyes after the treatment for the foot ulcer and retinopathy.

Wearing a vacoped boot for several months now with no end in sight to that but absolutely no ulcers and that's a positive in itself as they are very difficult to manage any sign of them you should get to.your foot specialist asap as early detection and management is paramount to stopping them from becoming a recurring nightmare.

arybvtcw0eolkf · 17-10-2018 9:57pm

RobbingBandit wrote: »

Took me several months to get on top of the ulcer situation limiting my activities didn't help my sugar levels which in turn didn't help.my ulcer situation or vision problems due to my retinopathy it's a balancing act really and will differ from person to person depending on your own situation for me it hasn't really worked out too good as the amount of treatment in each situation has left me with Charcot foot and cataracts in both eyes after the treatment for the foot ulcer and retinopathy.

Wearing a vacoped boot for several months now with no end in sight to that but absolutely no ulcers and that's a positive in itself as they are very difficult to manage any sign of them you should get to.your foot specialist asap as early detection and management is paramount to stopping them from becoming a recurring nightmare.

Nightmare stuff, sorry to hear you're having so much trouble.

Anything like this is what I dread because I'm very hard on my foot between Judo, which I'm very seriously considering retiring from (that's me in blue in my avatar) and I'm running at least 5km most evenings.

If I don't stay active I'll put on weight, I put on weight so easy. And that in turn will blood sugar control harder.

I hope things take a turn for the better for you soon

gctest50 · 17-10-2018 10:12pm

A few exotic hookworms will sort you right out :

https://bit.ly/2mqSmkj

“Parasitic worms are masters of controlling inflammation and experiments in mice have shown that worm infections are strongly protective against diabetes, a condition that currently affects over a million Australians” says Dr Giacomin."

[Diabetes] General Chat and Support Thread

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