[scotts]

My name is Scott, i'm 35 years old, and have been a diabetic since I was about 30...maybe a little bit before. I don't know how to really say this but I am having a very difficult time with my foot for the last year. I visited a friend, and he told me I could sleep in the guest room since he lived so far, and that night I kicked the table in my sleep and a picture frame fell off of it and hit me inbetween my big toe and second toe. Ever since then it has slowly, but painfully and surely gotten worse...I mean really bad. This is the worst foot I have ever seen in my life and it is ruining my life, I have been to a foot specialist, 2 hospitals and 2 different doctors, but haven't been back because they don't understand how bad it hurts and they just try digging right in it, and i'm seriously afraid i'm going to beat someone up and go to jail. I don't know what to do, I feel like im at the end of my rope. I wish I could just go to the hospital and have them amputate it below the knee or above, anything to just get rid of it cause the strongest antibiotics do absolutely nothing to it. I was wondering if I am allowed to post a picture of it to see if ANYONE out there has had type of infection that I have, I can't find anything even close online, I know I can't be the only in the world that has had this. If I can't post the picture I will completely understand. Have a good one all!

 

[fgummett]

Hi Scott and Welcome. Yikes.. not really sure what to suggest except "get thee to a Doctor". You say you have not been back to either you have already seen but that may just be what you need to do... having a second look might be enough for them to realise the seriousness -- quite often the advice is to come back if it gets worse... not going back might give the impression that it has gotten better.

 

[onlymep]

welcome Scotts I'm sorry to hear about your foot and it would no doubt be painful for you. If docs don't know, shouldn't they be referring you to a podiatrist? I think Franks suggestion is a good idea... go back to the doc and get them to see it isn't any better and something needs to be urgently done about it. Is it a golden staph infection or something? You don't want it spreading through your bloodstream whatever it is. It would also probably be making your BGLs go out of control no doubt... try to get good control as best you can with meds/diet. Keep us posted on how you go.

 

[scotts]

Thanks for the advice. I am going to go back to the docs in August, it's just the doc doesn't understand what kind of pain i'm in and hes very rough no matter what I say, last time I had my foot cocked back ready to plow it in his jaw, till he took his hand off, I don't want something like that to happen. But i'm just gonna try to tough it out cause I have been in such misery for to long. Also I dont know what is wrong with it, they just tell me it's infected but no name to the infection. Started off as a little scratch, now its so out of control it's freaking me out bad. I also broke my big toe tripping over a brick in February, recently the nail fell off, and now the side of my big toe in between the second toe, is being eaten alive, but yeah I will keep an update but I have a feeling this outlook isn't a good one.

 

[jwags]

Sorry to hear you are in so much pain. I think with a diabetic any infection is extremely serious. It sounds like you need some aggressive treatment to control the infection. I don't think I would wait until August to get it dealt with. Even if the treatment is painful, I think living with the pain is no alternative.

 

[Shalynne]

I would make sure the doc knows you're diabetic. That should be a red flag prompting them to get proactive.

Is there a chance of changing docs?

Hope you find true relief long before August!

 

[moon]

How are your glucose numbers? If they are high, that keeps you from healing.

But I agree with jwags, I'd get to a doc ASAP vs August. Infections are serious and if you don't think your doc is taking it seriously enough, treating it aggressively, I'd look for another doc.

 

[LarryT]

Scott, welcome to the Forum!

Others have mentioned - as will I, please do advise your Doc as to your blood sugar. Also waiting till August is not a good thing, talk to his scheduling (office) people and try to let them know seeing you SOON is important, like in the next few days!
I know in my case, a hand infection became serious enough to require IV antibiotics. That was with fairly good BG readings, at least till the infection started. Then BG went up and did not respond to Insulin at all, which makes the infection worse.

Take care and hope to read posts from you of better times!!!

Larry

 

[Shanny]

You have had an open wound on your foot for a year. It is deteriorating & causes you agonizing pain. You are diabetic, which makes foot injuries doubly dangerous. You are prob'ly inviting sepsis.

TAKE YOUR TOE BACK TO THE FOOT DOCTOR ASAP!

Do not pass GO, do not collect $200, do not wait until August. Got it?!

Welcome to DF, Scott . . . you really do need to get this resolved and quickly.
​

 

[scotts]

My glucose numbers are really high, I can keep them down great with low carb. I done that to try to help my foot heal...but after a while of having low glucose numbers and not seeing ANY results in my foot I got depressed and just said forget it.


I haven't tested it in a while but when I run crazy with eating food, it's in the 300's. I know I should get a hold of a doctor sooner than August, but I have some plans that I have to keep, cause if they want to admit me I will miss out on a few things I may never have another chance to do again. I know it sounds stupid, and I know it is, but I have to wait till August. My doctor does know I am a diabetic. He suggested I go see a surgeon in Toledo Ohio to look at an ulcer between my toes, and I can't imagine the pain I would feel after something like that, cause even the slightest touch flips me out, and I can't imagine the pain of something like that. When I went to the podiatrist, he wanted to take a 'culture' of the infection to have it sent in, so I told him the pain levels I have with it so he said ok, and gave me local anesthetic and when he was swabbing it I could feel it like there was no anesthetic there AT ALL. They don't put you under for such a minor surgery like that, and I have a few rips in my toes and like I said one part is being eaten alive, and theres no way I can let someone butcher me like with all the feeling there. The sad part is, when I was like 25, I use to see these commercials on tv warning people about diabetes, and I use to laugh about it telling my girlfriend that it's no big deal and I wish I would get it to show people. Well I guess I got what I wished for right?

 

[moon]

The reason to keep your numbers down isn't only about your foot, but you know that. You now have a very bad and nasty foot infection - and this is not the worst of it if you don't get your glucose in control.

What if you are risking your foot by not getting to the doc and addressing this? I can understand being afraid of the pain. Even if they don't put you under, they can give you powerful sedatives which is close to the same thing. When I cut my head with a chainsaw (don't ask) I had to have quite a few stitches, after having it irrigated (the bad part.) I was screaming so they gave me gas along with anticeptics, and then I hallucinated so much I was pissed off when it went away. They can always do =something= to help with the pain for a procedure.

Please get medical attention. Knowledge is power. You can get an assessment, tell them you have very important plans for the next month and ask if there is any additional risk in keeping them. At least then you'd be informed and able to make an educated choice.

 

[jwags]

I understand you are afraid of more pain when you seek treatment but if you toe is that painful 24/7 how can you even think of doing other things instead of seeking treatment. Did you ever go to see the surgeon in Toledo? You many need to see a specialist to deal with this effectively. Once an infection takes hold sometimes it is extremely difficult to treat it especially with high bgs. The problem with infections is they can move to other parts of your body leading to blood infections. Somethings you just can't put off. Are you on medication for your diabetes and are you taking it?

 

[Shanny]

They can always do =something= to help with the pain for a procedure.

10-4 on the pain relief. There's always a way. I've had three eye surgeries (cutting into my very eyeballs (and no, I don't have a third eye) and I was not put under. I was just so sedated & relaxed that they could've amputated my head for all I cared.

 

[onlymep]

Scotts - I don't think anything else would be more important than your own health. If it means you're going to lose your foot, is the other stuff worth it? I realise that health can be a pain in our side at the worst times... but it is a case of having to literally stop and deal with it whether we like it or not. All of us here would understand this because of the diabetes needing our attention all the time... a lot of us here also have other ailments to contend with on top of diabetes (this includes myself) and we can't ignore them no matter how pressing something else in life may be. I'm a person that pushes myself all the time... I'm a Virgo so you can picture basically what sort of person I am (I fit the description quite well with being a perfectionist and all). I'm currently at the point where I'm exhausted... so I have to find time to sleep when I can regardless of whether there is stuff to do (usually this is sometime on the weekend). I'm not sure what opportunities you're not wanting to miss? but as the saying goes when a door closes, a window always opens... so there's always opportunities for you. Hopefully you can get your foot saved and feel much better as a result.

 

[Horsewhisperer]

My glucose numbers are really high, I can keep them down great with low carb. I done that to try to help my foot heal...but after a while of having low glucose numbers and not seeing ANY results in my foot I got depressed and just said forget it.


I haven't tested it in a while but when I run crazy with eating food, it's in the 300's. I know I should get a hold of a doctor sooner than August, but I have some plans that I have to keep, cause if they want to admit me I will miss out on a few things I may never have another chance to do again. I know it sounds stupid, and I know it is, but I have to wait till August. My doctor does know I am a diabetic. He suggested I go see a surgeon in Toledo Ohio to look at an ulcer between my toes, and I can't imagine the pain I would feel after something like that, cause even the slightest touch flips me out, and I can't imagine the pain of something like that. When I went to the podiatrist, he wanted to take a 'culture' of the infection to have it sent in, so I told him the pain levels I have with it so he said ok, and gave me local anesthetic and when he was swabbing it I could feel it like there was no anesthetic there AT ALL. They don't put you under for such a minor surgery like that, and I have a few rips in my toes and like I said one part is being eaten alive, and theres no way I can let someone butcher me like with all the feeling there. The sad part is, when I was like 25, I use to see these commercials on tv warning people about diabetes, and I use to laugh about it telling my girlfriend that it's no big deal and I wish I would get it to show people. Well I guess I got what I wished for right?

Your diabetes is uncontrolled and by the sounds of it for a while now?? You need to deal with getting sugars under control and as it is in the foot if there are any issues with circulation/blockages then it will heal all the more slowly. Please see the specialist this is no laughing matter if you get gangrene in the foot it is not just amputation to worry about it could result in far worse consequences. People with diabetes can die from corns. You need a podiatrist and one who does wound management it needs agressive antibotics via IV, debridment of dead tissue and dressing with ulcer treatment.

Sorry to be so blunt but the is a very serious issue and you need to take ACTION NOW!!

 

[Gizmo]

My glucose numbers are really high, I can keep them down great with low carb. I done that to try to help my foot heal...but after a while of having low glucose numbers and not seeing ANY results in my foot I got depressed and just said forget it.

I have heard newbies on this forum say they can keep their bg down great. But when we start asking questions, the answer is usually that they consider being at 200 (sometimes higher than that) as being great numbers. I don't know what your bg usually runs, but anything above 140 (and even numbers lower than that) can cause damage to the body. Things won't get better for you until you get those numbers down and keep them down.

My brother had Diabetes and he died of complications after they removed his leg, so you can't just say 'forget it'. My father-in-law had a red place on his foot (I saw it with my own eyes, that's all it was.) and they ended up removing his leg above the knee.

I'm not trying to scare you, I just want you to see how important it is that you see a doctor and get all this under control asap.

 

[Horsewhisperer]

I have heard newbies on this forum say they can keep their bg down great. But when we start asking questions, the answer is usually that they consider being at 200 (sometimes higher than that) as being great numbers. I don't know what your bg usually runs, but anything above 140 (and even numbers lower than that) can cause damage to the body. Things won't get better for you until you get those numbers down and keep them down.

My brother had Diabetes and he died of complications after they removed his leg, so you can't just say 'forget it'. My father-in-law had a red place on his foot (I saw it with my own eyes, that's all it was.) and they ended up removing his leg above the knee.

I'm not trying to scare you, I just want you to see how important it is that you see a doctor and get all this under control asap.

I am trying to scare him as a DE who quit because I was tired of the BS I got from the same people who "gave up" trying to control their diabetes and got out the :violin: when they needed to amputate their leg/s. Who you would see in the hospital cafeteria eating cakes which would be their carb intake for the week

It worries me that you are so young and a scratch is now a festering wound. I never had the luxury of a glucose monitor till I was 18 and like Richard and others here who are "Old Hands" I have no complications am healthy and was bluntly told at 17 if I wanted to avoid long term complications then I needed to keep levels between 4.2 and 6.5mmols. Puberty is a ***** with diabetic control.

So please listen to everyone here and attend to this ASAP we all have your best interests at heart, even though I am blunt

 

[Shalynne]

Scotts ...

Believe me, I know what it's like to choose between a grand opportunity and a grim reality. Fear makes for a Trouble Trifecta. Among those three, something's always gotta give.

Right now, in your case, that something could well be a foot or a leg. With a systemic infection on top.

Please get thee to a doctor immediately. When you make that call, request that full knock-out drugs be made ready.

Scotts ... I don't sugarcoat, but I don't get blunt -- unless it's needed.

We care. Please keep us posted.

 

[scotts]

I just got out of the hospital, its celluitus infection is what I have with a side of gain green (sp). I was in there for over a week, they had to surgery to remove part of my foot at the top where it was dying and it already feels SOOO much better I can't believe it. They have me on a vacuum now to keep sucking infection and other bad junk out of it, said it could be months and months before I get it off, it's a waiting game, I still could lose my foot, but I hope not! But for now all is very much better my sugar is under control and they're working on the blood pressure to get it a little more normalized!

 

[moon]

Am so glad you have some relief! At least you know what you are dealing with now and have medical care.

Hope they can save your foot, but glad it's only your foot and not your life. Diabetes is serious business, and now that you know it you're in a great position to manage it going forward. Something tells me you will!