Re: diabetes and the complications

[Guest guest]

Since I have been overweight, I have had problems from time to time with my

feet swelling. If I am understanding right, this is from circulation problems

and that it can do damage to the tissue and eventually can cause complications

with my diabetes that could make me lose my legs.

Up until lately, I could always cut back on salt and elevate my legs and they

would go back down and I was fine. Also losing weight seemed to give it

immediate relief. But in the last 3 weeks I have not been able to get my feet

to

go down in size. They are so swollen that my my feet look like Fred

Flintstones PLUS more. They hurt so much and makes it hard to walk and I am

even

having trouble getting shoes on.

I have not only cut DOWN on salt, I have cut it out. I have been drinking 1

gallon of water with lemon a day for the last 10 days and nothing has

happened. I showed them to my doctor and she seemed unconcerned. She said " Cut

back

on salt. "

At the same time, I have had to cut out caffine because my heart has been

racing and skipping beats. During my life I have had this happen from time to

time and my heartbeat was irregular for a few seconds or a minute and it would

scare me but it would go away. It has been doing this almost constantly for

the last 2 weeks. Nothing helps.

I am starting to really get worried that they may have something to do with

each other but I don't know for sure because I just don't know a lot about

this. But I know my circulatory system has something to do with my heart... so

I

am afraid they are connected. At least I guess I am AFRAID they are.

When my OB/GYN was examining me this past week she said " SHIRLEY, look at

your feet. What did you primary physician say about this? " I said... " She said

to cut back on salt. " She looked at the nurse and shook her head.

So I am confused. I should have asked her more questions at the time but I

didn't.

Does anyone else have problems with this and do you think they are related?

I guess I have never worried much about losing my legs or feet to diabetes

because that only happened to people who had SEVERE diabetes and mine is not

that

severe.

Or maybe it suddenly is.

Shirley Jean

[Guest guest]

Thanks ... and to answer your questions...

My blood sugar is under control. It was 90 this morning with out meds and

I've been controlling it with diet and exercise for several months.

And I am already on b/p medication... Diovan with a diuretic in it. I

haven't had my blood pressure checked but twice during this time and it was fine

both times.

I appreciate your input and I agree that I need to talk to someone since my

doctor is not interested in this.

Shirley Jean

[Guest guest]

Shirley,

How have your sugars been? Was your blood pressure checked at either place?

The swelling could indeed be edema from a cardiac problem. If you think

about, which I'm sure you already have, your feet are the furtherest from

your heart, so a problem with circulation could certainly cause this...esp

if a problem with the right side of your heart.

However, it could also be that for some reason, your body is retaining

fluids, and the easiest spot to see this is your legs. You've cut out salt

completely, which is good. ...but it also sounds like you've cut out your

diuretic (caffeine is a diuretic)...and while this would be a drastic effect

for just caffeine, it's a possibility.

I'm concerned that your primary brushed you off. Anyone else you can talk

to? Can you call them back and explain that the swelling won't go down, w/o

salt etc? Maybe you need a diuretic.

(remember, a vet student, not MD, but though I'd try )

Re: diabetes and the complications

> Since I have been overweight, I have had problems from time to time with

my

> feet swelling. If I am understanding right, this is from circulation

problems

> and that it can do damage to the tissue and eventually can cause

complications

> with my diabetes that could make me lose my legs.

>

> Up until lately, I could always cut back on salt and elevate my legs and

they

> would go back down and I was fine. Also losing weight seemed to give it

> immediate relief. But in the last 3 weeks I have not been able to get my

feet to

> go down in size. They are so swollen that my my feet look like Fred

> Flintstones PLUS more. They hurt so much and makes it hard to walk and I

am even

> having trouble getting shoes on.

>

> I have not only cut DOWN on salt, I have cut it out. I have been drinking

1

> gallon of water with lemon a day for the last 10 days and nothing has

> happened. I showed them to my doctor and she seemed unconcerned. She

said " Cut back

> on salt. "

>

> At the same time, I have had to cut out caffine because my heart has been

> racing and skipping beats. During my life I have had this happen from

time to

> time and my heartbeat was irregular for a few seconds or a minute and it

would

> scare me but it would go away. It has been doing this almost constantly

for

> the last 2 weeks. Nothing helps.

>

> I am starting to really get worried that they may have something to do

with

> each other but I don't know for sure because I just don't know a lot about

> this. But I know my circulatory system has something to do with my

heart... so I

> am afraid they are connected. At least I guess I am AFRAID they are.

>

> When my OB/GYN was examining me this past week she said " SHIRLEY, look at

> your feet. What did you primary physician say about this? " I said...

" She said

> to cut back on salt. " She looked at the nurse and shook her head.

>

> So I am confused. I should have asked her more questions at the time but

I

> didn't.

>

> Does anyone else have problems with this and do you think they are

related?

> I guess I have never worried much about losing my legs or feet to diabetes

> because that only happened to people who had SEVERE diabetes and mine is

not that

> severe.

>

> Or maybe it suddenly is.

>

> Shirley Jean

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

HI Shirley..I too have problems with my leg and foot.. one foot swells all

the time.. its swollen as we speak.. I dont know the answers other than what I

have been told.. and that is one.. it could be my weight causing it.. two as

far as the tingling going and going to sleep the reason it does this is because

that is the fartherest part of your body from your heart.. at times my foot

hurts so bad that its hard to walk.. its like I have spurs on the bottom of my

foot.. so anyway that is all I know maybe together we can read some of the

posts and find some answers:) that is what I like about this group:) You can

learn what works for some and hopefully will work for me.. so anyway bye for now

Melody

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 7/11/2004 9:08:21 AM Eastern Standard Time,

sjmadewell1@... writes:

And I am already on b/p medication... Diovan with a diuretic in it. I

haven't had my blood pressure checked but twice during this time and it was

fine

both times.

I appreciate your input and I agree that I need to talk to someone since my

doctor is not interested in this.

Sometimes the BP meds can cause edema (swelling). I was on one med Norvasc

about 8 years ago and I retained so much water that they took me off of it.

_Do You Have Hypertension (High Blood Pressure) - DIOVAN_

(http://www.diovan.com/index.jsp?source=01025 & campaign=CVZ-8004 & site=100005 & plac\

ement=102244 & crea

tive=100002 & checked=y)

[Guest guest]

See if you can get another opinion, Shirley Jean.

I remember having my feet swell last part of my pregnancy....double their

size. That is uncomfortable too. Hasn't happened since.

Could the heart palpitations be related to anxiety attacks too? It is

something tho that I would double-check with another doc.

Keep us posted. I wish you well.

Tam

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[Guest guest]

There is a form of massage called " lymphatic draining. " The series of

movements are designed to move the lymphatic fluids that cause swelling in

your body towards the heart where they can be re-circulated. This is a

great technique and most reputable massage centers should have someone

trained in this. It really does wonders-I was trained to do this when I did

my massage-therapy course but have since forgotten it (it is very specific

in the order of movements-unlike other massages).

See if it helps. BUT if you have any metastized cancer, stay away! It can

make it worse!

At 09:29 PM 7/11/2004, you wrote:

>HI Shirley..I too have problems with my leg and foot.. one foot swells all

>the time.. its swollen as we speak.. I dont know the answers other than

>what I

>have been told.. and that is one.. it could be my weight causing it.. two as

>far as the tingling going and going to sleep the reason it does this is

>because

>that is the fartherest part of your body from your heart.. at times my foot

>hurts so bad that its hard to walk.. its like I have spurs on the bottom

>of my

>foot.. so anyway that is all I know maybe together we can read some of the

>posts and find some answers:) that is what I like about this group:) You can

>learn what works for some and hopefully will work for me.. so anyway bye

>for now

>Melody

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

sjmadewell1@... wrote:

> Since I have been overweight, I have had problems from time to time

> with my

> feet swelling. If I am understanding right, this is from circulation

> problems

> and that it can do damage to the tissue and eventually can cause

> complications

> with my diabetes that could make me lose my legs.

>

I first joined this list about two years ago, after coming within hours

of having a foot amputated. Luckily it came back to full health after a

few months of working on it. Also being depressive I was off list for

about a year. I've finally got some help for the depression, but the

foot goes back and forth. I've currently got a wound that is healing

but gets infected once in a while. Been about 7 months so far.

Anyway, a current problem is adema, which is basically just a lot of

fluid causing the foot and ankle to swell. I was just given a couple

pair of socks specially made to help this. However, it actually seems

to make it worse. My foot is swelling big time. There is no colour

changes. It isn't turning red or purple or anything. There is no

change in smell to the wound. There is, however, a line of pain running

up the inside of the leg, which indicates an infection is starting, or

else the lymphatic system is trying to drain the fluids that way.

So, other than swelling, are there other symptoms? Colour? Smell?

Pain? Leakage of any type? (Wear a pair of white socks for a day and

check them out when you take them off.) Always have your doctor check

your feet when you see them. And have them check BOTH feet. My

problems are always with my right foot. So we tend to overlook the left

one some times. But, I rember in the past, when I cracked an ankle.

They took care of that, but overlooked some other fractures in the foot,

simply because the cracked ankle was so overpowering on the xrays they

didn't even bother to look for anything else. And I assumed all the

foot pain was from the ankle. Found out I also had two other bone

fractures. Not bad, but painful and in need of attention.

Good luck.