Foot amputation, any alternatives?

matrika

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Hi, I'm Matrika from Malaysia. My father has been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes since his teen years. About 5 years ago, due to his uncontrolled diabetes (mainly not wanting to take his medication) he developed an absess on his right thigh which led to necrotizing fascitis. Fortunately, the doctors was able to save his leg by cutting out the infected area and his tendon. He has been controlling his diabetes since and has regular check ups.

About a month back, he had his regular diabetes checkup and according to the doctor everything was under control. However the next day, he developed a fever and his left foot was slightly swollen. Doctors did an xray but there was no abnormalities, however blood tests showed that he had an infection and was given antibiotics and was scheduled for another blood test the week after that. Within 24 hours, the big toe on his left foot developed a haemorraghic bullae and he was admitted into the hospital. He had no trauma, ulcers or open wounds on his foot prior to the incident. He developed an acute kidney failure and had his toe amputated due to necrotizing fascitis. After his amputation, we have been taking him to the hospital daily to get it dressed. But his wound was not healing properly due to no blood circulation and diabetes. He had to be hospitalised because gangrene had spread from his second toe to his third toe.

At the moment doctors are suggesting to amputate the gangrened toes and find the clot to help the blood circulate. They also suggested to amputate above his ankle to stop the gangrene from spreading upwards.

We do not want to come to the last scenario of amputating till his ankle. We are seeking for suggestions and advice to find ways to help the blood circulate in his foot so that it will not lead to that amputation. Has anyone encountered any methods that has helped? Please do share as we are looking for alternatives to help my father.
 

jack412

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Hi, I'm sorry for your worries and it sounds as if your dad isn't very old. sadly it may be needed to be amputated to save his life. keep your fingers crossed that he can keep his ankle by finding the clots and restoring good blood flow to the rest of his foot.

before modern medicine they used leaches for circulation and fly maggots for rotting flesh
 
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matrika

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Hi Jack. Thanks for your reply. My dad's 60 this year. Are there ways to help with blood circulation?
 

jack412

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he's the same age as me, so he is a young man. :)
the best thing your dad can do is take his diabetic medicine and get his blood sugar within range. reduce the amount of carbs he eats. potato /bread/ rice and eat lots of vegetables with butter, coconut and olive oil

http://www.dietdoctor.com/lchf
http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/14045524.php
http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/lowcarbliving/a/Food-Cravings.htm
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/
http://diabeticmediterraneandiet.com/low-carb-mediterranean-diet/
http://www.lowcarbdietitian.com/blog/carbohydrate-restriction-an-option-for-diabetes-management
 

oomhenry

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Ozone therapy could possibly save his foot.
Seek a specialist in your country who will consider that. It really works.

Removed dangerous medical advice .
Anna29.
 
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kman

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Knowing others Won't learn from my mistakes, Being TERMINALLY ILL !
Ozone therapy MAY help, but it is only a MAY. !

Talk to the Drs, see if they think it a Viable option, and If it is Available. ?

But as with any suggestion you see on here, Do not take it as Gospel, juzt a Possibility that needs Checking Out !!!

Best of Luck
 
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Scandichic

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Michael Gove and his insane educational? policies!
Big hugs to you and your family. Hope you find the answer you are looking for.
 
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oomhenry

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How exactly does one decide if an option is viable? Take us through the decisionmaking process please.
 

Enclave

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Ozone therapy is something he could try while waiting to see if they are going to have to amputate.. If it's so bad it needs to come off then it may be the best thing. The wife smashed her ankle about 5 years back .. They saved her foot, but it's been a constant struggle to cope with the pain for her. I know if we could turn the clock back she would rather they had not save it. Things happen for reasons .. If he needs to looses his foot ..look to ways of helping him come to turns with it.. A new start ..not the end.
 

oomhenry

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What is the cause of your wife's foot pain and what meds is she using?
 
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Enclave

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What is the cause of your wife's pain and what meds is she using?
She has pins and screws and I think a plate in her ankle .. it has been left in an odd shape .. she takes no meds as she found very little relief in pain killers.. she will also not have the pins and screws removed as she is very, very unwell after a general anaesthetic. So she is stuck with it ! have tried things in the past to help with movement and pain .. but it did not work

Just wanted to point out to the OP that loosing a foot is not always the worst outcome
 

oomhenry

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Phantom pain is real for amputees. How does one treat that?
 

lisa2014

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Hi
I'm new here, my partner suffers from diabetes and has staved off amputation probably about five times or so now. Years ago he had an ulcer at the top of his leg which turned into gangrene, great surgeon and just has a bit of a chunk missing. The main issue in recent years have been the feet, well one mainly, with Charcot foot. I don't know what stage your father is at now, but I would think it's a severe bone infection and will need major antibiotics, my partner was given liquid antibiotics, sorry not sure of name began with a Z he thinks, this was one of several though. The doctors should know. I hope i've not come to this forum too late. This was at Kings hospital in London, they may be able to advise, they want to prevent amputations.
The local hospital kept wanting to take chunks off, as well as below the knee.
It could be that your dad has Charcot in the mix which may explain the foot being swollen, you don't have to have an open injury to begin with.
I really hope you can save your dads leg, do some research into antibiotics as well as talking to his doctors. Even if they have taken other toes, the bone infection could still be there, they have to check, it's really important.
We've spent four years saving his leg, but it can be done.
If anyone would like more info on the experience with Charcot please let me know, didn't want to go on too much at this stage.
 
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oomhenry

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QUOTE="lisa2014, post: 678005, member: 140046"]Hi
I'm new here, my partner suffers from diabetes and has staved off amputation probably about five times or so now. Years ago he had an ulcer at the top of his leg which turned into gangrene, great surgeon and just has a bit of a chunk missing. The main issue in recent years have been the feet, well one mainly, with Charcot foot. I don't know what stage your father is at now, but I would think it's a severe bone infection and will need major antibiotics, my partner was given liquid antibiotics, sorry not sure of name began with a Z he thinks, this was one of several though. The doctors should know. I hope i've not come to this forum too late. This was at Kings hospital in London, they may be able to advise, they want to prevent amputations.
The local hospital kept wanting to take chunks off, as well as below the knee.
It could be that your dad has Charcot in the mix which may explain the foot being swollen, you don't have to have an open injury to begin with.
I really hope you can save your dads leg, do some research into antibiotics as well as talking to his doctors. Even if they have taken other toes, the bone infection could still be there, they have to check, it's really important.
We've spent four years saving his leg, but it can be done.
If anyone would like more info on the experience with Charcot please let me know, didn't want to go on too much at this stage.[/QUOTE]


Lisa. Ozone may possibly solve the problem . Research it. Diabetic ulcers heal very quickly when exposed to ozone.
Edited dangerous medical advice . Anna 29
 
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anteater2012

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People who don't listen to others i.e. the 8 members of this forum I have put on ignore as they talk such utter **** all the time. This now includes the member who thinks they are a moderator.
Oh god he's back.
 

Brunneria

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@lisa

I am so sorry to hear of your father's troubles. And I hope his hospital manage to save his foot.
Please, come back and tell us how he is doing?
 
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C

catherinecherub

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@oomhenry,

I read your post before you edited it and to say that you do not care if someone has an amputation makes me wonder why you, as a non diabetic, would come to this support forum when all you seem to want to do is put forward an alternative that is not 100% guaranteed.
If you persist in your disregard for people here then I see no reason why you should be a member.

Please remember that you are speaking to people who can make their own minds up and do not have to believe what you are saying. We also do not give medical information
 

lisa2014

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I do not have diabetes
Hi
I should have put that my original post was in response to Matrika, in the hope it may help in this thread. My partner had foot reconstruction with various screws etc, back in March, but his wounds did heal around a year and a half ago, and then waiting for the op. I say wounds, as apart from the original point of entry, the infection tracked to various other parts of the foot, during a span of around one and a half/ two years, with healing along the way. Bone infection is the main thing to be aware of.
It is possible for ulcers to heal when you get the correct treatment and you don't back down to pressure from the doctors and nurses. If the local hospital had their way he would have lost part of his foot/leg two years ago. Hopefully we have now turned the corner.

@oomhenry - I've not heard of ozone therapy, but if it happens again I'll look into it. But if I'm honest, the way you present yourself is not appreciated. I would think the majority of people here have been through hell and back. I have no idea who you are and if you have no experience of Diabetes I suggest you do some research.

I'll try and write up the experience next week when hopefully I'll have more time. It would be great to avoid amputations where possible and make people aware of Charcot and avoiding too many complications.
 

yuroff

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3
Type of diabetes
Type 2
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Tablets (oral)
My story with CO2 foot spa.

2-3 years ago, different tests diagnosed atherosclerosis; 3 different blockages in my right thigh, and 1-1 blockages in both calves. It appears that my condition has been improving: by now, I can walk 450-500 yards without the need for stopping (having started from 100-150).Last summer an ulcer developed on the second toe of my right foot. It didn't heal, even more, it started to deepen for a week or so. I started, of course, search the net for alternative treatments of diabetic foot and found an article (Kufa Med.Journal 2012.VOL.15.No.1) on CO2 treatment. I had considerable pain around the ulcer that made walking even of the shortest distance difficult - preventing me to fight my atherosclerosis by "walking through the (poor circulation) pain". Having followed the clinical description of foot spa, I tried to bath my feet in sparkling water for 30 minutes per day at home, for about a fortnight or so until my appointment with the diabetic foot department at Kings' College, London. By that time, the ulcer seems to have healed, but in close examination, it turned out that under the callous tissue, the wound penetrated into the bone. So my re-opened wound was dressed, I was put on 3 different strong antibiotic pills for three weeks and a 3-daily re-dressing course. I was seen at the ed of the 3-week course, by the time the wound was nearly healed and was put on another 3-week antibiotic course of 1 pill. As I didn't need to have medicated dressings any more, I returned to the CO2 foot spa too.It healed in a month - and the bone is alright too.

In January this year, unfortunately a new ulcer developed, this time on the little toe of the right foot. In February, I was put again, on a course of antibiotics. Since the uler did not heal, I started the CO2 treatment again. It is too early to say now, whether the healing has accelerated or not, but the foot spa does reduce the pain, and makes the dressing of the wound easier afterwards.

I shall report back after my next appointment.

Meanwhile, may I draw your attention to CO2 foot spas, I would be interested in having some feedback on your experience with CO2.