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Diabetic hypochondria & going barefoot

You should go to your GP and have it checked out. There is little that can be done medically for diabetic neuropathy. If the tingling and irritation gets too much they can prescrib gabapentin to reduce the symptoms.
It looks like your at an early stage. You need to halt or reverse the condition by going on a strict low carb high fat diet, or similar such as KETO or Paleo. Nerve cells can regrow, but you need to practise intermittent fasting to trigger stem cell growth. It is though very slow. I estimate that it will take me about 2 more years to reverse most if not all my neuropathy.
Unless you have lost feeling in your feet I wouldn't worry about walking barefoot. Your feet are designed to walk bare and its excellent for your posture and general health.


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I don’t go barefoot very often but mainly because my feet are always cold! Currently using the fitflop variety of flip flops around the house on instructions of a podiatrist to avoid pressure on my Achilles which was damaged earlier this year.

Outside the house I’m invariably in trainers. Current brand of choice is ASICS as they’re more supportive than my previous preference, Skechers, which are very comfortable - almost like wearing slippers.

So long as you have good feeling in your feet I don’t think going barefoot is a problem.

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aealexandrou said:
There is little that can be done medically for diabetic neuropathy. If the tingling and irritation gets too much they can prescrib gabapentin to reduce the symptoms.
It looks like your at an early stage.
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While I agree neuropathy is something we want to avoid and it's hard to manage from what I've heard, what part of the post makes you think Nicole has an early stage of neuropathy?
From what I read Nicole gets numb hands from riding her bike, which I can guarantee is perfectly normal. A tingling in one toe in bed sometimes is mentioned as well, which is definitely not enough to diagnose or even suspect neuropathy on. Especially not in someone newly diagnosed.
Neuropathy usually takes years and years of high blood sugar before it appears, I see nothing in Nicoles posts suggesting she has neuropathy of any stage.
 
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I am a life long barefooter. I still have feeling in my feet and blood glucose is controlled so I see no additional danger for me personally. If either of those statements change then maybe I’ll have to change my habits but not til then.

we have a pair of family crocs that must be 15yrs old now. My husband thinks they are his but he’s wrong ;). Whilst they are his size our 3 boys have grown into them in that time and they fit easily over the sock type slippers I wear in winter. The live by an outside door and are excellent for nipping outside (To the bin/car/garden etc) without having to find real footwear.
 
Nicole T said:
People love to hate Crocs, but I keep a pair in the caravan. They're the only kind of slip-on shoe I'd trust to negotiate a muddy camping field. They have their uses.
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I have the Skecher ones and much prefer them, very smooth on the inside. I love going barefoot too but am getting better at slipping them on when popping out to the garden.
 
i too now worry about neuropathy with every tiny tingle in my legs.

My big toe has been numb for about 10 years. GPs/diabetic nurse just dismiss it as nerve damage and say its nothing to do with diabetes which is probably correct as only been diabetic for year.

Bug it still doesnt stop me thinking I'm about to lose my leg from diabetes
 
I have mild peripheral neuropathy, a 'non-diabetic' cause that predates my T2 by a few years, and after the T2 diagnosis was told very firmly never to go barefoot. I loved going barefoot in the house, in the garden, on grass but now reluctantly wear closed toe mules.
One good reason is that neuropathy, arthritis plus general clumsiness means I drop stuff on my feet and lose my balance a lot - I've broken most of my toes at least once some at least three times. I can still break toes while wearing footwear but less frequently.
 
Nicole T said:
People love to hate Crocs, but I keep a pair in the caravan. They're the only kind of slip-on shoe I'd trust to negotiate a muddy camping field. They have their uses.
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What about some nice Birkenstock Arizonas? I love them. For home that is - not the mud of a campsite:)
 
Andydragon said:
I saw what damage was caused to my fathers feet due to unhealing cuts and loss of sensation. Diabetics need to be incredibly careful with their feet. I understand, hopefully, it’s the exception but we all need to be careful with the choices we make

Honestly, I tend to be more bare foot or in socks than I should though. I had crocs once... awful shoes
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Yes of course it goes without saying that it depends on the individual, but if you are well controlled and heal well, there shouldn’t be a problem if you are careful and keep an eye on your feet!
 
Ladies, and gents - my apologies for my part in deflecting this thread towards Crocs clogs - jazzed up or otherwise, but could we pay attention to Nicole's topic please?
 
Flora123 said:
Yes of course it goes without saying that it depends on the individual, but if you are well controlled and heal well, there shouldn’t be a problem if you are careful and keep an eye on your feet!
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There is a risk on going barefoot. Maybe the risk is reduced or very low but from my own viewed experience, it can be a significant danger

the NHS advise not going barefoot in certain circumstances. So the question was whether it is a good idea. Outside of the house, My answer is no, it’s not. Why increase your risk unnecessarily?

personally having dislocated and broken my toe by kicking furniture accidentally in the past I know I should do better!
 
Andydragon said:
There is a risk on going barefoot. Maybe the risk is reduced or very low but from my own viewed experience, it can be a significant danger

the NHS advise not going barefoot in certain circumstances. So the question was whether it is a good idea. Outside of the house, My answer is no, it’s not. Why increase your risk unnecessarily?

personally having dislocated and broken my toe by kicking furniture accidentally in the past I know I should do better!
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The point is if you are well controlled, with sensation, is the risk any higher than if you were not diabetic. Probably not in my opinion. Of course anyone can cut or break their foot without the protection of shoes. (And even that isn’t a guarantee unless you’re wearing ppe style boots!)
 
My understanding is that diabetics have poorer blood flow to the feet and as a consequence any damage done to the foot is slower to heal hence the recommendation not to go barefoot. If you couple the slower healing with neuropathy where you may not feel an injury the risk of consequent major damage is considerably increased. But its your choice some places are safer than others.
 
Antje77 said:
While I agree neuropathy is something we want to avoid and it's hard to manage from what I've heard, what part of the post makes you think Nicole has an early stage of neuropathy?
From what I read Nicole gets numb hands from riding her bike, which I can guarantee is perfectly normal. A tingling in one toe in bed sometimes is mentioned as well, which is definitely not enough to diagnose or even suspect neuropathy on. Especially not in someone newly diagnosed.
Neuropathy usually takes years and years of high blood sugar before it appears, I see nothing in Nicoles posts suggesting she has neuropathy of any stage.
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Most newly diagnosed T2D have probably been suffering from high blood sugars years before they detect that they are diabetic. You don't even need to have diabetes to suffer neuropathy as it is a sympton of long term sugar contamination and insulin resistance on its own. If she was simply suffering the occasional numbness to her hands specifically from the pressure when riding her bike, then its unlikely to be an issue, but the reference to numbness in her toe, the fact that she is diabetic, are indices of neuropathy and she should get herself checked out. I waited to long to check out my neuropathy and by that time it had spread to my hands and feet. It is what alerted me to the fact that I had a diabetes issue, which proved to be the case after I attended my GP. You should never rely on these or any post for a diagnosis. Your GP may no nothing about nutrition and treating diabetes with diet, but will be well trained in diagnosing the illness.
 
JohnEGreen said:
Not wearing proper footwear caused my wife's T1 cousin to accidentally amputate his own big toe with a lawn mower and spent several weeks (two months I believe) in hospital as a result and it took him a long long time to heal from that.
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Ouch. Still anyone mowing the lawn without suitable footwear is taking that chance. I thought this was about additional risks of diabetes, rather than the obvious ones that apply to all.
 
JohnEGreen said:
His extended time in hospital and time taken to heal and recover was due to a great extent to his T1 diabetes so yes the the thread is about risks appertaining to foot injury and diabetes and suitable shoes or lack of them so I think my post was in no way off topic but if you feel differently there is always the report button if you care to use it.
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Bit of an overreaction to my comments, can’t for the life of me think why I would report your comments.

No one, diabetic or not, should be mowing barefoot or they are at risk of injury was my point. Yes I can see and agree that the complications of diabetes, if you have them, could slow healing considerably.
 
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