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Doppler testing? UPDATE.

C

chocoholic

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My feet have reached a point of "constant" burning now. I had this start in my feet roughly 5 or 6 weeks ago and it was mainly at night in bed but it has gradually got worse and now seems to be creeping up my lower legs and as I say, is constant and frankly driving me round the bend.
Went and saw the G.P this morning(first time I've seen one since I was dignosed 5 years ago) and he has referred me back to the diabetes nurse and lined me up for a Doppler test on Friday.I have always been terrified of long-term complications and had not expected foot problems after just 5 years.Having looked up Doppler testing on the net, I'm not worried about the test but the possible results.
Hubby says my foot problems co-incide with my reducing carbs.which is true but I don't believe that would be linked with foot problems....would it?
Has anyone any experience of Doppler testing, please. I think I'm just wanting something positive to focus on because I'm terrified of the outcome.
 
Re: Doppler testing?

Looking up on the net a doppler test is what they call an echograph here. In some ways its like an ultrasound that they do when you're pregnant. I assume that you are having it done to check the circulation to your feet.

I had echographs on heart, arteries and kidneys when I was diagnosed. They were scary because at the time I was totally in shock about diabetes let alone all the other things they were checking me for. Even so the one on my heart was fascinating as I knew enough about the heart to be able to understand it. The arterial one was less easy to understand, but definitely no pain or any uncomfortable feelings. Every now and then the doctor stopped, stilled the frame on the computer and took measurements. You should be able to ask the doctor questions as he's doing it. I tried but it was a bit difficult in French. He found some plaque in 2 of my arteries, and was quite concerned. Instructions were to lower my cholesterol and get BG under control. They checked again after a year and it had remained stable. The most recent check seemed to show some reduction (doctors are always a bit guarded but he also told me to carry on as I had been doing and that he now only wants to see me every 2 years). So it does show that things don't have to go downhill.
My LDL cholesterol was very high at diagnosis and HDL low , they're now the other way round.



Good luck for Friday.
 
Re: Doppler testing?

It's actually quite fascinating to hear the doppler machine.I have mine done every year. so far my foot circulation has been fine. At the same time my DSN does the filament test for nerve transmission. Also not unpleasant.
 
Re: Doppler testing?

i - doppler testing is very in at home my husband sells them!

It is a non invasive test that measures blood flow - it is really looking at venous insufficiency. Alot of diabetic clinics do them but not all and they also do them in leg ulcer clinics. It is a simple test that is done alot on non diabetics. i have had one done too !

From what he tells me depending on the blood flow measurements they can prescribe treatment - it is possibly not related to your diabetes.
 
Re: Doppler testing?

Thanks for the replies. I'm not worried about the test itself, more the possible outcome. I can't bear the thought of not being fully mobile because a) I don't ever want my hubby to have to push me around in a wheelchair...I've seen my father and brother end up in wheelchairs (through Motor Neurone Disease and Cerebral Palsy) and I just don't ever want my family to have to push me around too and b)when my mum dies it will fall on me to look out for my disabled brother and I can't afford to be ill myself.
I'm not a religious person but I found myself praying in the car today for this awful burning not to be the start of foot complications.
 
Re: Doppler testing?

Hi chocoholic, I have had severe neuropathy that left me unable to walk, but I was lucky enough to reverse it by a total lifestyle change.
I did the low carb thing too, after a few years my feet started to burn again, oh no, the neuropathy is coming back? My GP suggested that I may not be getting enough of the B vitamins and also suggested I take a magnesium supplement, and it worked just fine, the burning disappeared after a few weeks.
There might well be a simple answer to your problem, I certainly hope and pray for you that this is the case.

I am still watching my carb intake, but not as strict as I used to be, so far, thank goodness, I have been alright.

All the best

Karen x
 
Re: Doppler testing?

Thanks, Karen,
That is a very encouraging reply, knowing that you was able to turn things around.It's exactly what I needed to hear and has made me even more determined not to give in and order the parrot and eye-patch just yet.
Each small step in knowledge,for me, really makes a difference to coping mentally with my diabetes.
Thanks again.
 
Haven't had the Doppler test yet but saw the DN this morning (and found out the other one who I really liked has left the practice :( ) She reckons that me lowering my carbs could be the cause of my feet and legs burning. She said if you suddenly drop to good readings, for some odd reason, it can indeed cause such symptoms but she is hopeful that these feelings will go again too after a while. I am really heartened by this. She has run blood tests this morning to see what's happening to my readings and still wants me to go ahead with the Doppler test.
I asked her her thoughts on low-carbing and she smiled and nodded and said she is going to be very interested in my blood test results. Methinks other patients have asked about low-carbing, judging by her reaction. When I told her I was losing weight by low-carbing, she told me I shouldn't lose any more, as it would not be good for me to be underweight!! Oh boy, did I like that terminology...UNDERWEIGHT!! :lol:
My feet might be burning, the rain might be falling but I'm liking today.
 
Hi Karen (choco),
Can I be the first to welcome the new slimline Karen to the forum!!

I think Karen's advice on Vit B and magnesium is something that might help you. The magnesium in particular is very good for repairing nerve damage. There are several supplements available that combine both Vit B and magnesium.
 
I'm Gill but you can call me anything you like, Dennis...be it Karen, slim-thing, Twiggy...mind you it might just be a case of the DN should have gone to Specsavers!!! :lol:
 
After my stroke in 2003, I was visiting a relative in Prague( where even their National Health Service believes in alternative medicine ans she suggested Brewers Yeast for the brain nerve injury.It's rich in B vitamins certainly. I took it for a while and most people can't tell I've had a stroke. I don't know whether to attribute that to hard work, yeast tablets or just plain luck.
 
Hi chocoholic/Karen/Gill - I am getting confused a bit here hehehehe you know who you are I hope

when I first suffered from neuropathy it was due to years of abusing my poor body and ignoring my bg levels and diabetes diagnosis. I was then put on a total holistic regime, diet, exercise, relaxation, alpha lipoic acid, benfotiamine, aromatherapy, a whole combination of things, including cis oils. And gradually I improved and was totally better about 18 months later.

I just sailed along really, no more neuropathy at all anywhere but still on metformin though, but nothing else, I wanted to come off those too so went really as low carb as was possible, then my feet started to play up, I was pacing the floor during the night, I was getting desperate and thought all the neuropathy all over me would soon come back and I am back to square one after all those when I thought I was cured.

My GP knowing that I c onsumed hardly any carbs suggested that I am short of B vitamins, I also took magnesium, thought I will see how that goes and if necessary I would take extra benfotiamine and alpha lipoic acid if the B vits and magnesium dont help, but they did, much to my relief, also because the alpha lipoic acid and benfotiamine are so expensive to buy.

You could try to get a complete Vit B complex and get some Epsom salts and soak your feet in a warm Epsom salt solution, this way you would also absorb magnesium through the skin and see how that goes.

To this day I still take my cis oils, avoid all additives and transfats and sweeteners and still take my cinnamon because I actually love the taste on porridge or stewed apples or plums and yes you guessed it from this, I have increased my carb intake very gradually too and so far so good, I think one of these supplements or maybe all of them have helped with insulin resistance and my bg is just normal and without any need for diabetes medicines, although as I always say I am not complacent or smug, I know very well this may just be a temporary situation and as I get older I might need extra help again to control my diabetes.

Good luck with your Doppler test this Friday, I will be thinking of you :-)

Love from Karen x
(and I am called all sorts of names, depending on how I behave myself...)
 
Wow. I'm really impressed by you managing without medication. It sounds as though you've been on a real learning curve and I have a feeling I shall be re-reading some of your posts in the very near future. Thanks again for you advice.
 
Steep learning curve for sure, BUT I think that I have been extremely lucky, I dont think that people who need to take meds or inject insulin are failures, I may yet have to go back to medicines, I take nothing for granted.
Karen x
 
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