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Foot problem on holiday....what to do...

Molly56

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,844
Type of diabetes
Don't have diabetes
Treatment type
I do not have diabetes
Have reached day 6 (of 2 weeks) of our holiday and my partner has developed a blister on the underside of his foot which has now burst...any suggestions as to what he should do other than just keep it covered with a plaster.....am a bit concerned as it will be at least 10 days before he can get to see someone on our return to the uk and with temperatures in the mid to high 30s it could potentially develop into something worse...
.....unfortunately he did not pack any socks and doesn't wear socks with shoes (even though he has been told that he should) so other than the plaster there is nothing else to cover it or prevent further damage by shoes rubbing etc
....is there anything specific he should do or look out for ....or anything to avoid to prevent further problems developing...
 

It goes without saying that it should be watched like a hawk, and I would suggest are barefoot activity would have to be carefully thought through. DO you have a holiday company rep in the hotel? I might be inclined to have a look at the magic folder they usually leave somewhere to check out where you where you would go to see a doctor or how you would contact someone. It'll likely be like an umbrella. Be prepared and it's not required.

Do you know what caused the blister? How is his eating/testing whilst he's away?
 
A blister on the underside of his foot suggests his shoes have been moving about when he walks. Now you know why you should wear socks. He should keep it covered and shoe proof. I suggest a crepe bandage after applying some disinfectant to the wound and a check every day to see it the would is healing.

He should look out for cuts, abrasions, bruises and make sure that nothing is getting worse. A regular check until you can get someone to look at it.
 
@AndBreathe ....as @Squire Fulwood suggested it was his shoes (pair of crocs) that were the culprit...worn without socks and sweaty / moving around...have suggested he wears the flip flops instead for a while to allow spot to heal....not ideal I guess but no real alternative...
...will check out details in reps book just in case in hope that it is not needed....unfortunately it will fall to me to be checking on his feet as he can't bend them round to see himself...was hoping I could step away from these duties but sadly no...am trying to be as least involved as possible and force him to take responsibility...

...as for food and testing...firstly testing is being done and generally between 7 and 10 which is actually lower than when we are at home....not sure if hotter weather is making insulin work more effectively as food choices are not necessarily the best....saying that they are I think better and more controlled than when we were away on holiday this time last year .....I am however developing a 'blind spot' and purposefully not paying too much attention to what he eats....this means I can enjoy my own food and my holiday...

....just returning to foot problem..the plaster applied earlier has already fallen off so perhaps I need to go shopping for some more suitable adhesive coverings....not easy here as not just a case of popping round the corner to my regular pharmacist...perhaps a question to ask the rep later when I see her....was planning a walk into town on my own tomorrow (about a mile each way) so perhaps locating their local pharmacy will be something to do....guess I could look for a sock shop too!
 
Bind the foot. I'm sure you have handkerchief or a scarf. Just keep it clean and stop it rubbing on the shoe. During a long drawn out golf game I once stuck the shiny side of a Senior Service cigarette pack to the foot blister and I was able to finish the round quite comfortably.
 
I keep a supply of various sized blister plasters and find they are really helpful - put one on and leave it in situ until it comes off in its own time. I usually pierce the blister and gently squeeze the fluid out before applying the plaster but that may not be what would be prescribed!
Some are pricey (eg Compeed and Scholl) but Asda, for example do their own brand
 
Does he suffer from poor circulation, lack of feeling in his feet etc.

I'm only asking as I don't, and so far my feet tend to recover very well, left to their own devices.

Not to say that may not change one day, and I may have to go 'British' and get the socks out with the sandals.
 
@Molly56 ask your holiday rep (or even the hotel reception desk!) where the closest pharmacy is if you needto locate further supplies - crepe bandage, etc. That's what they're there for!

Robbbity
 
@SunnyExpat .....yes he does suffer from poor circulation/ lack of feeling....that's why he can't feel that anything is wrong...
 
Robbity said:
@Molly56 ask your holiday rep (or even the hotel reception desk!) where the closest pharmacy is if you needto locate further supplies - crepe bandage, etc. That's what they're there for!

Robbbity
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@Robbity ....plan to check this out in the morning and find local pharmacy on walk into town (on my own).....just in case needed...
 
Try to let the air help the blister to heal and keep foot elevated as much as possible (bed at night and sunbed in the day). Melolin dressing (non stick) on the blister itself might help. A pharmacist should help......
good reason now to keep bg ok and not over eat
 
Maybe he will realise why he needs to wear socks with shoes now.
 
CatLadyNZ said:
Maybe he will realise why he needs to wear socks with shoes now.
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@CatLadyNZ .....personally I doubt it....he is adamant that he doesn't want to wear socks despite my trying to explain why he should...nothing will change his opinion on this....
 
Molly56 said:
@CatLadyNZ .....personally I doubt it....he is adamant that he doesn't want to wear socks despite my trying to explain why he should...nothing will change his opinion on this....
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Yeah, I trust you on these things. I wonder how many foot infections it would take for the penny to drop...

Without being specific about his type of job(s), surely over his life he's needed to learn facts about situations and apply them? Like, a car mechanic has to know what kind of jack can hold up a car so you don't get crushed, or a chef has to know how to avoid causing food poisoning. Why, then, can an adult not grasp basic facts like how to prevent breaking the skin on extremities that heal slowly?

Sorry, I know there are no satisfactory answers. Just venting and trying to express empathy with you I guess. It's hard for me to understand his perspectives.
 
@CatLadyNZ .....as you say he should know better.....his last job involved transporting patients to and from the foot and leg ulcer clinic amongst other clinics.....you would think he knows all too well about the dangers of developing something like this....perhaps on the other hand he thinks that if he does it can easily be resolved...
......not necessarily the case though.....think I mentioned on another thread about a guy I met a few weeks ago whose life had been changed literally within a matter of weeks when a small foot infection had developed at such a rate that he had to have his leg amputated to basically save his life....
....anyway not going to stress myself over this as I have a holiday to enjoy.....
 
The man is stupid and selfish with it. He's on the slippery slope to an amputation unless he does something about it. All the advice here is good but only if he wakes up heeds the warning. Enjoy the rest of your holiday.
 
Enjoy your holiday, you deserve it!
 
As an update....have not really looked at it today though I think blister has burst and is now weepy...think it must have been like that in night as small stain on bedsheets...he is wearing different shoes now (flip flops)....despite my warnings he refuses to do anything about it or cover it so am going to leave him to it...
....think it is time for me to adopt 'head in sand' position and get on with enjoying my holiday.....may just post any worries or concerns here to get them out of my head....

...on a positive note and on the subject of burying things in sand....went last night to see baby turtles that were hatching and saw them excavated from their nests under the sand...a local conservation project helps to protect them and then release them into the sea..

..am determined to take this back as a positive from my holiday rather than worry about some foot problem....
 
I had pink skin on one toe from my Crocs last year and was given antibiotics at the walk-in centre! They made me sick so I self-referred to the podiatry clinic and they used a square of Inadine plus a dressing. Unless he wants to risk an infection and have a podiatrist or doctor taking a scalpel to his foot to check there's no pus under the skin, he should at least be wearing a plaster.

Providing you have normal thyroid function, iodine-based Inadine is great for minor cuts and grazes. I buy it for 50p a pack from ASDA's pharmacy. Cut to size, it will fit under even a small plaster.

The podiatrist told me that the important thing for diabetics, is (a) to clean the cut or graze, then keep it DRY and covered and if it looks pink or swollen, to seek medical help immediately.
 
Molly56 said:
....plan to check this out in the morning and find local pharmacy ....
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I hope we weren't at cross purposes, here, I was suggesting it was the rep's job to direct you to the nearest pharmacy, not that it was the pharmacy's job to supply bandages...

Robbity
 
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