My dad and his type 2 diabetes.

[abealti]

Hey so my dad has had diabetes for a relatively long time (10+ years) and lately, he has been getting random pain all over his body. Like first it started with his big toe, thinking that it had something to do with his diabetes we went to the doctor. The doctor told us that it is okay and its not because of his diabetes its just his nail irritating the flesh, I tried to tell my dad that this doctor is telling bull but he would not listen because they also told him that he should do a surgery to remove the toenail but ofc he didn't want to. Fast forward after 1,5 years my dad got pretty used to the pain or according to him ”it does not hurt as much”, he wanted to jog in the gym because he thinks that it will solve everything and the only reason to why his toe was acting out is because of him, not training. So basically he believes that fitness will fix everything, and I've been trying to explain to him that he should train but it's also a bit late now he has to seek medical attention(btw he is 50 years old). Anyways after training for a month his arm, right between the elbow and the forearm started to ache, he told me that it hurts there too and he can't quite understand why because he can't locate where the pain is coming from, the bone? the nerves? The muscle? So he just ignored it and asked me to massage it every day for a while just to relieve the pain. He doesn't want to visit the doctors this time because the health care here in Sweden is for the lack of a better word, ****..., the only time they take things seriously is when my dad gets in a critical condition, and I want to prevent that, apparently nobody gets that. I convinced him to go one last time and they gave him a shot and the thing is its not a permanent fix or anything it is just a pain killer, they gave him cortisone and he flipped out because he told them that he wants to fix the problem not ignore it. Anyways, a couple of months later his big toe gets this brown patch on the nail, it is not dark, its just discolored,it looks like a bruise and according to him he dropped a coke can on his toe a week before he got that bruise, and I thought it can't be the can, you don't bruise up a week after an accident so I told him to wait for a couple of weeks and see if it heals or anything and it did not so he visited the doctor and again they told him its nothing... So what should I do now if nobody is listening to me and nobody is taking this problem seriously how can I help my dad, yesterday he told me that the area between his hip and leg is hurting him and it just suddenly happened, he has problems with walking now and I'm getting worried? I forced him to implement a low carb diet but he was disciplined for a month then he fell off the wagon, and the thing is he believes that the ”synthetic insulin” is causing this... HAVE ANYONE GONE THROUGH THIS, IF YES WHAT SHOULD THE PERSON DO IF NOBODY GIVES A S*HT ABOUT THE SYMPTOMS...

*edited to remove swear words.

 

[Jaylee]

Hi @abealti ,

What medication is your father prescribed. & what is his overal BG managment like?

 

[Rachox]

As @Jaylee asks it’d be useful to have some more info so we can help you help your Dad. However my comments are that the brown on your Dad’s toenail sounds like a fungal infection though he needs to get this confirmed by a Dr. Is there a possibility he could see a different Dr? The toenail would need treatment to clear it up, but he would need to maintain good blood sugar levels too or it’ll just keep coming back.

 

[Freema]

Hey so my dad has had diabetes for a relatively long time (10+ years) and lately, he has been getting random pain all over his body. Like first it started with his big toe, thinking that it had something to do with his diabetes we went to the doctor. The doctor told us that it is okay and its not because of his diabetes its just his nail irritating the flesh, I tried to tell my dad that this doctor is telling bull but he would not listen because they also told him that he should do a surgery to remove the toenail but ofc he didn't want to. Fast forward after 1,5 years my dad got pretty used to the pain or according to him ”it does not hurt as much”, he wanted to jog in the gym because he thinks that it will solve everything and the only reason to why his toe was acting out is because of him, not training. So basically he believes that fitness will fix everything, and I've been trying to explain to him that he should train but it's also a bit late now he has to seek medical attention(btw he is 50 years old). Anyways after training for a month his arm, right between the elbow and the forearm started to ache, he told me that it hurts there too and he can't quite understand why because he can't locate where the pain is coming from, the bone? the nerves? The muscle? So he just ignored it and asked me to massage it every day for a while just to relieve the pain. He doesn't want to visit the doctors this time because the health care here in Sweden is for the lack of a better word, ****..., the only time they take things seriously is when my dad gets in a critical condition, and I want to prevent that, apparently nobody gets that. I convinced him to go one last time and they gave him a shot and the thing is its not a permanent fix or anything it is just a pain killer, they gave him cortisone and he flipped out because he told them that he wants to fix the problem not ignore it. Anyways, a couple of months later his big toe gets this brown patch on the nail, it is not dark, its just discolored,it looks like a bruise and according to him he dropped a coke can on his toe a week before he got that bruise, and I thought it can't be the can, you don't bruise up a week after an accident so I told him to wait for a couple of weeks and see if it heals or anything and it did not so he visited the doctor and again they told him its nothing... So what should I do now if nobody is listening to me and nobody is taking this problem seriously how can I help my dad, yesterday he told me that the area between his hip and leg is hurting him and it just suddenly happened, he has problems with walking now and I'm getting worried? I forced him to implement a low carb diet but he was disciplined for a month then he fell off the wagon, and the thing is he believes that the ”synthetic insulin” is causing this... HAVE ANYONE GONE THROUGH THIS, IF YES WHAT SHOULD THE PERSON DO IF NOBODY GIVES A S*HT ABOUT THE SYMPTOMS...

*edited to remove swear words.

Maybe it is neuropathy it can come after long time with high blood glucose but also some non diabetics do get it .

Try to make him a diet of less than 100 grams of carbs in total daily , if he hasn’t tried that yet
To see if his body can heal it away
I think it is a good thing to keep exercising , but guess extreme exercise could maybe worsen the neuropathy , but first of all your father need to have a specialist diagnose him maybe a neurologist

 

[Freema]

Maybe it is neuropathy it can come after long time with high blood glucose but also some non diabetics do get it .

Try to make him a diet of less than 100 grams of carbs in total daily , if he hasn’t tried that yet
To see if his body can heal it away
I think it is a good thing to keep exercising , but guess extreme exercise could maybe worsen the neuropathy , but first of all your father need to have a specialist diagnose him maybe a neurologist

By the way my mothers neuropathy has been a bit better after using BCAA a protein uptaken directly into ones muscles

 

[abealti]

Hi @abealti ,

What medication is your father prescribed. & what is his overal BG managment like?

Yeah.. his BG management is not good, he is not consistent, he have problems with eating a a lot of carbs and ignoring his meds. He takes metformin, insulin shots which he should take twice a day but he dose not, some other medications and the doctors keeps prescribing him more and more... He also takes meds for his blood pressure I don’t know which ones but yeah..

 

[abealti]

As @Jaylee asks it’d be useful to have some more info so we can help you help your Dad. However my comments are that the brown on your Dad’s toenail sounds like a fungal infection though he needs to get this confirmed by a Dr. Is there a possibility he could see a different Dr? The toenail would need treatment to clear it up, but he would need to maintain good blood sugar levels too or it’ll just keep coming back.

I’ll ask him about it!

 

[abealti]

Maybe it is neuropathy it can come after long time with high blood glucose but also some non diabetics do get it .

Try to make him a diet of less than 100 grams of carbs in total daily , if he hasn’t tried that yet
To see if his body can heal it away
I think it is a good thing to keep exercising , but guess extreme exercise could maybe worsen the neuropathy , but first of all your father need to have a specialist diagnose him maybe a neurologist

Yeah I have already tried, last month he implemented a low carb diet but he is not consistent, he shifted back to his normal diet, he does not eat unhealthy foods but the macro nutrients effects his bg a lot, for instance he eats oats,potato’s, fruits and a heap of other carb sources without and medicinal attention. He do take his meds in the morning and before sleep but it does not prevent his BG from breaking through the roof...

 

[briped]

Like first it started with his big toe, thinking that it had something to do with his diabetes we went to the doctor. The doctor told us that it is okay and its not because of his diabetes its just his nail irritating the flesh, I tried to tell my dad that this doctor is telling bull but he would not listen because they also told him that he should do a surgery to remove the toenail but ofc he didn't want to.

Here's how I handle the nail problem. I'm 58, was diagnosed in 2005 and have ingrown toenails like your dad, and have had since I was a young child. I used to do my own toe nails, but now I let a podiatrist do it as she's got the expertise and the right kind of instruments. Ingrown toenails are not diabetes related, but if not cared for they could become a major problem. I'm sure he knows that socks and shoes should leave his toes ample space, so no smart pointed shoes for him. Is he eligible for having part of his podiatry expenses covered in Sweden? I am in Denmark, and get my treatments cheaper because of my T2.

he has been getting random pain all over his body.

I'm also interested in his general physical state. Is his T2 well controlled? You see, as a 58 year old I too get random pains, but put them down to aging. Your dad is 50, and hardly 'old', but our bodies do tend to get a bit worn with time. It's only natural. My T2 is well controlled now, but hasn't always been. I'm saying you should be careful not to put everything down to his diabetes. You're a very caring daughter, but he's a responsible, I hope, adult, who should be able to care for himself for many years to come. Maybe you're a 'hønemor' or in this case a 'hønedatter', as I used to describe myself, when my dad turned 85 and helpless. I hope the Danish expression makes sense in Swedish too? (A very protective daughter).

Anyways, a couple of months later his big toe gets this brown patch on the nail, it is not dark, its just discolored,it looks like a bruise and according to him he dropped a coke can on his toe a week before he got that bruise, and I thought it can't be the can, you don't bruise up a week after an accident so I told him to wait for a couple of weeks and see if it heals or anything and it did not so he visited the doctor and again they told him its nothing.

It sounds like a fungal infection. It's really annoying, but go to the pharmacy and see what they have to stop it. I had it too (not diabetes related), and treated it for a while. The nail grew and the brown discolouration disappeared. Haven't had it since.

the only time they take things seriously is when my dad gets in a critical condition,

Does he do that often? Is there anything wrong with him apart from his diabetes? I mean, does he have any other serious conditions?

yesterday he told me that the area between his hip and leg is hurting him and it just suddenly happened, he has problems with walking now and I'm getting worried?

A pinched nerve perhaps? For a couple of days I had to be really careful when walking, making sure I didn't turn on my right foot, as it would send shooting pains to my hip. Thankfully it vanished as suddenly as it started. Even if I'd booked an appointment with my GP, whatever it was would've passed before I'd had a chance to see her.

HAVE ANYONE GONE THROUGH THIS, IF YES WHAT SHOULD THE PERSON DO IF NOBODY GIVES A S*HT ABOUT THE SYMPTOMS...

Well, yes. Me, but I have no children to worry about me, and am lucky to be able to care for myself. Your dad is 8 years my junior, and it does make me worry a bit for you. Wonder if there's some sort of psychological game going on between you? Wonder why he calls so much for your help, unless he's in a wheelchair or has dementia or other conditions which make it necessary for you to be his carer ...? Maybe you should start caring more for yourself?
Friendly hugs from a fellow Scandinavian.

 

[abealti]

By the way my mothers neuropathy has been a bit better after using BCAA a protein uptaken directly into ones muscles

Yeah I’ve heard vitamin b12 and other supplements but I really think you have to control your BG, it’s not a magic supplement that will restore your insulin production and sensitivity.

 

[Listlad]

@abealti I have had toenail issues. Whether they are blood sugar related I don’t know but the problem has been fungal.

A few years ago most of my toenails went that way and ultimately it was cured using medication from the doctors.

It returned though a year or two later. This time more severely with ingrowing nails having to be removed by my GP. They are painful and never heal and require removal. Is this what your father has?

My understanding is that a podiatrist is free on the NHS if you have diabetes. As I was and am prediabetic I didn’t qualify. I did pay for a visit and what they are good at is toenail maintenance - manicuring and there is a right way and a wrong way to trim nails. They give advice too.

I was originally prescribed a varnish by my GP but it never worked. The medicine did work however, for a few years at least.

 

[Jaylee]

Yeah.. his BG management is not good, he is not consistent, he have problems with eating a a lot of carbs and ignoring his meds. He takes metformin, insulin shots which he should take twice a day but he dose not, some other medications and the doctors keeps prescribing him more and more... He also takes meds for his blood pressure I don’t know which ones but yeah..

OK? If the BGs are not on the ideal side? This won't help.
I'm a guy approximately the same age as your dad. & been using insulin for over 42 years. Sometimes it takes a little longer to "warm up" & .warm down. to avoid the odd ache, when the half century barrier is broke..

BTW, my dad was a T2 too..

He needs to get his toe professionally looked at.

 

[abealti]

Here's how I handle the nail problem. I'm 58, was diagnosed in 2005 and have ingrown toenails like your dad, and have had since I was a young child. I used to do my own toe nails, but now I let a podiatrist do it as she's got the expertise and the right kind of instruments. Ingrown toenails are not diabetes related, but if not cared for they could become a major problem. I'm sure he knows that socks and shoes should leave his toes ample space, so no smart pointed shoes for him. Is he eligible for having part of his podiatry expenses covered in Sweden? I am in Denmark, and get my treatments cheaper because of my T2.

I'm also interested in his general physical state. Is his T2 well controlled? You see, as a 58 year old I too get random pains, but put them down to aging. Your dad is 50, and hardly 'old', but our bodies do tend to get a bit worn with time. It's only natural. My T2 is well controlled now, but hasn't always been. I'm saying you should be careful not to put everything down to his diabetes. You're a very caring daughter, but he's a responsible, I hope, adult, who should be able to care for himself for many years to come. Maybe you're a 'hønemor' or in this case a 'hønedatter', as I used to describe myself, when my dad turned 85 and helpless. I hope the Danish expression makes sense in Swedish too? (A very protective daughter).

It sounds like a fungal infection. It's really annoying, but go to the pharmacy and see what they have to stop it. I had it too (not diabetes related), and treated it for a while. The nail grew and the brown discolouration disappeared. Haven't had it since.

Does he do that often? Is there anything wrong with him apart from his diabetes? I mean, does he have any other serious conditions?

A pinched nerve perhaps? For a couple of days I had to be really careful when walking, making sure I didn't turn on my right foot, as it would send shooting pains to my hip. Thankfully it vanished as suddenly as it started. Even if I'd booked an appointment with my GP, whatever it was would've passed before I'd had a chance to see her.

Well, yes. Me, but I have no children to worry about me, and am lucky to be able to care for myself. Your dad is 8 years my junior, and it does make me worry a bit for you. Wonder if there's some sort of psychological game going on between you? Wonder why he calls so much for your help, unless he's in a wheelchair or has dementia or other conditions which make it necessary for you to be his carer ...? Maybe you should start caring more for yourself?
Friendly hugs from a fellow Scandinavian.

Wow thanks for the detailed answer, and hahah I’m actually a male so that makes me his son, btw no I don’t think there’s a psychological dilemma, the thing is my dad is a hard worker, he’s an entrepreneur and he thought me to be caring, he is my father after all and he have supported me and helped me to grow up to the man I am today since day 1, this is just a small favor in return. I want him to be a part of my life , and I would rather want to prolong his life instead of decrease it. Me personally I’ve got type 1 diabetes so there is a big difference, I’ve controlled my Bg and I have implemented a Ketogenic diet that really helps me deal with my diabetes. My dad however is to busy to take care of his health he’s a bit blinded right now. And I’m afraid that his denial of his serious sickness will be a big consequence...

 

[abealti]

@abealti I have had toenail issues. Whether they are blood sugar related I don’t know but the problem has been fungal.

A few years ago most of my toenails went that way and ultimately it was cured using medication from the doctors.

It returned though a year or two later. This time more severely with ingrowing nails having to be removed by my GP. They are painful and never heal and require removal. Is this what your father has?

My understanding is that a podiatrist is free on the NHS if you have diabetes. As I was and am prediabetic I didn’t qualify. I did pay for a visit and what they are good at is toenail maintenance - manicuring and there is a right way and a wrong way to trim nails. They give advice too.

I was originally prescribed a varnish by my GP but it never worked. The medicine did work however, for a few years at least.

I will talk to him and make sure to check that out, thank you very much!

 

[briped]

Wow thanks for the detailed answer, and hahah I’m actually a male so that makes me his son, btw no I don’t think there’s a psychological dilemma, the thing is my dad is a hard worker, he’s an entrepreneur and he thought me to be caring, he is my father after all and he have supported me and helped me to grow up to the man I am today since day 1, this is just a small favor in return. I want him to be a part of my life , and I would rather want to prolong his life instead of decrease it. Me personally I’ve got type 1 diabetes so there is a big difference, I’ve controlled my Bg and I have implemented a Ketogenic diet that really helps me deal with my diabetes. My dad however is to busy to take care of his health he’s a bit blinded right now. And I’m afraid that his denial of his serious sickness will be a big consequence...

Thanks for taking my reply the way it was meant. I was very hesitant to send it, thinking that maybe I was overinterpreting things, but I'm glad to see that I was.
If you read my sig below this post you'll see where I come from. At 50 I really wasn't good at taking care of myself either, but so far I've come through it with flying colours. We're all different, so I understand why you worry, especially because you have T1, and know more about the consequences of a badly controlled diabetes than most.
Of course one should care for one's parents and other relatives. For many years I flew to that part of Denmark, where my parents lived, at least once a month. My mum had developed dementia, and needed more and more help with everything. Probably because of this my dad developed alcoholism, and was completely unfit to care for her. It was tragic to witness, and I'll never forget that time. They're both gone now, but I miss them.
Don't get me wrong. Yes, care for your dad, but in the end you can't do it without his help. He needs to realise the importance of caring for himself. Something that'll make him sit up and listen. For me it was the word 'insulin' as pronounced by my endo doc. That made me grow up in less than a second. I went Low Carb, found this forum and went even lower carb. I've now gone keto, just like you, and it's done me a world of good. I wish your dad would take himself seriously and do something similar, like you do.
Your dad is too busy to do anything about his diet. Well, I'm sure you told him that if he doesn't get his priorities right he'll get less and less busy

 

[ringi]

Would getting a freestyle libre fitted to your bad for a few weeks convince him that he has to limit the carbs and take his meds?

 

[Antechinus]

Anyw a couple of months later his big toe gets this brown patch on the nail, it is not dark, its just discolored,it looks like a bruise and according to him he dropped a coke can on his toe a week before he got that bruise, and I thought it can't be the can, you don't bruise up a week after an accident so I told him to wait for a couple of weeks and see if it heals or anything and it did not so he visited the doctor and again they told him its nothing...

It's not unusual. It depends where the toe was bruised. If at the base of the nail it can take a few weeks to appear. The bruise grows forward with the nail. Nearly all fungal infectoons start at the tip of the toe and grow back down towards the base, or get in through some flaw in the nail plate. Fungal infections only grow out with the nail when the fungus is dormant or dead. So thats the test, see if the dark spot moves with the nail.

Small bruises under the nail can be caused by lots of things, such as increases in activity, new shoes, trauma, long nails. If its happening freqeuntly in many toes it may be related to vascular health or medication.

Sounds to me that your dad wants to do something but lacks spiritual will to follow through or keep with it. I'm a bit like that myself. His behaviour can only change if he is mindful of the fact he has commitment issues. All you can do is encourage him, but don't nag, it's his life after all.

Being mid fifties myself I only really do exercise that I find relaxing and pleasurable rather tthan exercise I "have to do" for fitness. Sometimes I over do it and end up achey, if that causes a muscle tension imbalance, I get seemingly random painful spots in arms and legs.

 

[DCUKMod]

@abealti - A few months after my diagnosis I noticed a sort of fawn mark at the bottom of one of my toenails. It didn't hurrt. I didn't recall doing anything to it, so I just had a bit of a flap.

Once I stopped flapping, I went to the drop-in podiatry service to have it looked at. I was told it was a bruise, but to be certain that I should set up a contrrolled photo of my toe and keep shecking on it, but to photograph it weekly, on my phone, to ensure the mark was creeping up the toenail, as the nail grew. It did.

Perhaps that's something your Dad could be persuaded to do?

I've just looked back on my phone and I appear to have deleted the series, but the attached is how the nail looked a few months later, when I'd had to have the nail clipped as it had become detached. It then grew out perfectly. (I had been sailing for several weeks when that photo was taken, hence the deep suntan!)

(The next photo on my phone photoroll was how my foot looked when my OH and myself had carefull lowered a 75bhp rib engine onto my foot. Much claret and matching bad language, so I won't post that one!

Accident prone? Moi?)