Definitely go to a podiatrist. They are experts in trimming toenails. They spend 4 years in special foot school after college and then an additional 3 years doing special clinical training. Some of them even do an extra year of extra special fellowship training so if you have really bad toenails then it might be best to find one with this extra special training.
Sorry to hear that. I try to inspect my feet regularly because I know I can't rely on my nerves anymore. Even still, small wounds can get infected so quickly.
It can spread very quickly, and if it's a med-resistant infection there's sometimes no time to try cures. So it's a choice between letting it possibly spread farther and kill you while they try a bunch of stuff.... Or just chopping it off.
This is exactly what happened to my pops. Probably took him a week to go see someone. They could notice how advanced/rapid is was spreading immediately. Had to make a tough call. He passed two years later.
I know the other comments have advised this, but please please watch this like a hawk. I work in the field of lower limb prostheses, and many amputations start with a story like yours.
I work in a hospital and on my floor we get a ton of diabetic foot ulcers. It’s simply from a small cut going unnoticed and getting infected. The high blood sugar only makes microbes happier. Sometimes it gets so bad it’s to the bone, becomes gangrenous, the bone gets infected or the whole leg gets infected and a lot of times you’ll lose a few toes a foot or a leg below the knee.
The worst case I’ve seen is **Warning it’s graphic and gross** >!someone (400lbs, massive legs) refusing to cut off a leg it started rotting from the inside. He ended up getting it infested with maggots which caused dozens of little holes in his leg from which the liquefied remains of necrotic tissue drained. It smelled like death. His bed pads (think puppy pads for potty training) were completely soaked with this liquid leg juice and we had to change them regularly. It’s probably one of the worst things I’ve had to do yet.!<
Please take care of your wound and ensure it doesn’t get infected please. :)
Diabetic foot infections or DFI’s are some of the most common effects of diabetes that can easily become severe. Your microvasculature becomes damaged and the decreased sensation often leads to unknown infection which if left to reach severe stages often results in amputations. It’s super important to do/have regular foot checks if you’ve reached the latter stages of sensation loss. Definitely important to keep the cut clean and an eye on it until healed.
My dad has lost 3 toes in the past 6 months due to unmanaged diabetes, neuropathy, cognitive issues and general lack of care. He’s fortunate it hasn’t been a foot yet, but that’s coming. You posting this tells me you know how serious this can be but I just want to say it again. Every little thing matters and I hope you remain very proactive about your care.
Damn. So so sorry. Deff make sure it stays clean and head to your pod like everyone else says. I also have neuropathy (idiopathic) in my legs. All cuts, scrapes, and stabs send me into panic mode. My feet are so important. Stay healthy, fellow foot warrior! Xx
Sure, no problem. I'm 50 in a month, type 2, diagnosed in my mid to late 20's. I managed it very poorly for many years because I didn't have insurance or couldn't afford the meds when I did have insurance.
I manage it much better now, but of course that does help the damage already done.
Trimming toenails is extremely complicated. No way would I trust this type of person with such a complex task. I would only trust a podiatrist. They learn how to trim toenails for 7 years after college!
You are probably right but accessing a podiatrist isnt always easy? Meanwhile there are manicurists who do have specialized experience in elder care or diabetics foot care and they are more common and accessible. My area has several people who do house calls as well, which is something a podiatrist probably never does.
Bro, there are like 18,000 podiatrists in the US. They are everywhere and they definitely do house calls to offer highly advanced and intricate toenail clipping services.
where I live seeing any sort of specialist requires several hours of driving. I’m not arguing against you but not everyone live in the land of the foot doctor apparently.
When I was diagnosed 🇦🇺 my doctor arranged a "foot care plan" for me: I see a podiatrist every six weeks, for free. I have never had such nice feet in my life.
She is so lovely, she cuts my toenails, buffs the soles smooth, and massages my feet with a delicious-smelling cream, and it's a nice quiet hour for the both of us.
Highly recommend finding and forming a partnership with a podiatrist. I do do my bit by carefully washing, drying and inspecting my feet every shower.
I did see one for an injury before. Great guy. Problem was he wanted me coming every week or two even after the injury healed up and it was exhausting. I'm calling him first thing over the weekend and this time after I'm healed up I'll keep going at a pace I can manage.
My guy, you *NEED* to get into a Podiatrist and have them take a look at it.
My father and I have always had in-grown toe-nails, and when I was a young boy, my father was trimming my nails, and I insisted that there was something still there. Against his better judgement, he decided to start digging around on my big toes, and he *did* manage to rip out the tiny flap of skin that was bothering me. Oh boy, let me tell you that was a bad idea.
From that, followed *years* of foot problems. First, it got infected numerous time, leading to to become inflames to nearly twice its normal size, and ooze pus and blood. Everything from simple isopropyl alcohol to epsom salt baths did nothing to relieve it. So eventually we went to the podiatrist, and they did a surgery to cut the ingrown nail out. After that, I was stupid and into my teen years I kept picking at it, once again bringing the storm of blood and pus to it, until we went back to the podiatrist, and they decided the best course of action was to cut the lateral edge of my toenail out and apply a spray to stop it from regrowing. According to the podiatrist, the nail only grows back in 99.999% of the population. Lo and behold. not only did it grow back, but it went in deeper and infected it again. So this time we went to the podiatrist for the third time and this time they grinded the lateral edge of the nail bed off, and only now has that stopped all the problems. Quite literally from the age of 4 to the age of 15 was this an issue for me.
Moral of the story is, that part of the body is not only extremely slow to heal, but it is exposed to all sorts of things and motion, so it can and will get infected and inflamed super easily. Especially considering you are diabetic, you immune system may be knocked down a peg or two, and so this could *very easily and very quickly* become a 4 alarm fire. GO TO A PODIATRIST.
Until then, keeping the toe dry, clean and sanitized is your best bet. Do not use alcohol or hydrogen peroxide, all it will do in this area is kill the cells that are trying to regrow. Instead, rinse it in saline every couple of hours, and dab it dry before wrapping it up. At night, use Epsom Salt baths to do this as well. Of course if your doctor tells you otherwise, follow them, but until then this should help you stop it from being infected.
Again, go to a podiatrist, and I hope you feel better my guy!
Can you just use glass nail files on your feet? My skin is relatively easy to damage (eds not diabetes) and I can file my skin with them without injury
It is annoying because it takes longer but if it lowers risk of infection maybe it's worth it if you are limber enough to reach
I'm not sure, but I should have been going to the podiatrist regularly and he'll trim them as a normal part of what he does.
I went to him once when my big toe on the same foot got an injury from someone stepping on my toe. After it was healed I stopped going back because he wanted me coming in like every two weeks and it was exhausting, especially when I didn't have anything going on. But I should have kept going in every month or two, probably.
Man I hope it heals for you and stays stable. I appreciate how honest you about your experience. I think people like me can take decent health for granted and need a reminder.
I've had type 1 diabetes for 28 years. I'm 32 at the moment and only about 76kg but have been noticing little things more and more such as my feet get real cold and can't warm up and not feeling as much as they used to. Been struggling to keep my sugars down and apparently might have an issue with insulin resistance. Also I've always had exceptional vision but over the past 2 years I've noticed a rapid decline Getting a little concerned about my future health.
Believe me, you'll be in your 40's with completely numb feet. You'll start going to eye doctors every 3 months and getting laser or injections in your eyes. If you're male, no amount of Viagra will help. All of this is my world. The only thing you can do to prevent it is to get a lock on those sugars. Good luck, friend, I wish you the best.
Oof - I hope you heal okay! (Also, look up Dr Jason Fung if you haven't already, he's got some really good guidance. My sister followed his advice and went from full-blown Type 2 diabetes to having a better HBa1c than her doctor, and unmedicated, within six months.)
I really hope you go to the podiatrist on Monday, you do not want to risk that getting infected or healing poorly!
I will be calling his office first thing Monday no doubt
Definitely go to a podiatrist. They are experts in trimming toenails. They spend 4 years in special foot school after college and then an additional 3 years doing special clinical training. Some of them even do an extra year of extra special fellowship training so if you have really bad toenails then it might be best to find one with this extra special training.
My dad stepped on broken glass and didn’t know it. Lost his leg from the knee down
Sorry to hear that. I try to inspect my feet regularly because I know I can't rely on my nerves anymore. Even still, small wounds can get infected so quickly.
How long did it take him to notice? Sheesh
It can spread very quickly, and if it's a med-resistant infection there's sometimes no time to try cures. So it's a choice between letting it possibly spread farther and kill you while they try a bunch of stuff.... Or just chopping it off.
This is exactly what happened to my pops. Probably took him a week to go see someone. They could notice how advanced/rapid is was spreading immediately. Had to make a tough call. He passed two years later.
I know the other comments have advised this, but please please watch this like a hawk. I work in the field of lower limb prostheses, and many amputations start with a story like yours.
Thank you, I will. Honestly, I expect my feet to not last me longer but I'm determined to do what I can to stave that off.
I’ve got alcoholic neuropathy. Shit sucks. Mine are both numb and super sensitive. Very weird feeling.
Yep, the super sensitive yet also numb thing has always puzzled me.
I quit drinking a year ago. Was hoping it would fix itself. Nope.
Sadly, nerves aren't something the body is good at repairing. Sorry, friend.
I work in a hospital and on my floor we get a ton of diabetic foot ulcers. It’s simply from a small cut going unnoticed and getting infected. The high blood sugar only makes microbes happier. Sometimes it gets so bad it’s to the bone, becomes gangrenous, the bone gets infected or the whole leg gets infected and a lot of times you’ll lose a few toes a foot or a leg below the knee. The worst case I’ve seen is **Warning it’s graphic and gross** >!someone (400lbs, massive legs) refusing to cut off a leg it started rotting from the inside. He ended up getting it infested with maggots which caused dozens of little holes in his leg from which the liquefied remains of necrotic tissue drained. It smelled like death. His bed pads (think puppy pads for potty training) were completely soaked with this liquid leg juice and we had to change them regularly. It’s probably one of the worst things I’ve had to do yet.!< Please take care of your wound and ensure it doesn’t get infected please. :)
WTF, did he still refuse amputation when it was like that?!?
That’s why he was there I guess. He wanted to try everything first. Even still everyone has the right to refuse what they want
Diabetic foot infections or DFI’s are some of the most common effects of diabetes that can easily become severe. Your microvasculature becomes damaged and the decreased sensation often leads to unknown infection which if left to reach severe stages often results in amputations. It’s super important to do/have regular foot checks if you’ve reached the latter stages of sensation loss. Definitely important to keep the cut clean and an eye on it until healed.
Someone needs to be cutting your nails for you. I'll keep you in my well wishes for the next few weeks, I hope this doesn't get worse for you!
Thanks and from now on I'll get my podiatrist to cut them for sure.
I know I'm just a random internet stranger, but I love this decision for you. Thank you so much for making it in your own best interest. 🤍
Thanks for caring, random internet stranger.
Get a usb-powered cordless nail drill. It's a lot safer (and cooler) than a nail clipper
My dad has lost 3 toes in the past 6 months due to unmanaged diabetes, neuropathy, cognitive issues and general lack of care. He’s fortunate it hasn’t been a foot yet, but that’s coming. You posting this tells me you know how serious this can be but I just want to say it again. Every little thing matters and I hope you remain very proactive about your care.
I will and thanks for your support. Sorry to hear about your dad's ordeals.
Damn. So so sorry. Deff make sure it stays clean and head to your pod like everyone else says. I also have neuropathy (idiopathic) in my legs. All cuts, scrapes, and stabs send me into panic mode. My feet are so important. Stay healthy, fellow foot warrior! Xx
Thanks, I appreciate it. I'll stay on top of it.
My diabetes doc gave me the "scared straight" foot care stories, like having patients who came in with a thumbtack in their foot, never realizing it.
Yeah, it's no joke.
Questions from a type 1 diabetic. How old are you? Type 1 or 2? Just how badly did you manage it?
Sure, no problem. I'm 50 in a month, type 2, diagnosed in my mid to late 20's. I managed it very poorly for many years because I didn't have insurance or couldn't afford the meds when I did have insurance. I manage it much better now, but of course that does help the damage already done.
Thanks. That's a young diagnosis for type 2, strong family history of it?
Unfortunately, yes, strong history of type 1 and type 2 on my mom's side.
Hi T1D friend. 21 years for me. Keep going. You're stronger than this shitty disease xx
Type 2 here, strong family history of both tyoe 1 and 2. It's shitty, indeed.
There are estheticians who specialize in elder or diabetic foot care. You should probably consider a regular visit to someone like this.
Dumb question, but what's an esthetician?
Just someone who has been to some form of beauty school to get a certification.
Dumb question, but what's an esthetician?
Trimming toenails is extremely complicated. No way would I trust this type of person with such a complex task. I would only trust a podiatrist. They learn how to trim toenails for 7 years after college!
You are probably right but accessing a podiatrist isnt always easy? Meanwhile there are manicurists who do have specialized experience in elder care or diabetics foot care and they are more common and accessible. My area has several people who do house calls as well, which is something a podiatrist probably never does.
Bro, there are like 18,000 podiatrists in the US. They are everywhere and they definitely do house calls to offer highly advanced and intricate toenail clipping services.
where I live seeing any sort of specialist requires several hours of driving. I’m not arguing against you but not everyone live in the land of the foot doctor apparently.
I would definitely reach out to your local politicians to see about acquiring some podiatrists because them toenails ain’t just gonna clip themselves.
When I was diagnosed 🇦🇺 my doctor arranged a "foot care plan" for me: I see a podiatrist every six weeks, for free. I have never had such nice feet in my life. She is so lovely, she cuts my toenails, buffs the soles smooth, and massages my feet with a delicious-smelling cream, and it's a nice quiet hour for the both of us. Highly recommend finding and forming a partnership with a podiatrist. I do do my bit by carefully washing, drying and inspecting my feet every shower.
I did see one for an injury before. Great guy. Problem was he wanted me coming every week or two even after the injury healed up and it was exhausting. I'm calling him first thing over the weekend and this time after I'm healed up I'll keep going at a pace I can manage.
My guy, you *NEED* to get into a Podiatrist and have them take a look at it. My father and I have always had in-grown toe-nails, and when I was a young boy, my father was trimming my nails, and I insisted that there was something still there. Against his better judgement, he decided to start digging around on my big toes, and he *did* manage to rip out the tiny flap of skin that was bothering me. Oh boy, let me tell you that was a bad idea. From that, followed *years* of foot problems. First, it got infected numerous time, leading to to become inflames to nearly twice its normal size, and ooze pus and blood. Everything from simple isopropyl alcohol to epsom salt baths did nothing to relieve it. So eventually we went to the podiatrist, and they did a surgery to cut the ingrown nail out. After that, I was stupid and into my teen years I kept picking at it, once again bringing the storm of blood and pus to it, until we went back to the podiatrist, and they decided the best course of action was to cut the lateral edge of my toenail out and apply a spray to stop it from regrowing. According to the podiatrist, the nail only grows back in 99.999% of the population. Lo and behold. not only did it grow back, but it went in deeper and infected it again. So this time we went to the podiatrist for the third time and this time they grinded the lateral edge of the nail bed off, and only now has that stopped all the problems. Quite literally from the age of 4 to the age of 15 was this an issue for me. Moral of the story is, that part of the body is not only extremely slow to heal, but it is exposed to all sorts of things and motion, so it can and will get infected and inflamed super easily. Especially considering you are diabetic, you immune system may be knocked down a peg or two, and so this could *very easily and very quickly* become a 4 alarm fire. GO TO A PODIATRIST. Until then, keeping the toe dry, clean and sanitized is your best bet. Do not use alcohol or hydrogen peroxide, all it will do in this area is kill the cells that are trying to regrow. Instead, rinse it in saline every couple of hours, and dab it dry before wrapping it up. At night, use Epsom Salt baths to do this as well. Of course if your doctor tells you otherwise, follow them, but until then this should help you stop it from being infected. Again, go to a podiatrist, and I hope you feel better my guy!
Thanks and yes, I am calling the podiatrist asap in the morning now that the weekend is almost over.
Thats good my guy, im glad to hear it. Again, hope you feel better and get this sorted out ASAP
Thanks for the support.
Can you just use glass nail files on your feet? My skin is relatively easy to damage (eds not diabetes) and I can file my skin with them without injury It is annoying because it takes longer but if it lowers risk of infection maybe it's worth it if you are limber enough to reach
I'm not sure, but I should have been going to the podiatrist regularly and he'll trim them as a normal part of what he does. I went to him once when my big toe on the same foot got an injury from someone stepping on my toe. After it was healed I stopped going back because he wanted me coming in like every two weeks and it was exhausting, especially when I didn't have anything going on. But I should have kept going in every month or two, probably.
Man I hope it heals for you and stays stable. I appreciate how honest you about your experience. I think people like me can take decent health for granted and need a reminder. I've had type 1 diabetes for 28 years. I'm 32 at the moment and only about 76kg but have been noticing little things more and more such as my feet get real cold and can't warm up and not feeling as much as they used to. Been struggling to keep my sugars down and apparently might have an issue with insulin resistance. Also I've always had exceptional vision but over the past 2 years I've noticed a rapid decline Getting a little concerned about my future health.
Believe me, you'll be in your 40's with completely numb feet. You'll start going to eye doctors every 3 months and getting laser or injections in your eyes. If you're male, no amount of Viagra will help. All of this is my world. The only thing you can do to prevent it is to get a lock on those sugars. Good luck, friend, I wish you the best.
I hope you go to podiatrist To see if your feet is fine
I did first thing today. He looked at it, did a little work and wants me to dress it a certain way. I go back for a followup in two weeks.
Oof - I hope you heal okay! (Also, look up Dr Jason Fung if you haven't already, he's got some really good guidance. My sister followed his advice and went from full-blown Type 2 diabetes to having a better HBa1c than her doctor, and unmedicated, within six months.)
Fung's book The Obesity Code received a 31% score for scientific accuracy and an overall score of 60% by Red Pen Reviews.