[flsun01]

Melody, congrats on your eye exam! At this rate, soon you will have x-ray vision ala Superman. I was diagnosed t-2 in March and I will be going for another visit soon to the eye doc, hope my luck is good as yours! You mentioned that Alan has a tailor's bunion and I am hoping you would tell me about the treatment for same. I noticed what I am sure is a tailor's bunion when our bath was changed to tile and I felt like a marble or small stone was under my small toe when standing on the hard surface. Since my diagnosis of t-2 I have lost 40 lbs and my feet are thinner , I am sure this is why I had'nt noticed it prior. As my dear old Mom used to say, "if it ain't one thing it's another!"---Tom

[MelodyL]

Hi there.

In Alan's case, a tailor bunion is the bunion at the end of the foot (opposite the place where people have their bunions).

He has them on each foot. By each of his pinky toe, directly underneath, it's like a bony protruding thing. About 4 years ago, one of these tailor bunions gave him such grief that they operated on it. Same day surgery, in and out. He went to sleep, they did their thing, they put in a pin. Between the pinky toe and the toe next to it. It's the placement of the pin (or something like that).

And he did follow ups every week (he had to keep off of his feet for 6 weeks).
The doctor would check the pin and the stitching (the side that normally had the big tailor bunion sticking out of it was now nice and flat).

Then after it healed, the doctor took out the pin.

Now it's about 4 years later and it has come back but not like it was before.

Now it's the OTHER tailor bunion that is bothering him (but only if it rubs in a shoe). Since he has purchased these Propet Orthopedic shoes (that are really wide), well the tailor bunion does not bother him. They really do make the feet look wide, though.

Have you had yours looked at by your podiatrist?

Alan goes back in two weeks and I'm going with him. He doesn't remember to ask specific questions and I do. So we want to know if they think this new tailor bunion should be removed.

But right now, the main thing is that is ulcer has healed and we want to keep it that way.

And thanks so much for the nice words on my eyes.

Before you were diagnosed with Type 2, did you have a weight problem? Is that why you lost the 40 lbs. Congratulations by the way.

What type of meds are you on for the diabetes?? I'm on 30 of the Lantus. Down from 46 from two years ago. It's the only med I'm on for diabetes.

I used to be on 8 pills a day. Drove me nuts. When I was on the metformin, I never got out of the bathroom. I hated that pill.

But since I'm on the Lantus and I eat the way I do, well the weight comes off. Slowly, but at least it comes off.

Hey, it didn't take me overnight to get overweight and it's taken me years to drop the poundage, but I did it.

Maybe I'll look like Mariah Carey when I'm 70???? Alan would love that!!!

lol
Melody

[flsun01]

No, haven't had it looked at by the podiatrist yet ,but will be seeing the pcp next week for Diabetes/Neuropathy follow up and I'm sure he will send me to the pod. When I was told I had become Diabetic in late Feb. my wonderful wife went into action , we eat basically the same as you ( you mentioned your meal planning in other posts), very little processed foods , practically no desserts, anything high on the glycemic index, stopped alcohol and started a moderate amount of physical activity. And portion control is my wife's mantra.So...I dropped 40 lbs in 5 months ( 266-226). Looks like I am going to bottom out at 226 ,I have been 226 for about 2 weeks now. I am 6 feet even and the weight was all over, rather than my middle ( thank goodness). But I dropped my FBG in Feb from 232 to May 100 ,A1c is now 6.5. Now if only I could get a neuropathy miracle life would be complete!! Thanx for the info -- Tom

[MelodyL]

Tom.

What is FBG???

Mel

[flsun01]

FBG--fasting blood glucose. One other thing I am taking Glucovance 2.5/250 twice a day, with bkfast and dinner...Tom

[MelodyL]

Tom:

lol. I must learn text messaging. I have no idea what these initials are anymore. You would think I would know what FBG would mean, now wouldn't you???

You take Glucovance?? I did also, after I was on Glucophage, But first they gave me, glyburide, glypizide, Glucophage, Glucovance, this vance, that vance... lol Can't remember, too many oral pills.

Went to Cornell and went on Lantus, one shot in the a.m. No more pills.

For me, it was the winner.

Many (and I mean many) of my friends who have diabetes will not even consider taking Lantus. All they say is "I am not going on the Needle".

I was like that too. When my doctor first gave me the bottle of Lantus, and the hypodermic needle I looked at him like he had lost his mind.

He burst out laughing and said "melody, you CAN do this".

I just sat there and said 'are you nuts?" There were so many steps before you inject yourself, I thought he had gone mad.

In one week, I could do it in my sleep. Guess it's like riding a bike.

So Tom, how is your neuropathy?? Are you taking the Methyl B-12??

Melody

[flsun01]

Well , my neuropathy is ok most days thanks to Lyrica. Of course it is most noticeable at night. During the day I notice it a little in my face and ankle area. It does not seem to center around the weather or any environmental state. I actually had neuropathy in March shortly after starting my Glucovance, and oddly enough , it disappeared after four days. In mid April , I started my dinner time dose and shortly thereafter ,the Neuropathy came back with a vengance and apparently has decided to stay. I am taking my Methyl b ( 1.5 mg ) every day plus Alpha Linoec Acid and L Acetyl Carnintine.I started the Methyl because I had malaise and fatigue and had a pretty low level (530). I have seen a lot of studies that subscribe to the fact that 500 is the low mark for healthy levels and I believe it!...Tom

[MelodyL]

I take 5000 of the Methyl b-12 each morning. I just dissolve it under my tongue. Best decision I ever made.

In fact, I have a lot of neighbors and some are diabetics and some have neuropathy and when they saw how I did on it, I had to bring over the bottle of Methyl B-12, show them how to order online from iherb and now they are all on it.

And this morning in the Supermarket, I ran into another neighbor who said "my god, you look so different, what are you taking?" and I just said "well, I am on Methyl B-12" and she said "is that good for diabetes? my daughter is diabetic.. So again, I wrote down all the information.

Iherb should give me a discount!!!!

From reading all the various postings about diabetic neuropathy, I have learned that many people don't just have it in their feet. That they have it (like the guy across the street from me), in their hands.

Now he has it in his feet and he started the B-12. He's almost 80, looks 50, and god bless him, he should live to be 100.

I truly believe that aging is a disease into itself. Maybe we don't have to grow old and die. What if, just imagine, what if, if we take extra good care of ourselves, and we don't do what we are not supposed to do, and we walk a bit every day, well, why the heck can't we all live to a ripe older age than we expected to live to?

I remember vividly, when I was in Florida about 13 years ago, visiting my elderly parents in a nursing/rehabiliation facility, that there was the oldest person in that facility. She was 108 years old. Now I had never met anyone over the age of 90 so I just asked "can I go and see her?"

Well, I go into the room and there's this little old lady with white hair, big blue eyes and a nice smile. She ate her food without anybody having to strain them. She took her pills whole and she had only two requirements. She would never leave her room, and she had to watch All My Children every day. The nursing staff told me 'hey she's 108 years old, she can do whatever she wants to do". She ate the same thing every day. Peanut Butter, glass of gingerale, and I can't remember what else.

I approached her and said "hi, may I take your hand?". She held out her hand. I just held it. I had never in my life been so impressed. She had outlived her whole family.

But she never left that room. She just sat in the rocking chair.

Wow, 108. I have no idea what happened to her. She might just be still in that rocking chair!!!! lol