[Injecto]

As many of you know I'm really paying attention to my body now, feeling things that may or may not have been present before dx, and checking over my body for physical signs of degredation now. As such I've noticed that my hands and feet are very dry (well, the skin is). Particularly on my fingertips and on my heals. I use hand cream and this foot cream I received in a foot care kit. Also, my eyes tend to get dry at times. Mostly in the morning and the early/late evening. Again, I never paid attention to those things before so I can't really say if they were present prior to dx or not. So, is all this dryness a possible side effect (benefit ) of diabetes? Is it because it's still winter and the air is dry? Both? None?

[tanyatype1]

Hi Injecto! I'd put the dry skin down to the weather not to diabetes. Dry eyes could be allergies. I had really dry eyes when my bg was really high before diagnosis, but not since. Just throw in some Visine Do you test on your fingertips? That could be causing the problem on your fingers - try testing on the palms of your hands or on your forearms. Dry skin on your feet is extremely common - that's why people get pedicures! (I don't) Use a pummice stone in the shower then slather on some Vaseline and throw on a pair of socks. Feels weird but your feet will be nice and soft afterwards. Sometimes I try to sleep with the Vaseline and socks on - in the A.M. - nice soft feet. Summer's coming! Gotta get feet in shape for sandals!

[HollyB]

I see you're in Ontario too. With the long cold spell we've had, furnaces roaring non-stop, houses get really dry. So does our skin. Every winter I get dry skin and eyes, and it's getting worse as I age. But even my kids get really dry in the winter. If you go out a lot without gloves your hands will take even more of a beating.

So yeah, I'd say normal, very unlikely to be diabetes-related.

[princesslinda]

Dry, itchy skin is often a symptom of diabetes....I have noticed that my stomach and legs itch more often than I remember them doing last year. It may be the weather, but I personally think it's a little of both weather and diabetes. Some mornings I will wake up with scratch marks on my legs or abdomen (husband swears its not him ) where i've apparently scratched myself in the night.

Eucerin cream is really good for dry skin and the Aveeno Lotion with oatmeal helps with the itching.

[KritterMom]

I really think it could be both. My skin is super dry most of the time, especially my feet, but winter doesn't help any. My heels crack easily, so I've been slathering on the bag balm and sleeping in socks, and the next day my feet are good as new.

[grace girl]

I've had dry skin on my feet most of my adult life, and I've only had D for 6 years, so I don't think it's related, personally.
My eyes get dry this time of year because of the pollen, and I imagine the contacts don't help much, either.

[KCP]

remember that when your sugars are higher you pee? Think Dehydration.
Also its fairly well known that diabetic females tend to be very Dry 'down there'.. im nost sure why...
I also have had dry skin.. Everywhere! Palms of hands, leggs, face...But only in the last 8-9 years or so. so, it could be D related, or might not be D related...

[blacklightmike]

What KCP said... the thirst associated with Diabetes has to do with not enough absorbtion by the bodies organs, causing a lot of dryness issues. Right before I wound up hospitalized with an A1C of 250, my feet were cracking and painful, and my hands were dry and scaly. My kidneys were also on the verge of failing... I was told that it didn't matter how much water I poured down, it wasn't being absorbed because of an osmotic condition due to my high BG's, and virtually no filtration of toxins was happening in my kidneys. But, I digress...

Whether or not it's related to diabetes in your case, Winter definitely makes it even worse. I use a product called Zim's Crack Cream, which works great for the feet, and a regular hand cream for my hands and shins. The sock thing works, too, if you don't mind sleeping in socks, which I do, but whatever works...