rough dr's appointment

[cuori]

my a1c went from 5.9 <3 months ago> to 8.2 yesterday
i am so upset with myself that there is such a change. it was so hard to hear my dr say how bad i am doing and that we have to make so many changes to make sure i dont get complications.

i also have a question if anyone might know, i asked my dr but he said right now we are going to worry about the other things more important. anyways. is anyone here having troubles with getting patches of skin changing colour? i have 3 spots on my legs that are increasing in size. there is no pain or itching with it just looks really gross big red spots growing.
i was wondering if there is anyone that knows how to stop this before it gets any bigger or a way to clear it up.
thanks for your time

[gettingby]

curoi, I'm so sorry your A1C went up. I'm sure with your doctor's advice and our help, you can get it back down.
I don't know about the skin thing but hopefully someone will chime in with an answer for you.
Keep working at it. :)

[princesslinda]

Sorry to hear your A1C has risen...always hard to have unexpected news from the doctor. Keep in mind, however, that diabetes is a progressive disease, even with our best efforts. Fortunately, there are several medications out there for your to try if one isn't working as it should. Also, sometimes we need a "wakeup call" to keep us on track. If you've slacked up on your diet/exercise, now's the time to get back to the grind. The main thing is not to beat yourself up over it, can't change it, can only look ahead and hopefully have better results next time. Just continue to do the best you can do.

As for the problems with your skin, google "diabetic dermopathy" and you'll find some information about problems that diabetics often have. I do transcription for a dermatologist in the evenings and there are many diabetics who come in c/o dry, scaly red patches on the lower legs and ankles. There are creams your doctor can prescribe for these. In the mean time, you could always try some over the counter hydrocortisone cream on them to see if this helps.

Hang in there! Hope you and your doctor get your blood sugars back where they need to be soon.

[Alice]

You need to see a dermatologist about the spots. They can get big and ugly fast. I had tiny spots come up in college and my doctor told me they were probably bug bites from the beach/spring break... Years later they were huge and horrible. I had some type of cortizone injections and now, years later they are flesh color again, but I have scarring. It is the only "tissue damage" of diabetes I have suffered...my dermatolgist said he actually sees more in non-diabetics and wasn't sure my diabetes caused it...but it's listed as a symptom.

Mine popped out before meters were in use (back in the dinasaur days)...have had no problems with good control. So, while working with your doctor on your glucose...get to a dermatologist asap. (I try to find one that Doesn't specialize in cosmetic work!)

It is the second layer of the skin that is scarring. Your tissue wants to form scar tissue around that layer and the scar tissue is almost impossible to improve. Get it early while they are small.

I love my legs now...but hid them when I was "young"...

[caswellhb]

I did get these patches and when I got control of my numbers, they settled down.
Blood sugar has a lot to answer for.

Heather.

[volleyball]

Not seeing them makes it impossible to tell their source. It may be diabetes related. May not. Since your A1C is up, I'd think about doing more leg activities, running, walking, dancing. The extra leg movements should help with circulation. Inactive diabetics always seem to have leg discoloration.

[Alice]

Necrobiosis Lipoidica Diabeticorum (http://www.aocd.org/skin/dermatologic_diseases/necrobiosis_lipoid.html)

Here's some info...I hate "scary diabetic photos"...and don't wish to frighten you with these "worse-case" photos. But I wish I had gotten to a derm. earlier...I listened to the wrong people years ago.

(I just noticed this is an osteopath page...I'm not advocating osteo's...just thought it was a good summary)

[soso]

Hi Cuori
Sorry you are having a rotten go of it right now... as PrincessLinda says, no point in beating yourself up...we can't change the past, only the future..
Use all your angst to fire yourself forwards into redoubling your efforts against this thing... be that meds, exercise and or diet controls... and don't think about how bad (hate that word, we aren't ever "bad" only normal!) you have been, just concentrate on getting well... you have only gotten these numbers for 3 months... that means you can be back to where you were pretty quick too... take heart..
ss

[shockme]

sorry about your a1c cuori. but you can get back on track....do whatever it takes. take care,trish

[Wildbill]

I just noticed this is an osteopath page...I'm not advocating osteo's...just thought it was a good summary

DOs (osteopathic physicians) are trained just like MDs and are licensed the same and can have hospital privileges just like MDs. They get a little more training in osteopathic manipulation than MDs do. I think the article is pretty good. It's a diabetic rash.

[Alice]

You may have a "rash" or you may have a more serious skin disorder. Please seek the advice of a dermatologist. I pray you have a "rash".


eMedicine - Necrobiosis Lipoidica : Article by Cheryl J Barnes, MD (http://www.emedicine.com/derm/topic283.htm)


Here's a more up-to-date summary: This better describes what I have. It is interesting they've dropped the "diabetica" from the condition name...although diabetics are small in percentage, other people can get this as well.

They don't believe it is linked to your diabetic control which I find interesting. They also don't know the cause. I like the fact this article describes them as "lesions" which is more true on my account. Far from a rash.

I need to clarify this...I have this condition...it's not a rash. It's scar tissue. It may start with small, scaly spots, but the middle layer of skin is completely destroyed, sometimes with open sores. A rash seems to minimize the actual skin disorder.

I still have the scars from my "rash" if so...it looks like my leg was chewed up in a bicycle accident. Please seek a dermatologist who is familiar with this disorder. If you end up with a "non-issue" then, great. But it doesn't go away on it's own. It is really scar tissue that forms on itself.

I had a biopsy first. Then cortizone injections followed with prescription cortizone cream for active spots. The scar will heal then spread to another area and be "inflamed". So, you will have active and inactive scars.

This happened my first year of college. I had my last cortisone shot 3 years ago. Almost 30 years later.
When I attended diabetic camp as a youngster, I had a counselor who had very large brown streaks down her legs and shins. Now I know from experience what this is.

[Alice]

Cuori, I just want to add this note...I'm not posting this skin disorder to frighten you. I am happy you & I both found a forum where we can ask questions...and maybe find someone who's been down the same road.

I had to handle my questions, puzzlement, fears on this skin "spot" problem on my own in college. I had left my parents nest and tried to give them a break from a disease I've had since second grade.

I walked to a University clinic and saw a doctor who I know realize had no clue what I had...he probably had little experience with diabetics anyway. It was a major university, but I didn't know where to head.

A friend of mine at college saw my lesions and said her sister, who was diabetic, had the same thing and had good success with cortisone shots from a dermatologist. Their father was a well-know doctor in my hometown. So, I went home and, on my own, went in for a biopsy and injections. It helped, but they still continued to form around the "healed areas".

This is extremely rare and I hope it's not what you have. So, don't worry until you get more specialized info from a qualified doctor.

Wish I'd had this forum back in the 70's! (I just had disco then!)

[Dawn]

Curoi, I am sorry to hear about your news. I know how scary, sad and disappointing it can be to hear that your A1c is higher. Have you been able to determine if there were any areas where you could get more control? I realize that sometimes there aren't, but if you could explore if there were things you could do differently, than I hope that would give you a plan to work on for your next test so you could feel strong and hopeful. Dawn

[cuori]

thank you all for your responses. its really nice to not feel so alone with all these questions and changes going on right now. for the discolouration i am getting on my legs i got a call from my dr this afternoon.. he said it was bothering him all night that he put it off and has since refered me to a dermitologist <not sure the spelling sorry> and they will be calling for an appointment. i looked at the information and pictures from what ya'll were saying it doesnt really look like any of those so maybe i am lucky and thats not what it is. my dr suggested he is leaning towards sun sensitivity from all the different medications i am on so my fingers are crossed that thats what it is. then i just need to put on an extra layer of sun lotion.lol
again thank you all so much

[Axiom]

MTake some dristan and rub it on the spot if swelling goes down posiibly allergic
Take some vinegar see if the skin is alkaline
Take gelatin dissolve a mulit vitamin place a skin sample, cover see if there is a bacteria culture developing buy a childs microscope determine gram negative or gram positve mono bacilii or strep.
My home lab stuff that just popped into my head why are you putting on sunscreen, yeah you won't get a suntan but the deep penetrating rays get through like it still feels like youre burning down't it I don't know never wore sunscreen always though sunshine was good still think so 20 minutes a day mid morrn and mid afternoon.Vit D3 in the winter.

[Axiom]

:nerd: Very very informative link.

[Alice]

Well, the pictures...of course...show very severe cases. Mine started about 1/2" in diameter and slowly grew larger. Mine don't run vertical as shown in one of the photo's, but more round. Over time, mine grew (spread) to about 2" wide. Some are clumped together so the scars look larger.

My point, I guess, is that these start very small. Mine almost looked like a mosquito bite that had been scratched.

I move a lot...each time the endo's look at me like I'm a new exhibit in med school. I've had them go across the hall to get other doctors to come & see. So, they happen, but not an everyday thing, it seems.

My last endo, for all her faults, said they looked really good. I took this as a compliment for all the hard work I had put into my control and visits to the derm office. (Turns out they don't think control has anything to do with it...more a trauma kind of thing...what, shaving my legs?"