My Leg is Poorly!

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falcon123

falcon123

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
DELETE EXPLETIVE! Delete Expletive! delete expletive! You can run but you cannot hide!

It has taken me a few days to get my head around this! In my 44th year on insulin the complication devil has caught up with me! You may recall that for the last few months I have been having circulation problems with my left leg (the one that suffered the broken femur). At the end of last week I saw the vascular surgeon. Both legs are suffering reduced circulation although the left is far worse. This (that the left leg is worse) may be one of those things or related to the accident, as circulation problems following serious fracture are not uncommon evidently. As I have also developed some neuropathy in the past few months, and I do not smoke, the feeling is that it is related to my long-term diabetes. The next step is to have a scan. Unfortunately this means going to a hospital outside the Trust, as they do not have the specialist equipment to do this because of the plates and screws in my leg. I just hope things move more quickly than they have so far as I have become quite attached to my leg over the years! Updates will follow but I know not when. My GP has said it would be good to get my HbA1c lower but not too fast!
 
Hi Falcon sorry to hear about your leg, i hope the scan does go well and in the mean time your not suffering to much.Im guessing your not to keen on going outside of the trust your in?.
 
Hi Falcon - don't panic; it's a long way from detection of circulation problems to loss of a leg; so far, in fact, that you have every chance of dieing a long time from now, with all bits attached 🙂
I'm intrigued to know what sort of scan you're having? Regular MRI is not suitable for anyone with bits of metal inside, as magnets can make metal move. Doppler scanning for circulation problems relies on sound waves.
Other threads have covered why it's better to reduce HbA1c gradually rather than fast.
Looking forward to updates from you...
 
Sounds like a bit of a bummer. It's one of the biggest fears I suppose. Despite keeping reasoanble control over the years, it can get you in the end.

Is the 'outside the trust thing' due to possible time delays in their cross-funding and passing notes around ?

I can see why you'd want to get things happening asap. It's interesting that your gp doesn't want your HbA1c crashing down. It seems that rapid change is as bad as high. How the hell you're meant to monitor rate of change I don't know, unless they give you a constant monitor.

Rob
 
Copepod said:
Regular MRI is not suitable for anyone with bits of metal inside, as magnets can make metal move. Doppler scanning for circulation problems relies on sound waves..
Click to expand...

It is a specialist ultrasound scan. Apparently the equipment used to identify narrowing/blockages is rather more complex as it is very high definition and needs to scan a whole leg. The higher up the leg the problem the better as the blood vessels are larger and fewer in number.

The Trust just does not have this equipment but I would rather stay with them as they have a better record on MRSA and C Diff than the next one!
 
Thanks Falcon. I don't think that the sort of scan you are going to have involves breaking skin, which is main way MRSA gets into your body; unless you eat or put your hands in your mouth, C Diff isn't much of a risk either.
 
I hope something can be done to help you. Others here sound quite knowledgeable and reassuring.

Haaving a taste for martial arts (as I do) it is quite useful to have two licks one to stand on and the other to kick with.

p.s I do tai chi, it means I get to kick in slow motion and I couldn't kick my way out of a wet paper bag.
 
i hope all goes well falcon. please keep us updated.
 
I have nothing to add to what has already been said other than to say ....

Good Luck!

Andy 🙂
 
Hi Falcon, sorry to hear about your leg. I'm aware that I've got reduced circulation in my (previously broken) femur which does concern me for the future. Things were worse in the first few months after diagnosis but seem to be much better now that I have maintained a steady, low HbA1c for some time. I hope that you get the scan sorted quickly and that Copepod's knowledgeable response rings true in your case - I will be thinking of you and hoping for the best outcome.
 
Best of luck. Hope things go well for you.

Brian
 
Hi Falcon, sorry to hear of the problems with your leg, it's a "RUDE WORD" when the complication thing suddenly creeps up and scares you half to death. Hopefully this can be dealt with and you will go on for many years without any further problems. I've had a scare with this "stroke/?" and everyone nods when you say how long you've had the big "D". Let us know how things go, hope they don't keep you waiting too long.xx
 
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