Toe Nails

[Duane Charles]

Apologies for the not so nice topic. When I saw the DN on Thursday I asked about foot care and the only thing they mentioned was not to cut my toe nails but to file them. Has anyone else had this advice?

 

[Wendal]

Apologies for the not so nice topic. When I saw the DN on Thursday I asked about foot care and the only thing they mentioned was not to cut my toe nails but to file them. Has anyone else had this advice?

Hi Duane,

I think that advice may be in case they think you may accidentally cut your toe nail and it bleeds with the added complication of diabetes.
If you struggle to cut your toe nails closely I think it best to file or simply cut to square them off or alternatively visit a podiatrist for general foot care.

 

[Duane Charles]

Hi Duane,

I think that advice may be in case they think you may accidentally cut your toe nail and it bleeds with the added complication of diabetes.
If you struggle to cut your toe nails closely I think it best to file or simply cut to square them off or alternatively visit a podiatrist for general foot care.

They also mentioned that they wouldn’t refer me if I was able to carry out this myself. Unfortunately, I’ve never been very flexible, yes I can get to my feet, but some of my nails are curling down into the toe. I may have to find out about podiatry services local to me. Thank you @Wendal

 

[Wendal]

Hi Duane,
I started using a local podiatrist about 6 months before my diagnosis for general foot care plus I wanted to check my circulation as was getting a few pins and needles in one foot.
They checked and said my foot circulation was fine and they cut my nails much closer than I was doing so I carried on.Now with the diagnosis they keep an eye on foot health and I have 3 monthly appointments but it is just an extra check for me to try and identify any potential diabetes related issues ASAP

 

[Leadinglights]

I used a private podiatrist after my knee injury as I couldn't bend my knee to do them myself and I had a split toe nail which I hadn't really known what to do with it anyway.
As I remember it cost me £65 and would have been less for a follow up appointment.
Some will say they will treat people with diabetes others don't seem to so you would need to check.
It may be something that once done by a podiatrist/ chiropodist you could then maintain them yourself.

 

[Wendal]

As LL says you can always maintain them after you see a podiatrist and their advice to me was simply to square them off rather than cutting too fine.
Personally I am happy to pay my £45 every 3 months to have them tend to my feet as I know it gets done properly and they are happy to do a foot circulation / neuropathy check if asked as part of my consultation.

 

[Welshman1952]

Apologies for the not so nice topic. When I saw the DN on Thursday I asked about foot care and the only thing they mentioned was not to cut my toe nails but to file them. Has anyone else had this advice?

xpand...

Like you, I'm not as flexible as I was and I struggled to cut my nails. So I contacted podiatry here in Devon and now I'm seen every 3 months. I cannot emphasise enough the benefit. If the DN will not refer then ask your GP. In my surgery they are passionate about foot care for diabetics., so I only had to wait 2 weeks to be seen.

 

[Duane Charles]

The DN didn’t seem too keen to refer me, but that might be because they think I’m not doing enough to sort my BG out. I will see if I can talk to them again in the new year and see what they suggest. Thank you @Welshman1952

 

[rebrascora]

I was referred because I have seed corns and my practice nurse wasn't happy about me nipping them out with the nail clippers, even though I was. I saw the podiatrist at the local hospital clinic and she cut them out with a scalpel and opened up a couple of deep cracks which I have suffered from all my life due to dry skin and dressed them afterwards. She was a bit snotty with me and said that I did not need to go back and could look after my own feet, which I can, but not if they tell me not to use nail clippers. 🙄 Anway, I walked into the clinic and hobbled out and I was lame for several days afterwards, so I am very happy not to go back! I am flexible enough to cut and file my toenails and I guess doing so keeps me flexible but if they tell me not to use the tools I have available to deal with the issues I have, I kind of wonder what I am supposed to do! I certainly feel a lot more confident using nail clippers to nip the seed corns out than buy a scalpel and set to on them with that and a lot safer in my opinion too. Thankfully I have good sensation in my feet so I can feel if the nail clippers are going a bit deep and adjust before I draw blood.

Hope you manage to get a referral Duane, but some places the podiatry services have been cut right back and even people with very serious foot issues that are not far short of amputation have had to go private, so that might be part of the issue with your nurse not referring you. They simply don't do routine work anymore.

 

[grovesy]

Here there has been no NHS general podiatry for all Diabetics for years, they only see high risk.