I Tried, But Now I Need Your Prayers

Posted on by

I have Parkinson’s. My gait or stability is a little off. With my health insurance I have a free membership to a gym. I decided last week to stop sitting here and go there and use the treadmill.

I started out slow. I believed I walked a quarter-mile in fifteen minutes the first day. The third day I went I added five minutes and sped it up two numbers. I walked a half-hour. I didn’t have any real pain. I did notice a slight burning on my diabetic neuropathy feet.

Today was my fourth day. I stayed at the same speed but walked 27 minutes, walking almost an hour. I saw my heart rate going up but I wasn’t worried. I knew what my maximum heart rate could be.

When I was finished I had to go get some groceries. I had a list and it didn’t take me long at all. When I came home and emptied the sacks my one foot started hurting. It wasn’t like anything I have experienced before.

I kept my shoes on telling myself that it was just because I was walking and it is common to feel the burning of my feet. The next thing I knew between my big toe and the toe next to it, I got a  huge pain.

A pain like someone had stabbed my foot. I caught my breath as it hurt and burned and felt numb at the same time. I finally got up and fixed supper almost crying and then when I finished eating I couldn’t take anymore. I took my shoes and socks off.

I looked at my feet and they were beat red but then again, that isn’t unusual either. The only time they aren’t red is when I am in bed or sitting. The nerves in my feet are damaged and it always feels like I have no bottom foot padding.

Now all I can feel are bones, it seems. I did wear my diabetic shoes on the treadmill, changing them out with another pair of shoes from N/B which have great soles. Still I am wondering, should I go on and hope that in time the pain will stop; or if I go on will I damage my feet more than they are?

Since gathering together in numbers helps with prayers, I ask for prayers for my feet to heal or at least go back to where they were before I started the treadmill, and to quit hurting.

Diabetic-foot-pain

64 thoughts on “I Tried, But Now I Need Your Prayers”

  1. Is there someone that you can talk to for medical advice? Do you swim.. Water aerobics might be good and less strain..but good for you to be looking to be active in some manner. I pray that the pain subsides and your feet be restored…

    Like

    Reply ↓

    • My doctor says there is nothing more to be done except try to keep those sugars in line, which I try. I have been a diabetic too many years and I think it is taking its toll on me. There is a pool there, which I think I will have to start using instead of hurting my feet more. I just pray that the pain I feel now lessons, and hopefully with your prayers God will answer the way I hope. Hugs

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply ↓

    • What do the ankle braces do for you. I get stabs in the bottom of my feet if I am on them too long. I was on the treadmill for no longer than 25 minutes, but evidently that was too long. I am afraid I will have to give that up and try the pool instead. Walking is so good for our whole body, I am disappointed, but the pain is too great tonight so I will get over the disappointment. Thanks for any info you can offer me. Do you take anything for the burning? I can’t take the Lyrica because of medical issues I have

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply ↓

      • no i’m on some other nerve medication, mine is because of herniated discs in the back. i find wearing the ankle braces at night, help to make my feet feel better in the day. they are the good thick kind made out of that sort of like scuba suit material. i get sharp pains in the hip, too…. stabbing pains that make me stop in my tracks. i still walk a lot and try to stretch as often as possible. i think the ankle braces just help the nerve signals from building up or something. but if your pain is happening only when you step on your feet, i would have that looked at because you might have a hairline fracture or something.

        Like

  5. I hope you feel better and prayers going out to you, Terry. I am not a doctor but one of the home remedies you could try is warm water and salt, soak your feet in it for 10 to 15 minutes. It may help to relive the pain.

    Like

    Reply ↓

  7. I’m with everyone on the swimming. It’s great for your heart, helps with circulation, and as an athlete, my coaches tend to recommend we swim to help with some of our joint injuries. Plus, maybe you’ll even get to meet some new friends over at the pool, and if you’re blessed enough to find a good heated pool, you should be able to spend quite some time there. Whatever happens, I’ll be keeping you in my thoughts and prayers. I may not pop in often, but I’m still around if you ever need anything. Do take care❤❤❤

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

    • I am going to try the swimming today in the warm water pool. I will give up the treadmill, at least for now, and try the stationary bike to see if I have less pain. Thank you for being a friend Kadeen. I have always thought very highly of you. Big hugs

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply ↓

  8. I guess it is new with the treadmill, I find it good you are going though, and you and your feet have to get used to it. Once you start new things, your body and feet are new to it. So give it time and keep walking but not too much. It will get better. I will pray for you! Hugs!

    Like

    Reply ↓

    • I will be giving up the treadmill for now. The pain I suffered the entire evening wasn’t worth it. Instead, I am going to try the stationary bike and the warm water pool. Big hugs Ute

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply ↓

  9. The cushioned surface of the treadmill may still inflict a jarring impact on the back or stress the hip, knee, and ankle joints.. the right shoes may help reduce the effect but I would rather you tried swimming and aerobics instead. Anything that increases your heart rate and breathing for an extended period of time with minimal hazards is good enough. your body may not also used to a new activity so you should take things slower and allow more time for recovery. Best regards and be assured of my prayers for you.

    Like

    Reply ↓

    • Thank you so much. I appreciate your comment very much. I am going to give up the treadmill, at least for now. I will try the stationary bike and also start doing some exercises in the warm water pool. I just assumed the treadmill would give me the best over-all exercise. I am trying to strengthen my gait and my heart. I wasn’t aware the pool could do this for me with less pain to my feet. Again, thank you so much for caring and your prayers. I did wake up this morning with less pain in the one foot. The prickly feelings still remain, so going to take your advice! hugs

      Like

      Reply ↓

  12. Terry – It’s critical you keep those blood sugar numbers in check. As long as your A1C is over the accepted level, you are doing all of your organs harm they will never recover from. If I remember correctly, you gym has the silver sneakers program and your insurance covers it. By becoming involved in the silver sneakers program, not only will you meet new friends but you’ll have the benefit of a trained instructor working with you. Hopefully that person will know how to determine what your body is able to tolerate and what you may eventually be able to move up to. I do know from having been an avid fan of the treadmill for 20 years, I can no longer use it because it is hard on all of my joints. I now use a recumbent style bike wherein I have no pressure on ANY JOINTS and what a world of difference it makes. I have 100% neuropathy in my feet and wouldn’t consider walking on a treadmill at any cost.
    I discovered yesterday when I was reading legislative coding passed for Medicare that there’s now a code for your physician to discuss weight management with you. If you need assistance getting your A1C to its appropriate level, you should be able to get assistance to do that.

    Like

    Reply ↓

    • I had to give up the treadmill. My feet got so bad I could barely walk. I now use the warm water pool doing some swimming and exercises. There is no one to help me figure out anything. It is a tiny gym. My sugars are better than they used to be. The one thing my doc hasn’t figured out yet is why do I bottom out at bedtime and have to eat more food to keep it above safety numbers, and yet at breakfast my sugars are again high until I take my medicine. So all through the day my sugars are good but at breakfast they are high. At bedtime they drop below 100 and in order for me to not be in ER, I need to eat again. I usually have half a sandwich or a protein bar, or cottage cheese, or no sugar added vanilla ice-cream diet coke float. The float won’t raise my sugars so if I have that, I have to eat something else with it. The doc has already lowered my one pill at supper time by cutting it in half.

      Like

      Reply ↓

      • I well understand fighting the low numbers at bedtime. Mine often drop into the 50s so it’s imperative I always check them before going to bed. I’m never hungry that time of night. I picked up some of the diabetic gel push that gives you the carb you need and generally that works. I also keep Glucerna snack bars in the frig and their shacks – they are handy and I can grab them on the go. They have several flavors and are cheaper at our regular Kroger than Walmart or Walgreens. My A1c is 5.4. Do you have 3 meals and 3 snacks? I finally went to 6 mini-meals to keep my blood sugar in the 90 – 110 range. It’s a hassle but the only thing that works. I wish your gym were larger.

        Like

      • My sugars are not as good as yours. My A1C was 8 but I know it will be down when I go back. I haven’t had those snacks here and I don’t know anything about a gel

        Liked by 1 person

      • Do you have a Target store or a Wallgreens? The gel is called a Dex 4 Glucose gell. It is 15g of fast acting carbohydrates per tube. I buy the tropical blend flavor. I also keep one in my desk drawer, 1 in my purse, 1 beside the bed, etc. They work fast. Next time you are at your local pharmacy, they should have them. Also, check the special supplement section of your supermarket and you should find the Glucerna shakes and snacks. If they don’t have them, they should be willing to order them for you. Give Wallmart a chance also. They keep a pretty good selection.

        Like

      • Terry – I don’t want to be sticking my head in where it’s not wanted. In 2000 when my doctor suggested I work with a dietician. We tried many different combinations but after about 6 months what we found out was that my body worked the best on 12 carb servings a day and at 1,200 calories. As I dropped the weight [150 pounds] we added up to 1,800 calories but no additional carb servings until the last 2 years when we went to 15 carbs to keep my blood sugar as level as possible. We found we could keep my blood sugar level with breakfast, lunch and dinner plus a snack between lunch breakfast and lunch, another between lunch and dinner and then a final one between dinner and bed. The snack always had to include one carb and 1 protein. Depending on how much exercise I get I have to amend the calories but in a nutshell that formula has worked well for me. I eat no white grains and absolutely no processed white sugar. Once you get used to that, it’s a real simple diet to follow. I elect to call it a livit. If you are ever interested, I’ll e-mail you how I break down my foods for each meal in a separate message. Every person is different, Terry. I as a friend, want you to be as healthy as possible and in turn, live the best life possible. Remember, I love you and so does God.

        Like

      • Carbs are actually more important than calories. No more than 12 carbs per day for an adult female that’s not under weight. You cannot stack them up to save. IT DOES NOT WORK LIKE WEIGHT WATCHERS. You get 3 carbs for breakfast, 1 for mid-morning break, 3 for lunch, 1 mid-afternoon, 3 for dinner and 1 for evening snack. I well understand your problem with your unstable A1C if you don’t watch the carbs. Remember, each carb is 15 grams.

        Like

      • That is totally against the diabetic diet. I could not live on 3 carbs per meal. I will talk to my doctor about what you said and let you know. What about energy? I can’t live on meat only. I already watch starch sugar and salt. I don’t know what to say

        Like

      • Terry – Yes you can. I cannot eat most meat due to my digestive system but it really is simple. I think someone hasn’t taught you to count carbs correctly. My regular breakfast is: 1 carton no sugar added yogurt (Yoplait Brand – whatever flavor I’m in the mood for), 1 apple baked in the microwave with 1 t. margarine, 1 T water, cinnamon and nutmeg. I top the baked apple with my yogurt and 1/4 c grapenuts. I also have coffee. The apple is a carb, yogurt a carb and 1/4 c grapenuts is a carb. This morning I had a poached egg, 2 slices low carb whole wheat bread, 2 T peanut butter, and 1/2 cantaloupe. The carb count is 1 for the bread and 1 and 1/2 for the cantaloupe. I always have a mid-morning snack of a carb and a protein.
        Does that give you a better idea? Each carb serving has 15 grams in it. Trust me, you will not starve and most days I don’t have a bite of meat and I have to work to get my protein in. Keep the faith, it will all work.

        Like

      • I don’t understand. My one slice of bread has 12 carbs which is low. How can you have 2 slices of bread if I can have only 3 carbs each meal? I wish we could talk on phone

        Like

      • Are you on like an Aitken diet? I just read several searches stating eating 3 carbs per meal causes big heart problems. I’m still going to call doctor Monday. I need my numbers down some more but I have to have energy too.

        Like

      • I am not upset at all but more confused. I followed Aitken for a year and lost weight easy but ruined my cholesterol and so I am not sure what to do. Talk soon dear friend

        Liked by 1 person

      • Terry – Atkins is bad, bad for the heart. Yep the weight comes off because you don’t eat carbs but carbs is where you get your energy. You’ll find when you count carbs you will not only lose weight (as long as you eat the number you are allowed and when you are supposed to have them) but you will also have a ton of energy and not be hungry. It really is the best weight loss secret I’ve ever known.

        Like

      • Terry – I know, I wish I could tell you I have the time but I also know you remember how it was when you were responsible for Al. I have Tom full time plus I do advocacy work as a volunteer for the disabled, veterans, elderly, abused – basically everyone I can work into my schedule. I’m also working a government contract. Read the labels in the bread aisle. We use a whole wheat low carb brand by Oats. I sent you a link via e-mail this morning that has recipes and the counts of carbs, calories, etc. with them.

        Liked by 1 person

      • For the most I don’t eat sugar unless at bedtime. I don’t usually eat pasta or rice. I do eat rye or whole wheat bread when I eat breads. Red meat about 1 per week. So not sure what I’m doing wrong

        Like

      • I can’t hit like. There’s no excuse for shoddy medical care. How can the medical community expect you to care for yourself when you don’t have the basic information. Ask your doctor to write a prescription for diabetic health education. Medicare pays for this and you will be able to work with a registered educator. This makes me so mad. I’ve been swamped with Tom. I’m mailing you ‘The Johns Hopkins Guide To Diabetes’. I still consider it the best educational guide to learn about diabetes a-z. It has chapters you won’t care about but other chapters such as how the disease is progressive and how it affects other organs [well, you need that information to best be your own advocate]. I’ll stick in a couple other books I think might help as well. I hope they help and I’ll send you a few sample menus I eat on a regular basis. To get you started, write down everything and I do mean everything you eat everyday. Also record your BS numbers. Remember to keep checking those numbers before you go to bed. Remember, I love you and God does too!

        Like

      • You are the best. No one has ever taken an interest in my diabetes and you don’t even know me in person. I thought and thought last night after reading your comment wondering how wrong I have been eating, wondering why my old doctors never mentioned any of this. You are teaching me things I never knew

        Liked by 1 person

      • Terry – It’s not your fault no one told you what THEY WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR TELLING YOU. One of the many reasons I advocate for all medical care is for individuals such as yourself who give and give and then there’s no one to look out for you. I’m just plain mad about the entire deal. We may not know each other in person but we do know each other by heart. I have the John Hopkins book laid out for you. I’m still searching for the others. I hope I haven’t given them to someone else. How long has it been since you have had a complete physical? You are entitled to one every year with Medicare. You are also entitled to a mammogram per year with no co-pay as well as a well-woman check-up with your GYN with no co-pay. Due to the fact that you are diabetic, you are entitled to one eye exam by an ophthalmologist. This is the medical doctor for the eye and what you need as a diabetic. Do not settle for the guys at Walmart, etc. They have not studied the diseases of the eye. You can get your glasses wherever you want but be sure to see a real doc. Okay, I’m off my high horse. Gotta run, take care. I’ll look for the books again tomorrow.

        Liked by 1 person

  13. sorry it didn’t work out to use the treadmill. there are videos online, youtube i think, showing water exercises. i used to go to the senior pool and take the water classes. it was wonderful and i hated to quit. well my heart quit for me:(

    hope you are able to enjoy the pool and getting out of the house a bit.

    sending love and hugs

    Like

    Reply ↓

    • I went back today and used one of the air bikes where my feet don’t touch the ground, It was much better, hugs. I do use the pool, but I don’t take classes, because I saw the people taking the one class I could and everyone was in their 70’s and 80’s. I am just not that old yet

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply ↓

Leave a reply to Terry Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.