Hi everyone! Thgis is my first post. I am a 25 year insulin dependant diabetic. I have peripheral neuropathy in my legs (really nt that bad considering how long I have been on insulin) anyway, I have a few of those horrible looking spots around my left ankle, anyone know of anything that can help them go away or lessen the new ones from coming? Thanks for any suggesstions.


Thanks for the replies. My family doctor told me that these were typical for people with peripheral diabetes in the legs and that they were from poor circulation and nerve damage. They start out looking like bruises and then just turn a kinda red, brown and stay there.

[This message has been edited by Mzfiredoc19 (edited 05-06-2002).]

I am not sure what you mean by horrible looking spots. I am not aware of horrible looking spots r/t diabetes or poor circulation and I have been in the health care field for 26+ years. Describe what these spots look like and maybe someone can help with a reply.

Are you maybe referring to acanthosis nigricans aka diabetes hand thickening? I have several of these ugly rough raspy dark skin spots on my hands elbow and ankle; where my socks rub on my feet, where my elbows rub on my sleeves and where they often do blood draws on my hands.

You can actually see the extra raised layers of skin that the body builds up for protection. Not pretty, but it is treatable but not really curable.

That is the only ugly spot I know of related to diabetes.
Colleen

I have nueropathy also..never heard of or seen those spots on myself...and have been a diabetic for over thirty years...since age 12

sas

You may have some necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum (NLD). I have a couple of these spots on my abdomen of all places. Mine just apeared about 10 or 15 years ago, never were infected or had any discharge at all, haven't changed size, and just kind of look like dished out ovals, with ugly mottled flesh inside. The link below from the diabetes mailing list site gives a very good description. http://www.zoomph.net/diabetes.world/nld.htm

Hi,
Just a guess...
I'm diabetic, periphereal neuropathy, CVA, CAD, veinous insuffincey, statis uclers.
The info you gave about legs around the ankle.
You may want to talk with doctor about type of your circulation problems. Mine is venous insuffinecy(valve shot in my veins, causes blood to pool in my legs + swelling and leakage of blood into tissue). Hence redish brown discoloration to skin(color is from breakdown of red blood cells and does not change, once blood has leaked into tissue). Blisters start out looking like blisters with clear liquid in them and sometimes, but not always breaks open and this is called statis uclers. Which with diabetic can be a very hard sore to cure. Good thing about mine is surgical weigth graduated compression hosiery in 20-30 mm compression has greatly reduced swell in my legs and feet and increases blood flow due to action of compression and no active uclers at this time. When active ucler I have bandage liner for wrap and hosiery My right leg went from 25 1/2 inch diameter to present diameter of 19 inches. I stress though, THIS IS TREATMENT ONLY A DOCTOR SHOULD ORDER AND MANAGE. No one should do self diagnosis much less treat any medical problem without doctor's supervision.
Good luck,
Mike