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Permalink Reply by Cosumne Jan on February 12, 2013 at 9:22pm

I have severe neuropathy and was told to wear prescription shoes and diabetic socks to protect my feet. I did this for 3 years and had nothing but trouble, the shoes were huge and I kept tripping over them, also I got big calluses on my feet that I'd never had before. I saw the podiatrist once a month, he'd "trim" the calluses and I'd have to wear bandages or an orthopedic boot for a week afterward. Twice the "trim" job resulted in an infection that I had to take antibiotics for. Then one day I missed a monthly appointment and never made another. I started wearing sandals so the air could get to my feet and walking barefoot in the house so my feet had contact with the floor. The sores healed, I stopped getting calluses, I stopped falling down. That was over a year ago. Without the special diabetic stuff, my feet are doing great.

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Permalink Reply by daniel on February 13, 2013 at 12:47am

Hi Jan,

Sorry to hear about your poor experience with diabetic shoes. It sounds like the shoes you purchased may have been too big. The best bet is to get your foot properly fitted by your podiatrist if you haven't already. Shoes are available in multiple widths to accommodate various foot types. What type of shoes did you wear?

As for the socks, did they have any benefit to you? One brand of socks that I wear is EcoSoxas they are made from bamboo fibers and help with moisture and odor and are seamless to prevent blisters.

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Permalink Reply by Cosumne Jan on February 13, 2013 at 6:12pm

Daniel, over the years I had 3 pairs of shoes, all specially ordered by a prosthetic company. The first pair was totally ridiculous, like something an NBA player would wear. I wear size 9.5. The shoes were size 11 so there would be room for my toes. Then they made up the slack with padding that was sewn in. It's funny now, but at the time I was really stressed about it because I couldn't function in them. The second two pairs were better fitted. They were leather oxfords, but because of my neuropathy, by the time my feet were encased in them I really couldn't feel a thing and was constantly catching them on things. When I started going barefoot and wearing sandals, I had an easier time telling where my feet were, and the contact with the ground helped the circulation in my feet and legs. One of the brands of shoes I was prescribed was Aetrex. All of them were very expensive. My sandals are Ecco. They are not stylish, they're very utilitarian with adjustable straps. I wear them with socks most of the time. I don't know the brand of socks, they're sold for running, not for diabetics, and they're expensive. They stay snug on my feet, so they don't slip around and cause blisters like Medipeds did. I'll look for EcoSox, thanks. A big problem for me in the beginning was that I had a form of neuropathy in which the leg muscles deteriorate (diabetic amyotrophic neuropathy). I lost a lot of muscle in my legs as well as nerve function, so when they had me wearing the Frankenstein shoes I could barely pick up my feet. At the time I noticed the same huge clunky shoes on really old ladies in the podiatry waiting room and wondered to myself if they were try to kill us all. The only thing we could do is hang onto our walkers and shuffle slowly along, eyes to the ground looking for anything that might trip us up. Part of the problem was that I always saw a podiatrist, a foot surgeon actually, and he never seemed to consider anything above my ankle. My cousin is also diabetic and has had Charcot. Her shoes are custom made from scratch, out of very soft leather. I think they work well for her.

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Permalink Reply by Judith on February 12, 2013 at 11:00pm

I do love seeing these universal concerns re-circulate. Personally, I found "diabetic socks" accidentally when I was getting fitted by pros for better walking shoes. I immediately wondered why everybody didn't buy "diabetic socks". They are so soft and comfortable. I have subsequenty bought them as xmas stocking stuffers for family members in wild colors or patterns!...Shoes--diabetic or not, find a pro who can fit you well. It is very much worth it!!!...Blessings...

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Permalink Reply by daniel on February 13, 2013 at 12:48am

Hi Judith,

Just curious about your diabetic socks? What brand do you typically buy? As i mentioned in the above post to Jan, i really like EcoSox as they are soft, comfortable, non-binding, and inexpensive!

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Permalink Reply by rick phillips on February 13, 2013 at 12:41am

I wear diabetic shoes, and regular socks. The shoes help with the neuropathy.

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Permalink Reply by daniel on February 13, 2013 at 12:48am

Hi Rick,

Just curious about the type of diabetic shoes that you wear. Do you know the manufacturer/brand?

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Permalink Reply by rick phillips on February 17, 2013 at 6:13pm

I get them at the podiatrist and (now dont laugh) they are called Dr. Comfort. Just a tip, most health insurance plans offer diabetics special shoes per year, subject to deductible and co pay. The difference in most of these shoes are that they are deeper than a normal pair. If you are looking for a decent substitute and you want tennis shoes look for New Balance, go higher like the 900 series. These are often sold to medical personnel who are on their feet all day. Before I went to the Doctor prescribed shoes New Balance was my go to shoe.

Rick

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Permalink Reply by beechbeard on February 13, 2013 at 6:13am

Have been T1 for 41 years and haven't been able to feel my feet for the last 15 years or so. For most of that time I have used regular footware gradually moving to wider sizes. For the last 5 years I have been wearing Apex Ambulators. They look fine in a business casual environment. I would recommend their consideration if you are experiencing the typical progression associated with foot neuropathy.

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Permalink Reply by Tim on February 13, 2013 at 6:36am

Diabetic sneakers are just too "high maintenance".

Checking the shoes' bg so many times a day, giving insulin shots to the shoes, having them go hypo at inconvenient times (usually while I'm wearing them!), it's just too much effort.

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Permalink Reply by daniel on February 13, 2013 at 8:32am

lol

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Permalink Reply by Tim on February 13, 2013 at 11:06am

I think I chafe more than most at terms like "diabetic shoes" and "diabetic meal", perhaps because I had a friend in high school who used "diabetic food" as an insult for anything he didn't want to eat.

I don't mind folks describing me as diabetic, because I THINK know what that is and I THINK that it is correct. But when I apply the same definition to food or shoes something is out of whack in a funny way :-).

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