Maybe not for this group, but I do have type 2 diabetes

[31j20b3]

My feet are often cold.

A few minutes ago I took off my shoes, and my compression socks.
My feet felt very cold.
I checked with a contact/infrared thermometer: they were TOO LOW to be measured, which is somewhere below 90 F

So, I am wondering at what temp do empirically measured cold feet represent a medical problem . Having body parts below 90F seems wrong

Any thoughts would be appreciated

[LuvLoogie]

1. Where are you in treatment for your diabetes?

Are you on medication? Are you exercising? What is your food regimen currently? Have you checked your cardiovascular health recently?

[31j20b3]

4. I am 16 years into this and doing 4 drugs

Metformin, Jardiance, Glipizide, and Sitagliptin

I have CAD and had a triple bypass back in 2010. My primary care thinks all that is within what should be expected for a guy in his mid 70's with documented exposure to Agent Orange and other herbicides.

I just went thru vascular tests based on blood pressure at different levels of my legs... normal except for my toes which show reduction.
I also have just done a nerve function test where electrodes were stuck in my leg muscles at various distances from my spine to my toes.
I really have no idea what the results mean. An assistant to an assistant in my VA primary care called me and said I have polyneuropathy, but didn't tell me any more... poly means many but doesn't say how many, and it doesn't say where or which nerves (motor or sensory) or locations have problems.

I farm. I am not a city guy. I am on my feet about 6-7 hours a day (my days start at 3:30 am to 4:00 am and my working day backs off starting around noon, because I assumed, I'm an old guy with heart disease and I get tired.

In recent weeks as S. Wisconsin has gone through planting season that has involved wrestling garden machinery in a small truck farm/garden. MOst of my other activity involves digging holes for trees in an orchard and driving tractors and mowers (which is challenging for balance, but not particularly involving leg strength/movement.

[LuvLoogie]

9. I am mid 60s about 2.5 years after a type 2 diagnosis.

The type 2 was discovered after an emergency room visit led to a quadruple bypass a few days later.

I hope to work up to farming level activity, but I mostly do walking and hope to add some weight training this summer. I am on Metformin and Ozempic for the diabetes. Losartan and Metoprolol for high blood pressure regulation. Atorvastatin for cholesterol.

I've been trying intermittent fasting, by limiting my calorie intake to between noon and 8 pm. I also try to do a regular morning tonic if turmeric, cayenne, black pepper, lemon juice and warm water. I am going to also regularly drink hibiscus tea, and cinnamon tea, as well as green tea, and occasional black tea.

I mention these because they help to reduce inflammation. I don't know if that would help neuropathy, but I don't think it would hurt and would be beneficial to mitigating diabetes and cardiovascular issues.

If you can see an endocrinologist, as was mentioned down thread, do it. But it sounds like you are being monitored for the most part. Stay moving. Keep breathing. Get some good sleep and hydrate. That's all I got, except good on you and feel better.

[31j20b3]

10. Thanks for your replies.

I have my suspicions, but in short, I think I've crossed a threshold where the expectation of long term problems from diabetes has gone from theoretical to real.

[LuvLoogie]

11. You seem like one who can cope, endure, and persevere.

You're either gonna rock 'til you drop like Ozzy or hook up with a hottie like Paul Simon did and park the plow but for an occasional bed of tomatoes.

Whatever brings you peace, man.

[buzzycrumbhunger]

2. That's a serious circulation problem...

This is why diabetics so often lose toes and limbs. I’d see my doc urgently, just to be sure.

Note: Not a doctor but I did acute care transcription for over 15 years so I think I have a bigger clue than many. You want your MD to confirm or deny.

[31j20b3]

5. Ya, have done that. see above

thanks

[snowybirdie]

3. Hubby has that

Plus neuropathy. Have that checked out. A nerve problem

[31j20b3]

6. Yes have done that see my first post.

Thanks

[ExtraGriz]

7. I'm type 1 diabetic

I'm hoping you are being followed by an endocrinologist. It appears you have circulatory and neuropathy issues. I wish you well

[31j20b3]

8. I'm under V.A. care because of agent orange exposure in during the Vietnam War Games

I don't have an endocrinologist. It's not routine for the V.A. to do that unless a primary care clinic identifies a specific problem.
The vast majority of us simply see a primary care clinic...routine visits every 6 months sort of thing.

I've had to change Drs because of the personnel shuffle last year. I now have a Dr who I can count on contracting me back, who uses AI to do her decision making and assigns most of her work with me to assistants of assistants, often persons who haven't completed their education and licensure. I don't much like it but there is nothing to be done about it.

[31j20b3]

12. An update... i quit wearing the compression socks, the temp of my feet increased

At the time I wrote the original post the top of my feet just behind my toes was "too low to measure"

For the past 2 days, in the absence of compression socks, the top of my feet just behind my toes has been at least 97.6 on both feet.

I called my primary care and reported that I now had empirical evidence that the compression socks were causing my feet to be cold.
This was necessary because circulation tests said circulation wasn't really bad, and the neuropath lab report said the couldn't rule out that my feet were normal temp but my nerves were misreporting that they we cold. They apparently didn't have or wish to use a thermometer.

I haven't heard back from my primary care to get an admission that all the doubt about my mental wellness around my feet feeling cold is simply bullshit. Experience says, docs never want to admit that they passed off bullshit responses. And I get that. In many ways they are just ordinary people psychologically, and ordinary people placed in authority really don't want to be wrong and find ways to deflect such