Diabetic Amputations Back On the Rise for the First Time in 15 Years

People are giving up because of the fat Orange Idiot in the Whitehouse.

r1 the uptrend started before the the FOI in the White House.

I saw a doc about this not long ago, and it was portrayed as a combination of lack of primary health care & lack of lifestyle changes by the patients.

It is not that easy to manage diabetes. You really have to be disciplined and resist eating all the delicious foods containing sugars and carbs. And you must cut down on portion sizes. Most people don’t read labels on foods and many people dont have the choice of buying healthy. The epidemic will get worse due to lack of education about the disease. And we are addicted to junk food.

not surprising in the land of the all you can eat buffet

1) People don't have insurance and can't afford medication and ongoing medical management via office visits

2) Healthy food is expensive. Real wages haven't risen in years. People have to pay the rent/mortgage, electric & fuel bills. If they have to pay huge deductibles to see Drs and buy medication, they won't have a lot of money left over for fresh, healthy foods. People in poor areas don't even have access to fresh fruit and vegetables and the only food available is at the local gas station or 711.

Everything has broken down. No jobs, no prospects, no health care, no sick time, no child care, no consistent mental health care; exorbitant housing costs, high costs for fuel, poor schools, poor education.

They're lucky that when they show up in the ER with black feet from lack of circulation, they can get an amputation. Pretty soon, our rulers, the 1%, will not even allow that. They'll say "It's your own fault because you're fat and lazy and underemployed. You never would've come down with diabetes if you'd joined the gym, eaten expensive food and stopped stressing over everything. Now look at you -- you're going to die because of your own bad choices."

What is the demographic breakdown of these no hopers?

The sad part about this is that the truth is even worse than being reported.

In many mid-aize and smaller markets, private for-profit hospitals have bought all the surgical offices in the region and are pushing unnecessary surgeries on people who don’t need them, including amputations.

They are literally cutting off people’s limbs unnecessarily to make a profit from Medicaid and Medicare.

Horrible.

That’s a shame. ™

R3/R4, what part of recent uptick don't you assholes understand?

This is due to health insurance getting shittier again but mostly due to the criminal increase in the price of insulin. I had a relative on insulin 25 years ago. It was about $30/month. Now, it's hundreds to thousands of dollars depending on how much you need to use. Diabetics are rationing or going without. Corporate greed and Repug deregulation are what's killing people.

r10 yes, if the medical industry were regulated, that would address a lot of these issues.

Neither side of the aisle has had any interest in shutting down the health care lobby, or having the industry, especially doctors, regulated in any way. This is a sad side-effect of your current President; people are quick to blame him or his party, when in reality the whole 1% system is responsible.

[R10] is absolutely right. A prescription for Janumet for non insulin type 2 has gone from $180/month to $355. Insulin prices have increased, doubling between 2012 and 2016. I seriously don't blame the doctors. When have you ever heard of a surgeon making as much as a CEO of a health insurance company? It's a damn shame Americans are victimized by private insurance co's., big pharma and the whores of both parties in DC cozying up to the lobbyists. Case in point: that POS Max Baucus, a MT democrat who declared the universal care option "off the table" before the debate even started. And the GOP delegation record on health care in Congress proves that one can indeed become pregnant through anal sex.

Always get a second or third opinion before having a surgery. Always exhaust every other option first, even if it means getting off hot fat ass and putting in the work.

These surgeons will do ANYTHING to make a buck. They won’t lose a wink of sleep if you’re disabled in the process. And you can forget about them ever taking any responsibility for a botched job that probably didn’t need to be done in the first place.

I’m curious as to why a company doesn’t make a more competitively priced insulin. It’s basically sugar, right? How hard can it be?

[QUOTE]In many mid-aize and smaller markets, private for-profit hospitals have bought all the surgical offices in the region and are pushing unnecessary surgeries on people who don’t need them, including amputations.

I figured there was something else like that to the story. Good ol’ capitalism.

Ugh. I'm very tense now.

Here maybe? I read pet insulin is the same and cheaper and no prescription needed.

Is pet insulin akin to fish antibiotics? This is what our country has come to. I hate these Repug fuckers. Where can we buy guillotines? Think France would ship some over for free?

Pet insulin? When I had to give my cat insulin the vet sent me the pharmacy. He was given human insulin mfgd. by Lily Pharmaceuticals.

R19, was that recent? I bet they sent you to the pharmacy because human insulin was cheaper but now pet insulin is cheaper due to the profiteering going on. I wouldn't be surprised if pet meds were more highly regulated as to pricing than human meds. More profit to be made from the humans. I wonder how long it will be before some Repug brings up the idea of putting people to sleep to save money for the insurance companies?

told you I was hardcore

Deathfats with diabetes type 2, what else is new? But they keep getting D t 2 at younger age though. American self-sabotage is working quite virulently well. Good!!!!

No, R20, it was about 25 years ago. I do remember the pharmacists made a bigger deal about the syringes. They said addicts were always trying to obtain them in some deceitful way or another.

One of my coworkers was rationing her insulin because it's so expensive, even with insurance. Found out she was pregnant. Her baby now has a major heart defect that will require multiple surgeries as soon as she's born. It sucks. She had to choose between food and rent for her family and her own health, and ended up making it worse.

Type 2 diabetes is absolutely avoidable and it has everything to do with the food people eat.

Healthy food is actually not that expensive when you keep it basic. People don’t get type 2 diabetes because they eat a bag of rice and beans, and no, “carbs” do not cause diabetes.

We don’t have healthcare for those who can afford it, we have sickcare. And we need to stop pretending that the stuff most Americans eat, resembles food.

I went 100% plant based and low fat years ago, and it’s the best decision I’ve ever made. Nothing tastes as good as it feels to have both feet and all of my toes.

r25 Did you have Type 2 Diabetes when you "went plant based"?

R26, do you “have it”?

I have a family history of all kinds of things that I’be avoided so far unlike some of my family members who are on 10 different daily medications. But I don’t think you’re asking out of interest.

r27, I am diabetic, and struggle constantly coming to terms with what to eat. Doctors don't seem know much, and food advocacy groups all seem to contradict each other. I've never heard anyone recommend rice for diabetics before; I know rice would make my blood sugar spike like mad. So I wanted to know where you're coming from.

I hope you can dial down the hostility.

Do not listen to R25. Diabetes has EVERYTHING to do with carbs. Go Keto and keep to under 25-50 carbs per day and try intermittent fasting (16/8) and you will lose weight AND reverse diabetes without feeling hungry or deprived. Thousands have done it.

Please show me the one best link to help me understand "keto" completely, r29. Every time I hear it, I think of nothing but baconburgers, pork chops, or maybe steaks. And I have no interest in two of those.

Gut people's ability to access healthcare and their health gets worse. It's 3rd grade logic.

I've got type diabetes and I'm so glad I live in the UK where all my medication is free via the NHS. I'd love to live in the USA but the cost of health care makes it totally nonviable.

You don’t have to do a full keto diet, or any diet. You can combine a couple low carb ideas and philosophies. I’m basically paleo/keto. I just incorporate more saturated fat into my diet for calories and satiety in the absence of carbs. Add sour cream to my eggs. Add some heavy cream to my shakes and meals and coffee. But I would never want to find myself gorging on bacon or butter. The main thing to take away from keto is to stop being afraid of saturated fat from animals. Don’t skimp on egg yolks, eat the whole friggin thing. Most of the nutrients are in the yolks and it’s more filling. I even do a little vegan with some plant-based things like my protein shakes. The main thing is to stay away from junk food and sugar. Keep the carbs under 150g a day.

R10 and r12 are correct. The price of insulin has skyrocketed and many poor people just aren't going to pay. Pharmaceutical greed.

“We will raise the prices on insulin and make a fortune. And when they need their limbs cut off, we will make even more.”

It’s called a business model.

R28, my apologies. I deal with a bunch of naysayers in my circle of family and friends, and sometimes I’m just over it.

I was vegetarian for most of my life, and while I was eating a healthier diet, it was definitely not healthy enough, since I loved eggs and cheese. I made the switch to a low fat plant-based diet a few years ago after my A1C got rather high as well as my LDL cholesterol.

My labs are great and on the low end of normal since making the switch. I’ve attached a link for you which will hopefully help you to make a determination regarding your diet. You can check out the doctors in this list and the dietary approach that they recommend. It’s interesting how many cardiologists recommend a plant based diet.

Whatever you do, do not do Keto or Paleo, and please use common sense. Fact: Saturated fats clog your arteries. That’s the only thing you need to understand. Look at people like Bob Harper and his diet before he had a heart attack. Keto and Paleo are not really new, they’re just another take on low carb diets, which have not worked well since the 70ies.

Enough said. Good luck to you, and I hope you stay healthy.

R36, I was diagnosed with T2 Diabetes 20 years ago and now follow a similar low-fat, plant based diet. My Dr sent me an email a couple of weeks ago after my latest lab work and insisted that I was not a diabetic. I do watch the carbs, but I'm no where near Keto.

Worked on a project with a man last year that opted to have two toes amputated rather than go through treatment with antibiotics. This guy is an arrogant prick and just didn't want to take the time to do the treatment. He was very "it's just a couple of toes" about it, he was even bragging out losing his toes like it was an accomplishment. He's from Louisiana and eats like shit.

"Add some heavy cream to my shakes and meals and coffee. But I would never want to find myself gorging on bacon or butter."

And what do you think is used to make BUTTER? Where does the heavy cream come from? You might as well gorge on butter.

My father controls his type 2 diabetes essentially without medication now through diet changes, it's not pleasant but you do what have to. Limiting the amount of times you eat controls spikes, and being very careful to mostly eat homecooked/fresh foods helps.

KACHING!!$$$$!!

Where should we buy our FIFTH vacation home??

Thanks, r33 r36 R38 r40.

I'm currently considered "in remission"—my A1C has been either 5.9 or 6.1 for the last two years—but this is dependent on my taking Metformin every day. My doctor has lowered the dosage, as Metformin seems to contribute to concomitant visual problems I've been having for the past few years, and my daily blood sugar is higher lately than it used to be.

I have all but given up on sugar, but I still love dairy. Sour cream is one of my main food groups. I started eating it when I started making dips to go with crudites. I have to be careful to stick to the crudites and not buy chips instead. I also love, cherish, and adore cheese. I'm not much of a meat eater, though I do like chicken (I'm a chicken hawk, culinarily speaking).

I've taken to eating legumes, which one of the ketologists I read pisses all over. That was actually what led me away from the ketologists. There are so many great things to make with lentils and beans.

I've been making this exceptionally easy bean recipe a lot lately. I can't find cranberry/borlotti beans, so I substitute either Great Northern or Navy beans. I put in a Parmigiano-Reggiano rind when I have one. One (or more: I can't keep their conflicts straight) of the food advocacy groups also thinks of tomatoes and olive oil as Bad For You, but I don't think I could live without them. I don't want to, at least, and they don't seem to be implicated in higher blood sugar.

I eat pizza every two weeks or so, and have not found a fake pasta I like as much as DeCecco. I only make 2 ounces at a time now instead of the whole box.

Well Type 2 Diabetes management has become just another market full of misinformation and companies trying to sell you stuff, AND its not just big Pharma, but other scammers who are frankly much worst. This includes medications, diet plans, miracle foods, exercise plans, the list is so long and I think it so obvious that I dont understand how people dont see that the solution is not that hard.

I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 10 and have had it for several decades. With good control and much luck, I have minor complications. However, diabetes often leads to other medical problems such as kidney disease, heart problems, eye problems, etc. It's not necessarily because of poor control - which of course does worsen health problems - but diabetes wrecks havoc on your body over the long run.

Type 1 diabetes is a whole different medical condition that is out of those patients hand. R45 I congratulate you on your good control. It requires a lot of discipline to control DMT1.

A few years ago I was diagnosed as prediabetic even though I was in my early 40s and had a BMI of 20. Family history of Type 2 diabetes. Cutting out refined carbs helped; intermittent fasting (18-6 in my case) helped even more.

It turns out that most doctors don't know much of anything about diabetes. One physician after complimenting me on controlling my blood sugar without meds scoffed when I told him how I had done it. No joke, this MD said "The type of calories you consume and when you consume them doesn't matter; only the total calorie count matters. Reduce your calories and you'll reduce your diabetes." Even though at 5'7" and 125lbs I didn't really have any weight to lose, that was his cookie-cutter advice and he was insisting he was right. I feel bad for all the chunky people he has told that misinformation to, who believed him and then blamed themselves when they couldn't control their blood sugar and had to go on medication.

Luckily that guy wasn't my regular doctor but WTF. He is going around giving incorrect advice to people trying to control their diabetes. There's a lot of ignorance in the medical profession when it comes to treating people with diabetes. I have found the work of Jason Fung to be helpful in understanding the concept of diabetes as a metabolic illness, in particular 'The Obesity Code'.

You are what you eat. But for me, the Keto fad is too extreme.

Processed foods are a much bigger health problem than we thought

In two new papers published in the BMJ, the more ultraprocessed — or industrially manufactured — foods a person ate, the more likely they were to get sick and even die. In one study, they were more likely to suffer from cardiovascular problems. The other linked an ultraprocessed diet to a higher risk of death from all causes.

[QUOTE]And what do you think is used to make BUTTER? Where does the heavy cream come from? You might as well gorge on butter.

A tablespoon of heavy cream is equal to gorging on butter? Adding sour cream to your eggs? Full fat yogurt? I don’t think so. I get my cholesterol checked regularly and the numbers are perfect. There is nothing proving that a moderate amount of saturated fat is bad for you. It’s all the other crap that people eat along with the saturated fat that’s harmful to your health.

[quote]Healthy food is actually not that expensive when you keep it basic. People don’t get type 2 diabetes because they eat a bag of rice and beans, and no, “carbs” do not cause diabetes.

You don't even seem to understand the basic conversion carbs go through when digested but everyone be sure to follow his health advice.

R50, I am not the poster you're referring to, but your body can create glucose from carbs, fat, and protein. What's your point?

R51, my point was that the digestion of carbs creates sugars. Increased sugar intake certainly does contribute to diabetes. That poster doesn't know what he's talking about but boy does he like to blather on with is wrong information and opinions.

R48, I wouldn't be surprised if super-processed foods are unhealthy if that's a person's main diet, but did the study account for the fact that people who eat like this also tend to have numerous other risk factors, such as obesity, sugar intake, lack of exercise, etc?

It's not just the food. It's the general habits of the people who tend to over-rely on this kind of diet, I suspect.