Does anyone find that a type of shoe helps your foot neuropathy?

Hi @dorisena, sugar is addictive and can cause inflammation. I tell my mother it is ok for her to eat a small amount of fruit. It is better than not having any at all to cause her to binge. She plans her meals and knows her limits for starchy, sugary foods. She picks what she wants to eat throughout the day and sticks to it. She too does not want to self test and inject so she is cautious. I have told her the risks associated with the disease. The HgA1C is the blood test most physicians use to determine the blood sugar level for the past three months. Diet and exercise may lower the HgA1C level and eventually eliminate the need for the oral diabetic medications, your doctor will decide that. I have seen that happen with my mother’s friend with diabetes. Once I had eliminated all sweets including fruit from my diet for two weeks. At the end of those two weeks I did not crave anything sweet. I felt good. People couldn’t believe all the foods I passed up. I later slowly reintroduced fruits back into my diet again. I reset my sweet intake so not to over eat. I was ready to do that with my diet because I cared about my health. You may want to research turmeric for its benefits. I also take turmeric for its many beneficial properties including inflammation and pain. Sounds like you are trying and will eventually meet your goals when you are ready to make that commitment. You can do it!

I have been working on my diabetes for 12 years now and am somewhat limited by my ability to exercise enough due to the back surgery. I agree that my biggest problem is lack of social support and encouragement. I have left the third church now during these years partially because of the social problem with eating well. Old folks think eating should be a career for them, and they are ignorant about their health. I think I am in a younger church group now and am going to volunteer with them this week. I sent the homemade ice cream home with my granddaughter. Taking it easy because of my fractured shoulder has not been good, but I feel like I can do more now and my blood pressure is lower. I am determined to solve the isolation from living in the country which I love dearly but can't travel much right now. I am a happier camper, for sure. Thanks for the support, Dorisena

I know a diabetic fellow who eats nothing but pie - he juggles the insulin to balance it. He doesn't always get it right, he ends up in the hospital sometimes. He's overweight and has some diseases caused by malnutrition and obesity. His doctors have given him the medical diet for diabetics, it's similar to my diet for hypoglycemia, but they can't make him eat it. He suffers a lot. I don't want to suffer like him. I have friends who are hypoglycemic too - they eat sugar sometimes and they get sick as dogs. I don't want to suffer like them either. The medical diet is the best of the options I have. Anyone else can do what they think is best for them ... Peggy

Hello, @zorrospouse - just wanted to welcome you to Mayo Clinic Connect. That's great your sugars are in excellent control, and that's unfortunate that your neuropathy is not. Will you share more about the symptoms you're experiencing? Assuming you are experiencing symptoms in your feet, what have you found helps you as far as footwear?

Was advised no more sandals but have difficulty bending due to back issues so am hoping to get help finding slipons that will give more support. Have spinal stenosis along with the neuropathies. Foot numbness, pain, and weakness.

I can wear slip-ons that have a small heel or lift to the sole and I wear leather orthotics in my tie shoes. I cured my foot pain with rubber band therapy, orthotics, and Finn shoes. After years of spinal stenosis, I had surgery and can bend over slowly and carefully but can't walk far without tightening and maybe some pain. Yes, I have some neuropathy but we think it is from spinal surgery nerve damage. I can't sit for very long. I just keep working on it.
At age 83, I may never get back to "normal", whatever that is supposed to be, but I do well on wide width, expensive shoes, mainly Finn, German, and SAS, American made shoes. I can wear SAS sandals for a while in the summer. My Finn slip-on shoes have a wedge sole, more than an inch lift, maybe.Dorisena

Try Dr.Schools slip ons. They have a web site.

I did some research on shoes with a wide toe box and arch support. I currently use Brooks Adrenaline GTS18 in a Women's 11XWide. I love them. Super comfortable, great support and doesn't feel uncomfortable on my neuropathic achy feet. I've had neuropathy starting about 4 years ago after a car accident. I was pretty sure there was nothing they could do for me (based on my own research and reading), but my primary care doctor disagreed with me and recommended a neurologist. Well after she ran blood work and a battery of tests, guess what?! There really is nothing she can do to help me. She can't find a specific cause but recommended extra Vitamin D, and to try some Alpha Lipoic Acid vitamin supplements as there is research to show it can help some people. So I take 600 mg of the ALA per day. My husband gives me a little massage now and again just because it sometimes helps. Can't walk barefoot outside anymore, it's like walking on glass to me. My feet have little feeling in them except occasional pain and burning. I relieve the burning pain by focusing a fan on it at night. Helps a lot. When the burning feels really bad, I soak them in cold water. Feels soooo good. 😀 The neuropathy has been creeping up my right leg and now has reached the top of my thigh. This really scares me. And my left leg is starting to have some numbness up my calf now too. I don't like pain, but I think the numbness is really scary, I can get hurt and not know it till I see the blood or bruise. Sometimes my feel like I am wearing Kleenex boxes on them for shoes. Weird feeling but when they stretch the end of my big toe, feels like it's touching the end of the box. I hope this site will be of some help to me. I just turned 60 and have been having these problems such a short time. My husband is 4 years older than me and he has nothing like. I guess I'm just unlucky this way. Oh, yeah, my diagnosis is Generalized Peripheral Neuropathy. Wendy

Laura, how are your orthos from foot solutions working for you? Are they helping your Neuropathy? I went to foot solutions and purchased some also. He made mine to go in some boots that I need to wear to help with walk . He’s trying to straighten out my body and my ankle on left foot doesn’t support me. Also I have pf on that foot and this is suppose to help. The orthos are not the kind you take in and out of shoes. He wants me to wear the boots everyday and I feel I have to so I maybe can get better. I also have the ones he put in Finn Sandles which I wear some. I should get the boots next week, but so far I think the the Finns are helping. I’m nervous of wearing the boots because I don’t like anything on my feet, but it is worth a try. I also have to have a total hip replacement and I just have to get better with something. He said the may help with the burning pain. ????

I did some research a few years ago on running shoes for my feet. I have to have a comfortable and supportive shoe. I have very flat feet, plantar fasciitis, and a wide foot. So I found an affordable running shoe … BROOKS Adrenaline GTS19 Running Shoes in Dark Turquoise in XW. I love them. Super comfortable. I can wear them with my orthotics and they have a nice wide toe box that comforts my neuropathic feet, and toes. They have firm support and are great for the fasciitis. Lots of Brooks running shoes have wide toe boxes. Great shoes. I only paid $70 on Amazon.