Healing Diabetic Skin?

[quietann]

Argh, I have a problem. Last Saturday I developed a cut and irritated skin, well, on the skin under my left seat bone (my butt!) while riding. This happened last year in warmer weather but always healed in a day or two. But not this time!

I took it pretty easy: trail rode on Sunday (which wasn’t comfortable) and then did not ride again until Thursday, and that was a short ride. I didn’t ride on Friday.

Sitting wasn’t comfortable unless I had a bandaid over the affected area, because fabric would stick to it so every time I shifted my weight it would hurt.

The skin was healing, but today I had a more lengthy ride and my husband says that it looks worse again. It’s very superficial but I am worried!

I have had Type 1 diabetes for almost 38 years and have never had diabetes-related skin problems. Sensation in my feet and my hands (except for one finger) is normal and I don’t get infections from cuts. My butt gets numb if I sit for hours, so I don’t. (e.g. at work I get up about once an hour for at least a few minutes.) Kidneys, heart, eyes etc. are pretty much normal. My control is better than it has ever been, yet here I am with something that I’m worrying could end my riding.

I am going to be out of town and not riding for a week starting on Wednesday, and I hope that’s enough to heal it… but how do I encourage healing, and keep this from happening again?

[sdlbredfan]

The only things I can think of are to put vitamin E on it (poke open a gelcap and squeeze it onto the ‘owie’ and keep a bandaid on it) or, if that is not feasible, since you are going out of town, get one of those special bandages that can be left on for a few days, Tegaderm is one kind, and there are some other brands. Affix the special dressing/bandage and leave it be for a few days. Either one of those probably would work.

[ManyDogs]

I know it sounds strange, but research using honey or sugar!

[Wayside]

A few times I’ve gotten an aweful bleeding chafe on my bum after riding, and what worked for me was diaper rash ointment :o If you try it, you might want to also use a bandage or something if you’re going out in public, since it can work it’s way through your clothes after a while if you put a lot on. I’m a stay-at-home mom, so gratuitous butt paste was a non-issue for me, but it could be problematic for some people.

[vali]

Order some manuka honey, also sometimes called medihoney, it’s easy to find on amazon. A & D ointment also helps prevent it from happening again, and maybe using a seat saver. I’m not diabetic but I have prominent seat bones and am slim with sensitive skin, and I ended up ordering a dressage saddle with extra padding in the seat bone area. Needless to say, riding bareback is not an option for me.

[_Teddy]

Diaper cream or vit e lotion or gel(can be bought so you dont yave to crush gels)
Tegaderm on top! It saved mewhen i had to wear a holter and the reg medical tape burned my skin

[quietann]

Thank you everyone! I may even have Vitamin E oil on hand as I have used it to help heal surgical scars, but not until they were closed. Will see if I can get some tegaderm pads too.

I rather suspect that I am not riding today, because even with the bandage, sitting is painful unless I sit “just so,” and yesterday’s riding definitely made it worse.

[up-at-5]

Ann, clear your inbox:yes:

[_Teddy]

My mom said eat lots of protein

[draftdriver]

Use honey. It doesn’t even have to be the medicinal (expensive) kind.

[ezduzit]

This is nothing to mess with. Check with your doctor tomorrow and see about getting to a wound-care clinic.

I’ve had diabetes for almost 50 years. It gets harder and harder to heal up. Take the time to get this heal while it is still small.

Maybe you can see about some padded undies like the cyclists wear. Prevention is always easier than the cure.

And hugs for you…I feel your pain. :yes:

[quietann]

It absolutely broke my heart, but I didn’t ride today because of the sore I volunteered at the barn schooling show, and groomed the mare and hand-grazed her for a bit. We really needed “puddle practice” but I decided better safe than sorry.

I seem to have inherited my mother’s sensitive skin; I bruise very easily. Mom was not diabetic, though.

I’m going to call the diabetes clinic in the morning and see what they have to say.

[ezduzit]

Thank you, Ann. I’m so glad you’re going to have it looked at. I have no doubt they will want to see your butt. :winkgrin:

Don’t be surprised if, in addition to wound care, they give you an antibiotic. It breaks MY heart that this kept you from riding today.

Sending you hugs and prayers that you’re back in the saddle soon!

[quietann]

So the verdict is… this isn’t a bad wound at all but they were glad I came in anyway. Want antibiotic ointment on it, tegaderm to cover, and I shouldn’t sit for more than 30 minutes at a time until it’s completely healed.

It will be a bit of a challenge with traveling, but I can probably get my sister-in-law to help if I need it.

The doctor didn’t know much about riding but we talked about some things to do in the future. First is use a seat-saver, and second look into underwear options since this all started with an elastic leg-band getting pushed up and the friction cutting me. I have some “spanx” I can use if they are not too tight. I may need to just put a bandage over the area whenever I ride, to prevent friction.

It’s actually a lot less painful today. We found bandages that are big enough to cover the whole thing, and that helps a lot.

[ezduzit]

Yay!!! Good news and options! I’m so glad you went.

Take care!

[_Teddy]

My mum is a nurse so eat lotsa protien! Glad its not too bad!

Do you wear full seats or knee patch? Granny panties?

[ezduzit]

Lots of protein can lead to higher, sustained blood sugars. It takes a while to digest into sugar but it does eventually. Slow but with the same effect as any sugar…lots of it means a sustained higher level.

[quietann]

[QUOTE=Teddy;7037133]
My mum is a nurse so eat lotsa protien! Glad its not too bad!

Do you wear full seats or knee patch? Granny panties?[/QUOTE]

I wear full seats. Tend to have fewer problems with deerskin or heavier real leather, rather than anything synthetic.

Current panties are granny-ish. Finding these without elastic in the legs is not easy. I try to go for high cotton content.

I’ve actually been prone to rashes etc. where my butt meets the back of my legs since I was a baby. I spent about a year mostly bare-bottomed because of diaper rash. Mom just let me run around like that, kept me out of the few carpeted rooms in the house, and cleaned up after me as needed. (She was very happy when I figured out the potty!) I was diagnosed with diabetes when I was 11.

[_Teddy]

Hmm, i think fruit of the loom or hanes makes them without elastics, mine dont appear to not have leg elastic

http://shop.fruit.com/Fruit-Loom-Cotton-Assorted-Brief/dp/B00816SRIW?field_availability=-1&field_browse=5394136011&field_product_site_launch_date_utc=-1y&id=Fruit+Loom+Cotton+Assorted+Brief&ie=UTF8&refinementHistory=brandtextbin%2Csubjectbin%2Ccolor_map%2Cprice%2Csize_name&searchNodeID=5394136011&searchPage=1&searchRank=salesrank&searchSize=12

[quietann]

I did ride last night with minimal trouble. Deerskin full-seats and some better undies. My husband says the original wound is “nearly healed” and those from Saturday “look better.”

I am tega-dermed and ready for my trip…