Necrobiosis Lipoidica Diabeticorum(NLD)

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-21-2003
Necrobiosis Lipoidica Diabeticorum(NLD)
1
Sun, 02-08-2004 - 12:21pm
Hey Mary Frances And any one else with Knowledge About:

I got this little red dime-sized spot on my ankle when I was 19 years old. The only reason I saw it was because my boyfriend(Hubby now)and I took some nude pics(hey we

were'nt fossils back then). Ha! That's the only way I saw that spot. For many years I thought it was a skin thing, put cream on it and that was that. I mean I couldn't see it so it didn't bother me. I thought it would go away. Evidently it didn't. It, through

alot of years got bigger and bigger. My Endo noticed it when I was about 34 and said it was NLD. She said it occurs in about 65% of Diabetics, they don't know why. It appears

usually in Diabetics, whether they are in good control or not. I was always in average to good control. She said there was a topical cream for it but it could cause burning or itching. And the cream was never proven to be effective. So I thought, well........my son had already run into it when he was 3, accidently with his ride on truck(I was 26yrs.). Wow, that hurt and caused 3 ulcers on the spot. I went to the clinic, they gave me anti-biotics and a medication and gauze to put on it. It healed, never had a problem with it since, it never hurt. But God it's taken over the left side of my ankle and some of the top of my foot. You can see all the veins in that side of the foot. Pretty gross. And the skin is so thin It looks like the veins are going to fall out.

Question: have you ever heard of this? Will I eventually have to have that foot

amputated?? Any creams at this late stage to help that would not itch or burn? Believe me, you wouldn't want to cause any irritation to that area. The Doc's still don't have a cure for it.

Thanks for your thoughts.......***Carlie*** :)

Avatar for cl_maryfrances40
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Sun, 02-08-2004 - 8:55pm

Carlie,


I never heard of this before and so I looked it up in two diabetic references before I found out this much:


"This uncommon lesion is closely associated with diabetes (particularly type 1 diabetes although it reportedly sometimes antedates the development of glucose intolerance. The lesions typically affect the pre-tibial skin but may be multiple and develop at sites of trauma. the lesion does not appear to be closely related to glycemic control but conversely may be found in the presence of chronic microvascular complications. Treatment with topical steroids, skin grafts or cyrosurgery is often unsatisfactory. The lesion heals leaving white scars."


I looked at a picture of it and I have actually seen it and it certainly looks angry and sore. I wonder if a visit to a place that specializes in wound care would get you some answers. I certainly don't think that amputation is caused by this. The book I found it in was written in 2000 so that means the information is a couple of years older than this. Have you done a web search on this yet?


Thank you for this interesting question. I wish I could give you more information and I certainly hope this thing calms down real soon.

Mary Frances


cl-maryfrances40