I want to share a warning to anyone considering the advice of natural health professionals to try a Cayenne pepper foot soak. This is a warning! There is a danger! This may be specific to a diabetic but I have heard others comment that they are allergic to Cayenne pepper and have had similar problems.
Monday evening October 12, 2015 I did a cayenne pepper foot soak based on the recommendation of natural health professionals. I used less than a teaspoon in a gallon of water. Maybe I soaked too long? It was about an hour. Some people are allergic to cayenne.
This resulted in blisters about two to three inches in diameter on my heels. These required bandaging three times a day. I cannot wear shoes and I have limited mobility. It will take many weeks for this to heal. I am able to work remotely from home but require frequent rest. This is what it looked like two days after it happened.
It deteriorated as blisters do. Day 4.
I got a lot worse. In a week the skin broke lose as blisters do and it began to deteriorate.
It got so bad I went to the doctor. He was quite concerned and advised me that there was a danger of this resulting in amputation without great care to avoid infection and gangrene.
My boss asked for the doctor to provide an estimate of when I can return to going to the office. Primarily, the doctor said that it is up to my judgment when I can return to the office.
The primary issue is that there is bleeding and seepage from the wounds in my heels. This requires careful bandaging and is aggravated by walking. Originally the doctor indicated it is preferable that I stay off my feet as much as possible and keep them elevated. He is now pleased that there has been some healing and is comfortable with minimal walking. I have had to do some walking to my home office desk, the bathroom, and the dinner table.
However, I can only walk at a creeping pace and the bandaging prohibits me from wearing shoes. I have experienced some balance issues with walking because of peripheral neuropathy for the last couple of years but these wounds have caused even more balance difficulty with walking. When I creep, I routinely lean against nearby objects. When I go to the doctor I have to resort to a wheel chair when I get out of the car. I would need to do this anywhere I go because of the need to wear slippers and my balance issues.
I told my boss that because of the bandaging requiring me to wear slippers and the need for a wheelchair, I am not able to return to the office at this time. It will probably be more weeks before healing progresses to the point where bandaging on my heels is not required. It would be possible to attend an important meeting in slippers and a wheelchair, if it is needed.
After two months I am still struggling. Diabetics do heal slowly. I am able to bandage only once a day now but I can't wear shoes with these bandages and I am not able to walk normally.
This is how it looked after a couple of months.
After three months I have started forcing shoes over the bandage and I am able to get in to the office a day or two a week. It is so distressing (painful) and it wears me out terribly.
It is beginning to heal after three months.
