American Limb Preservation Society Site is Up!

The new website for the ALPS is now up. It will be full of diabetes facts and information about diabetic foot sores (diabetic foot ulcers), foot infections, and diabetic amputation prevention. Go to www.ineedmyfeet.com to learn more about staying healthy and active, in spite of your diabetes.


Dr. Christopher Segler is an author, inventor and award winning diabetic foot doctor. After discovering how amputations resulted from a failing health care system, it became his passion to teach strategies to stop diabetic amputation. If you have diabetes, you can learn more by requesting your FREE report “No Leg Left To Stand On: The Secrets Insurance Companies Don’t Want You To Know About Diabetic Foot Amputation” at http://www.ineedmyfeet.com.

Diabetic Foot Infection... Emergency Surgery as it Happened Today

Today was one of the days I dread. I was coming out of a treatment room and Sherrie stopped me to ask if we could ad an emergency diabetic patient. A diabetic man man was on the phone. He had called and said his big toe was "black and blue and squirting blood." Never a good sign. I told Sherrie to tell him to either come in immediately or go straight to the Emergency Room.

Twenty minutes later he was in my podiatry office sitting in a treatment room. He was right, it was black and red. But squirting more pus than blood. I started to trim a way some of the thick hard callus to drain the infection. And drain it did, odor and all. Paula, who was assisting me, asked to leave the room.

I explained that he was going to need surgery. I had him sign a consent form and explained what we would need to do. I took some cultures, wrapped up the foot and sent him straight to the hospital to be admitted for powerful antibiotics and to get ready for surgery. I sent over some orders and then saw the rest of the patients.

After I finished seeing all of the post-op bunion patients, heel pain cases, and a guy that almost lost his toe a year ago, I went home to eat with my wife and son Alex. He's going to be a year old next week. We ate dinner and I waited for the hospital to call, to tell me when we could start. After Alex went to sleep, I headed back to the hospital.

In the operating room, I took a scalpel and opened the end of the big toe. The bone in the end of the toe was mushy and soft. I took some pieces to send for culture (to see what kind of bacteria is growing in there). I removed the bone and flushed it out to wash away the pus and bacteria. I packed the end of the toe and wrapped it up.

In a few days we will go back to the O.R. and remove whatever looks dead or infected. Or if all is well, I will close it so he can go home for Christmas.

The reality is that this episode was preventable. With proper monitoring and careful attention to the feet, this man would not be in the hospital. I would have been at home with Alex. He would have been home with his family instead of in the hospital.



Dr. Christopher Segler is an author, inventor and award winning diabetic foot doctor. After discovering how amputations resulted from a failing health care system, it became his passion to teach strategies to stop diabetic amputation. If you have diabetes, you can learn more by requesting your FREE report “No Leg Left To Stand On: The Secrets Insurance Companies Don’t Want You To Know About Diabetic Foot Amputation” at http://www.ineedmyfeet.com.

Statistics on Life Expectancy After Diabetes Leg Amputation from Gangrene

One question I was asked recently is was... What are the statistics on life expectancy after diabetes leg amputation from gangrene?

Well, I wish I had good news. Whenever a loved one gets gangrene, it can be traumatic. Not just for the diabetic who winds up with an amputation, but the spouse as well. The kids, the whole family take a beating emotionally. They see the foot turn black, they smell the foul odor. They watch their loved one go from a lively person to someone who will be luckey to ever walk with a prosthetic leg.

Dancing on your 50th wedding anniversary..nope. Going for 18 holes of golf..nope. Running down the street to teach your grandson to fly a kite...nope. So the patient sees all these things that were taken for granted, drifting away. And the family sees it too. Then they start to wonder about the bigger picture. How long can you live after an amputation?

The statistics regarding diabetic life expectancy after an amputation related to diabetes complications (such as gangrene, diabetic foot infections, and bone infections (osteomyelitis)) are quite bad. Every 30 seconds a limb somewhere is amputated as a consequence of diabetes.

In fact, we know that diabetes makes you 46 times more likely you will have an amputation. Within one year after a diabetic foot amputation, 26.7% will have another amputation. Three years after the first diabetic amputation, 48.3% will have another amputation. Within 5 years of a diabetes related amputation, 60.7% will have another amputation.

If that isn't bad enough, diabetics with amputations don’t live very long. We know that about 50% of all diabetics with an amputation are dead 3 years after the amputation.

65% of all of those with a diabetic amputation are dead 5 years.

In spite of this, there is hope... most are preventable. Watch your blood sugar. Check your feet every day and see a podiatrist, podiatric surgeon, or foot surgeon specializing in diabetic limb salvage if you start to get any open sore or wounds on your feet. Do not wait until it is infected.

With these simple interventions you can keep your feet. And maybe you will dancing on your 50th after all.


Dr. Christopher Segler is an award winning diabetic foot surgeon, author and inventor. He is the founder of a groundbreaking private consulting firm that specializes in diabetic amputation prevention. If you or someone you care about has diabetes, you can learn more by simply requesting your FREE report “No Leg Left To Stand On: The Secrets Insurance Companies Don’t Want You To Know About Diabetic Foot Amputation” at http://www.ineedmyfeet.com.

Diabetic Former Pro Baseball Player. No Legs and No Hall of Fame.

Ron Santo is true icon in baseball. And he has seen some tough times. If nothing else, he knows how to persevere.

If you don’t know him, he has too many records to list. Here are a few. Santo played third base for the Chicago Cubs from 1960 to 1973. During his career, he was a 9-time All Star, won 5 consecutive Golden Glove Awards, and is the only third baseman in history to go 8 straight seasons with 90 runs batted in. In addition he is true team player as evidenced by the fact that from 1966 to 1974 he held the NL record for assists in a single season.

By any measure he should be a Hall-of-Famer. But again this year its not in the cards. "Everybody felt this was my year," Santo told the Chicago Tribune paper on Monday, in his typical gracious manner, even though the years are slipping away.

He is already 68 years old. No spring chicken for a double amputee with diabetes. "To me, two years, because of what I have with the diabetes and [getting] older, it's like eternity," he recently said. He is not alone, because every 30 seconds, another leg is cut off due to diabetes related complications. Statistically, most people who have diabetes are dead within 5 years of having amputations of both legs.

Santos has fought with diabetes for decades, but kept it a secret for most of his career with Cubs. In the late 1960’s he started having trouble. The pro baseball player ended up with the common diabetic sores that led to more than 24 surgeries and partial amputation of both legs. But he still roots for the Cubs from the bench.

"I don't know how he does it; his spirits are always up," said his friend Savelli. "I'm sure he's taking it like a man. Ronnie's a hard-core guy. He has to be to take all he's taken. I'd have been dead a long time ago."

Santos is one of those lemons-from-lemonade types. Whenever he is not working as a member of the Cubs broadcasting team, he is fighting diabetes through community involvement and fundraising. He started the Ron Santo Walk to Cure Diabetes about 30 years ago. Through that effort he has raised $60 million for juvenile diabetes research. He keep high hopes both about a cure for diabetes, as well as his chances for induction into the Hall of Fame.

Personally, I hope he gets both.


Dr. Christopher Segler is an award winning diabetic foot surgeon, author and inventor located in Chattanooga. He is the founder of a groundbreaking private consulting firm that specializes in diabetic amputation prevention. If you or someone you care about has diabetes, you can learn more by simply requesting your FREE report “No Leg Left To Stand On: The Secrets Insurance Companies Don’t Want You To Know About Diabetic Foot Amputation” at http://www.ineedmyfeet.com.

How Can Becoming an Athlete Prevent a Diabetic Foot Amputation?

One of the very best ways to treat diabetes is with exercise. We know that when a patient has diabetes, diet and exercise can significantly change the course of the disease. In fact, we know that after 45 minutes of aerobic exercise, such as running, a diabetic patient’s insulin sensitivity may increase for up to 48 hours. This is extremely beneficial for type 2 diabetics.

Not only can exercise such as running help a diabetic patient by changing the way that the body can use insulin, it also can help a number of other conditions.

We know that in all people, exercise can dramatically affect cholesterol levels. Hyperlipidemia or high cholesterol is one common condition affecting diabetic patients. We know that the VLDL and LDL (bad cholesterol) is lowered with exercise, while HDL (good cholesterol) is increased.

In addition, regular exercise can significantly affect a person’s blood pressure. Hypertension or high blood pressure is a common complication of diabetes. We know that regular exercise can typically reduce blood pressure by an average of 10 mm/Hg.

Obesity is another problem that is commonly associated with diabetes. Obesity alone is a major cardiovascular risk factor. It also leads to insulin resistance, further complicating diabetes. When a diabetic patient loses at least 15 to 20 pounds, fasting insulin levels can drop by 30 to 50%. As a result, there is much better blood glucose control.

Heart attacks and strokes are very common in type 2 diabetic patients. Regular aerobic activity such as walking and running have been shown to reverse the effects of increased levels of an enzyme called plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, which can in turn significantly reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.

All of the disease processes mentioned can help clog the arteries and decrease blood flow to the legs. When this happens, you can get an open sore... it doesn't heal... it gets infected... and then you get gangrene. Once you get a diabetic foot infection with gangrene of the foot you will either get an amputation or you will die. But not to worry... it is all preventable!

With all of these possible benefits of exercise, it is understandable why any diabetic patient would (and should) embark on a program of exercise. The whole emphasis with diabetes is preventing long-term complications. Train Smart...Live Long!



Dr. Christopher Segler is an award winning diabetic foot surgeon, author and inventor. He is the founder of a groundbreaking private consulting firm that specializes in diabetic amputation prevention. If you or someone you care about has diabetes, you can learn more by simply requesting your FREE report “No Leg Left To Stand On: The Secrets Insurance Companies Don’t Want You To Know About Diabetic Foot Amputation” at http://ineedmyfeet.com.

Is Diabetes a Handicap?

Although diabetes is a serious disease, it should only be considered a handicap when it limits the activities that allow you to enjoy life. One obvious way this can happen is through an amputation or blindness. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

Although we know that diabetes can lead to heart disease, stroke, blindness and open sores on the feet that lead to amputation or death, this is largely preventable.

Research shows that regular exercise and a healthy diet are two ways that can help people prevent diabetes, or even to alter the course of a person’s disease if they do already do have diabetes.

One of the very best ways to make sure the diabetes does not become a handicap is with exercise. We know that when a patient has diabetes, diet and exercise can significantly change the way your body uses insulin and help fight the disease. In fact, we know that after 45 minutes of aerobic exercise, such as running, a diabetic patient’s, insulin sensitivity may increase for up to 48 hours. This is extremely beneficial for type 2 diabetics.

Exercise not only changes the way that your body uses insulin, but it can reduce problems associated with cholesterol, blood pressure, risk of a heart attack or stroke and obesity. We know that when a diabetic patient will lose 15 to 20 pounds, it improves insulin levels from anywhere to 30 to 50%. This results in much better blood sugar control that can prevent many of the complications from diabetes that we worry about.

In United States diabetes is the fifth deadliest disease. We actually think it might be much worse than this because people who do have diabetes might die from other complications including heart attack, stroke or complications of an amputation with gangrene related to a diabetic foot sore.

Whether you are a type 1 or type 2 diabetic patient, exercise can provide a tremendous benefit. You just have to be careful and make sure that you manage your blood sugar correctly.

Oral hypoglycemic medicines ( pills to keep your blood sugar down) may also have a significant impact on your blood sugar when you exercise. For example, sulfonylureas (glipizide, glyburide, etc.) and meglitinides (prandin, starlix, etc.) may require dosing adjustments in order to prevent hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) during exercise. Metformin (glucophage) and thiazolinediones (actos and avandia) are less likely to cause hypoglycemia when you exercise. However if you are taking any of these medicines it is important to talk to your endocrinologist or primary care physician to make sure that you don’t get into trouble.

You should also make sure that you get checked by a podiatrist to make sure that you do not have any problems with your feet, such as diabetic peripheral neuropathy ( loss of feeling) that can put your risk of developing the kind of open sore that can lead to an amputation. An annual diabetic foot exam with a podiatrist is a good way to make sure that you are not at risk of an amputation.

And amputation is one sure way they diabetes can become a handicap. Once a leg is amputated, it’s very difficult to move around the home. Even something as simple as turning on a ceiling fan can become a major challenge. We also know that there are a number of risks associated with having an amputation. About half of all patients who have an amputation on one foot will have any vacation on the other leg within five years.

We also know that diabetic patients who have indications on both feet will most often die within five years.

In spite of all this gloom and doom, there is hope for diabetes. There are a number of available technologies which can significantly reduce the risk of amputation of diabetes. This requires intensive intervention from a specialist in diabetic limb preservation. Unfortunately, not covered by insurance, but is essential to making sure that in amputation is prevented.

Although it can be frustrating when you find out you have diabetes, it does not have to be a negative life altering situation. They can be a very positive thing because many of these people will start a new exercise routine, lose weight, and develop a healthy lifestyle that includes athletic activities that they might find intensely enjoyable.

For many of these people, what started out as a bad thing turns into a way to begin to enjoy life. So if you have been diagnosed with diabetes, don’t worry, it doesn’t have to become a handicap.

Dr. Christopher Segler believes diabetic amputations are preventable. He teaches strategies that help his clients avoid amputation. He is also and award-winning diabetic foot surgeon, inventor and author. If you have diabetes, you can learn how to avoid amputation by more by requesting your FREE report “No Leg Left To Stand On: The Secrets Insurance Companies Don’t Want You To Know About Diabetic Foot Amputation” at http://ineedmyfeet.com.

39-Year-Old Woman's Diabetic Foot Amputation: an Illustration in Real Life

Most people think that amputations are for crusty old pirates.  Well think again. Rebecca is a 39-year-old woman who recently lost her right foot and lower leg to a diabetic foot amputation. Following the amputation she had to spend five months in a nursing home. She felt out of place there, as most of the other residents were twice her age. But she had no choice as she simply could not fully recover from the tragic operation at home.  Now that her surgical wound (at the stump where her foot and ankle used to be) is healed she is back home with her husband David and her dog Rusty.If you have ever been to a nursing home, you can understand why she would be grateful to be back home. 

“It's a huge responsibility to move someone out of a nursing home,” Rebecca said. “The process of moving out really tests them.”  Most people don't even realize that their home will need expensive structural modifications, such as widening doors, reconfiguring bathrooms, and installing wheelchair ramps.  They also usually need remote controls for ceiling fans and light switches that are impossible to reach from a wheelchair. In can be financially destructive. 

All of this started when two sores (known as diabetic foot ulcers) started to appear on Rebecca's right foot. Eventually gangrene set in and the leg had to be cut off. “Once gangrene sets in, (amputation) is pretty inevitable,” she said. Gangrene is basically the death of a persons living tissue. The dying tissue becomes a breeding ground for bacteria which quickly spreads through the body. Without quickly removing the infected limb through amputation or limb salvage. If not, the person can die. 

Even though the sores that typically start these sorts of episodes are largely preventable, insurance companies don't pay for preventative care.  As a result, many patients like Rebecca can wind up missing a leg and feeling stranded in a nursing home. Most people don't realize the amount of care that is required when someone has this type of surgery. They need to be in a bed 24/7. If not cared for properly, they can get bed sores. 

Given the huge cost associated with this sort of preventable amputation, you would think that more would be done to stop the amputations. But insurance companies refuse to pay for the care and monitoring to prevent diabetic sores and diabetic foot amputations. Rebecca was able to get government assistance, but not everyone can qualify.

The thing to keep in mind is that even if you or someone you love has diabetes, these sorts of episodes are preventable. Doctor's today have the capabilities to prevent most diabetic foot amputations. With intense monitoring, patient education, and access to the latest technologies, diabetic foot amputations are preventable. Don't let the insurance companies tell you otherwise.

Dr. Christopher Segler is an author, inventor and award winning diabetic foot doctor. After discovering how amputations resulted from a failing health care system, it became his passion to teach strategies to stop diabetic amputation. If you have diabetes, you can learn more by requesting your FREE report “No Leg Left To Stand On: The Secrets Insurance Companies Don’t Want You To Know About Diabetic Foot Amputation” at http://ineedmyfeet.com.