HomeAnswersEndocrinologypsoriasisMy father has itchy white spots on his foot. What is it?

My father has joint pain, lower abdominal pain, insomnia, puffy eyes, and white spots on the skin. Why?

Share

The following is an actual conversation between an iCliniq user and a doctor that has been reviewed and published as a Premium Q&A.

Medically reviewed by

iCliniq medical review team

Published At March 1, 2022
Reviewed AtOctober 11, 2023

Patient's Query

Hi doctor,

My dad, who is 56 years old, has white spots on his skin. He has a history of diabetes, and I would like to ask some questions about that. I have a signed authorization to speak to a doctor on his behalf since he struggles a lot with technology. The first question would be to know what that spot on his leg is, if there are any tests he needs to do and whether this may be linked to his diabetes. The spots appeared about a month ago. It was red in the beginning and itchy. He did get some medication for it, they are Etavone cream, Tacrolimus ointment, and Vitellus lotion, which helped with the redness and itching, but the white spot is still there. It is on his foot. I can provide pictures if needed. Further, he has a history of diabetes type 2. He has been experiencing joint pain, lower abdominal pain, lower back pain, insomnia, and puffy eyes. Five months ago, he did a blood panel and HbA1c, where it was noted that his iron levels were high. Another important thing is that he quit taking medication for diabetes about a year ago. He was prescribed a tablet of Glucophage-GP 1, Vitamin B12, and Vitamin D supplements most recently about one year ago and tablet Glycomet SR 500 for the first two years, before all these medications he was taking tablet Glucophage for about two years which did not help with symptoms as much as it should. His lifestyle is mostly sedentary. Please help.

Answered by Dr. Zulfiqar Ahmed

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

Skin lesion looks like psoriasis, and it is not linked with diabetes, but uncontrolled diabetes may worsen it. I would suggest that a skin specialist give you a better explanation of this. If he is not on any medication, I suggest he needs to check his HbA1c (glycated hemoglobin) and his blood sugar levels. His sugar level, which you mentioned, is very high. His symptoms might be due to his uncontrolled sugars. His puffiness around the eyes may be due to kidney issues. Before restarting his medications, I suggest he needs to do some blood tests like CBC (complete blood count), urea, creatinine, electrolytes, HbA1c (glycated hemoglobin), and lipid profile. Also, check his blood pressure. Please let me know these results, and we will restart medications depending upon these results, maybe with some modifications.

I hope this helps.

Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!

Dr. Zulfiqar Ahmed
Dr. Zulfiqar Ahmed

Diabetology

Community Banner Mobile
By subscribing, I agree to iCliniq's Terms & Privacy Policy.

Read answers about:

psoriasispuffy eyes

Ask your health query to a doctor online

Endocrinology

*guaranteed answer within 4 hours

Disclaimer: No content published on this website is intended to be a substitute for professional medical diagnosis, advice or treatment by a trained physician. Seek advice from your physician or other qualified healthcare providers with questions you may have regarding your symptoms and medical condition for a complete medical diagnosis. Do not delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice because of something you have read on this website. Read our Editorial Process to know how we create content for health articles and queries.

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. iCliniq privacy policy