Who do I need to see regarding my manky feet?

[OpenMe]

My feet are a mess. I suffer with recurrent athlete's foot and fungal infection in my nails.

From time to time I treat with them with the various remedies advertised on TV and available over the counter and they (sometimes) help for a few days but it always comes back quickly (nothing seems to help the nails)

I've never been to the GP with it because it seems so trivial but it is sore and uncomfortable and frankly unpleasant.

So, do I need to make a GP appointment or is there another way to get NHS treatment without bothering the doctor?

Tbh, if you have tried out various remedies, and your feet are uncomfortable, I would see the GP.

Vicks vapour rub for your nails. It will take maybe 6 months for the nail to grow out but you'll see the new nail growing in healthily at the bottom. You will have caught the fungal nail from the athletes foot as that too is a fungal infection like thrush. Best way to get rid of that is a low carb diet as the fungus will die without the sugar to feed it. Good luck!

I've tried that Snow! Been using it daily for about 18 months and whilst it help more than anything else I've found, it hasn't cured it. i do have lovely cuticles on my hands though!

I can't do low carb - I'm an athlete! I am, competitive at a decent standard for my age and I know people will say you can still compete on a low carb diet but name me one who's ever won anything

try surgical spirit between your toes after they are dried, if the skin is broken it will sting to buggery but it may/should help clear the athletes foot at least
fungal nails will take a long time, if they are really bad go to the docs and get a long term course of anti fungal meds

Does Chris Froome count? He follows a low carb diet.

Lots of athletes have realised recently that you don't need to carb load to have success.

Chris Froome doesn't follow a low carb diet. He avoids gluten in favour of rice in quinoa and "sometimes" has a low carb breakfast on training days to boost fat metabolism. He doesn't do that when completing, in fact he does carb load and specifically says it's important to have carbs after training if you've avoided them beforehand.

here

I am also an athlete and have manky feet!

I think it's sweaty shoes, lots of being on your feet etc.

I have given up on mine. Luckily they don't hurt but they look quite grim. I just avoid getting them out.

Gp can prescribe paint on stuff. Takes ages as they damaged toenail has to grow out. You need to continuously treat athletes foot even when it appears to have gone. Put the powder in your socks and shoes. Always dry your feet. I put loo paper in between my toes after a shower when I have a flare up.

GP can give tablets for this too.

Tablets from GP. You must have rock solid contraception as it is bad for babies but it does work. Three month course I think.

gp, sounds like it's past home treatments.

in addition boil wash anything that comes into contact with the feet to avoid reinfecting yourself and others: bedding, socks, towels, bath mats.
barefoot as much as you can.
natural fibre shoes so you don't get more sweaty than necessary.

A fortnight's holiday on a beach sorted mine out. Salt water and barefoot walks in the sand. Get it booked!

You can self refer to the NHS podiatry team if you meet the criteria in your area (diabetics, poor circulation....etc).

Tablets from the GP. It works. You will never never never look back. And it's not trivial. Its affecting you on an everyday basis.

Tablets, a shoe-free holiday at the beach and throw all your shoes/socks away.

In the meantime, use Lush's T for Toes talc on your feet every morning and sprinkle in your shoes. I've had chronic athlete's foot for donkey's years, and this has made a massive difference to mine.

Terbinafine. From the GP. I had manky feet for years. I tried and tried and tried all the things you could buy and homemade. Nothing worked. I was miserable about it. Three months later, my nails were clearing. Six months later my nails were completely clear and a year on they are beautiful, strong, healthy nails and I can wear sandals!

A good chiropodist/ podiatrist would be a good one to see also. They are really good.

Not as bad as yours OP but I had a bad case on my left foot. Read on MN about using neat tea tree oil and it's worked. The skin is really dry now as a result but I'm lathering on thick layers of Nivea to soften.

On what planet do not-severely-ill type 2 diabetics qualify for free chiropody ?

I used to work in a pharmacy and I've previously had a fungal nail infection, so I speak from experience!

If you have more than 2 nails infected, or the infection is right down to the cuticle, then all the paints and topical treatments won't work. As others have mentioned, you'll need to go see your GP to get some antifungal tablets. It's a 9-12 month course for toenails as they grow very slowly!

Apparently they do in the Home Counties. I guess it is because if somthing starts to go wrong it is better to treat it early than later when it could involve a hospital stay etc? I don't make the rules I'm afraid, but I know them well.

Why are the rules so inconsistently applied ? There's nowt like that up north.

It is up to the NHS trust covering the area how they spend money. Hence the post code lottery on drugs etc.