Q: I am a 61 years old diabetic man on insulin. I had the big toe of my left foot removed three years back. The small wound took almost two years to heal. The doctor prescribed Ceftum (500 mg) twice a day for 20 days and it showed excellent healing effect. Not only did the wound heal, the formation of dead skin also stopped. Now, he has prescribed Zospar (200 mg) daily for 12 days and there is improvement. Should I continue with Ceftum 200 or Zospar 200 and for how many days?

A:Controlling infection is always a challenge in diabetics even after surgery. The healing gets delayed due to inadequate blood sugar control. If your blood sugar levels (both fasting and after food) are within normal range, it should not be necessary to take any antibacterial since you have taken Ceftum for a very long time. However if the blood sugar control is not satisfactory, then you may need Zospar (sparfloxacin) for about 5-7 days. But please ensure that your diabetes is under control.