Raynaud's Phenomenum

xeroshero

Hey...

I know this is common enough in Ireland, anyone else out there with it? I've had this quite a while now - kept forgetting to mention it to the doc but I did the other day and he said it is raynauds (which I had already guessed)

Anyone find anything that helps? Makes it worse? The cold obviously sets it off for me but sometimes I think it just happens anyway even if its not particularily cold. Mainly my fingers, sometimes my toes... Completely freaks my OH out!lol.

My doc was saying it could be a symptom/sign of something else....?

Is there anyone out there taking anything for it or anything of the likes?

Kevster

Hey,

Yeh, I have this condition too. Things I do to cope with it are to, firstly, wear three pairs of socks each day (my toes can STILL become numb during winter though). I also moisturise my hands each night after I have eaten dinner and wear gloves over them (so that I can carry out work on the computer or do lab write-ups for college). Unbelievably, my hands still become a bit dry though.

During Winter, even as I moisturise my hands each day, they can still crack-open in various points and bleed. I remember one day counting 30+ small cuts on one of my hands. It can be a really nuisance.

Kevin

star-pants

My mother has this quite badly - she gets cracks etc too in her thumbs.
Lots of moisturising and lots of layers are good.
I have it (undiagnosed) too.
I wear leather gloves when I'm driving because if the steering wheel is cold I get numb fingers.

Gloves that have the fingerless bit, but you can pull a 'hood' over them? Because if my fingers are separated they can stay cold, but if i have them together they can keep the warmth in them a bit.
Have been meaning to try those pocket warmer things for when I lose feeling too.

xeroshero

Thanks guys. My problem is I work in a factory - often in chills at less than 4 degrees - working in a fridge with Raynauds - not fun! Also runnign them under warm water etc, as is recommended, is not an option in that environment!

I wear a few pairs of socks - I find the fluffy ones from Penneys/Dunness great! I have to say, its aminly my hands that are affected - but so much to the point of cracking... I do get taht a little during the winter but not a major problem for me - thank god! I don't think gloves help me at all... The fingers still just go numb and as you said Starpants - keeping them together helps a bit so having them in gloves aint much help for me (but maybe those ones you suggest could work - kinda like mittens but you can take off teh fingers bit?)

Its frustrating though not being able to do anything when the hands go numb - could be for an hour at times although usually its for about 15 minutes with me....

Do either of ye have "underlying health problems" that this is a symptom of or is it just something ye have?

Kevster

Yikes...not the ideal job eh! I suppose that you can't be too choosy in this day and age though. I do actually have an underlying condition but I'm not sure if it's related. Like, I have a chonic condition called Ulcerative Colitis, but it only affects the large intestine. Do you have an underlying condition? I've heard that Sceleroderma goes hand-in-hand with Raynaud's.

xeroshero

Im being tested for hypothyroidism (under active thyroid) again goes hand in hand I think. I'm verging on it for the last while, got bloods done again yesterday to see if I've officially slipped or not - its only a matter of time I think! I reckon there is a link there alright (well, there is a link between the two conditions so...) My doc said Raynauds is often there as a symptom of something else.... But not always....

star-pants

You should be given special gloves if you're working in refridgerated areas - I've seen people with these gloves. Plus going from that type of cold to running under a warm tap isn't always helpful.

Yes the really fluffy socks from penneys are great - my feet are usually toasty in them. Even wandering around the house I have a normal pair & A fluffy pair over them.
That's exactly the type of glove you described I'm talking about, I find them great cuz i can keep my fingertips together to preserve heat but also I can use my fingers when needed by removing the top bit.

I agree with the frustration, I've gotten out of my car and not been able to hold my house key properly to get in! I get those white patches or white tips and you can see if you push them the blood going in. It's crazy. I'm not as bad as my mother, she can't really feel the tips of her fingers anymore and she gets cracks (I don't).

I think you can get it on it's own - my mother has Rheumatoid Arthritis and some fibromyalgia in her chest.
I have fibromyalgia in my joints mostly & bouts of insomnia/headaches (but they come with fibro) And bad stomach/intestine etc (again possibly the fibro)

Sounds silly but if they're cold and you have two mins, put your fingers underneath the opposite armpit & hold em there, one of the quickest way to warm em.
I had to get my exbf to warm my hands when I was driving cuz I'd lose feeling. So I'd give him a hand & he'd rub them & then I'd swap hands lol. Worked good though! But not very practical.

It doesn't always have to be freezing for you to feel this - sure I'm sitting at the laptop here in my house which is warm and the tips of my fingers are cold. Keeping them moving & rubbing them together & even massaging your fingers/toes can help with the circulation.

xeroshero

star-pants wrote: »

It doesn't always have to be freezing for you to feel this - sure I'm sitting at the laptop here in my house which is warm and the tips of my fingers are cold. Keeping them moving & rubbing them together & even massaging your fingers/toes can help with the circulation.

Yea, this was something else I noticed - I often get this even when its not particularily cold! I think any temp change - even a drop of one or two degrees is enough to set it off... I was in town a couple of weeks back, it was a lovely Saturday - sunny beaming outside and I had one fo teh worst "attacks" I have had.... Sigh!

I do like freaking my BF out with it however!lol.

Do ye fins that ye are generaly cold anyway? I'm a "cold person" anyway - always layering up and putting teh heatong on - I am very temperature aware I think - any drop/chnage in temp at all and my body goes mad!

star-pants

Funny thing is I've always been a hot-blooded person. I still am, apart from my hands & feet (but only the past two years has this come on). I rarely wear jumpers or things that cover the full length of my arms as I get too hot. So I'm warm blooded everywhere but my hands & feet. Weird & annoying. Like right now the rest of me is warm & comfy, but my fingers & toes are cold. (ive socks & slippers on).

Kevster

That's because it's just down to poor blood-vessel formation in the hands and feet. That's what causes them to become cold - i.e. they don't get enough blood as in 'normal' people. This could actually pose some problems for us when we get older and our whole bodies become more sensitiev to the cold. Just think of those little cuts too...easy to get an infection.

star-pants

Oh I know - my mothers cuts never heal, as I said her thumbs split at the tip, runs perpendicular to the nail, I end up using paper stitches & a few plasters to try and get it to heal slightly. She could have it on and off for months

emzolita

i have this really bad and the tablet Adalat Retard works brilliant for it, its prescription.
it starts working within 2 days of taking it. and ya only need to take it for the summer months.

Fugly

Hi, I've got advanced primary Raynaurd's disease.
Mainly in hands are cold and painful, my feet are always cold but it doesn't bother me any more. Also my nose I've noticed lately is feeling the effect.

I have problems with my dexterity, typing can be painful or at times not possible.

My consultant has offered to prescribe me meds to help but I'd rather not until nessecary, however I have heard EPA supplements can help. Unfortunately I haven't found any that are veggie. I know I can get the from my normal diet but I think the supplements would be easier.

Anyone here take supplements to help?

IrishHomer

Fugly wrote: »

Hi, I've got advanced primary Raynaurd's disease.
Mainly in hands are cold and painful, my feet are always cold but it doesn't bother me any more. Also my nose I've noticed lately is feeling the effect.

I have problems with my dexterity, typing can be painful or at times not possible.

My consultant has offered to prescribe me meds to help but I'd rather not until nessecary, however I have heard EPA supplements can help. Unfortunately I haven't found any that are veggie. I know I can get the from my normal diet but I think the supplements would be easier.

Anyone here take supplements to help?

Anybody able to answer this?

I amk interested as my 11yr old son has just been diagnosed.

kangaroo

xeroshero wrote: »

Do either of ye have "underlying health problems" that this is a symptom of or is it just something ye have?

I have it as part of M.E. I think if somebody has it, they should get themselves checked for other things.

Fugly wrote:

Anyone here take supplements to help?

I take EPA and Gingko Biloba (might be hard to get the latter in Ireland) which I've heard might help. I take them more for my M.E. Something is helping as I no longer need gloves indoors although still need to wear two pairs of socks indoors during the day and one set for bed. Don't have it as bad as a relative whose feet can turn black.

emzolita

emzolita wrote: »

i have this really bad and the tablet Adalat Retard works brilliant for it, its prescription.
it starts working within 2 days of taking it. and ya only need to take it for the summer months.

only need to take it for the WINTER months, sorry!

pobble

I find the best thing to do is put my hands and feet in warm water till they feel like there warming up then take them out dry them well and layer on the gloves and socks. If they start feeling to warm i can take things off layer by layer till there comfortable.

Graces7

Bad problems here too. Fingers and toes split like sausage skins;)

And as the years pass, feet are more and more painful.

For feet, care is needed re infection always.

There is a danger of gangrene of course. :rolleyes:

It is sometimes a symptom of an auto-immune disease, but not always. I have avoided meds as they have bad side effects.

Just is learning to live with it.

doctorwhogirl

Suffering badly at the moment with my raynauds at the moment- hands numb as I type.

Anybody suffering that could recommend some natural supplements for me! Hands are killing me these days. Was cleaning out the car the other day and the stuff was quite cold; was nearly in tears because of the pain!

biomed32

Not diagnosed but pretty sure I have Reynauds as a result of a heart condition, hands get inexplicably cold when stressed or out in the cold. I wear heavy socks in bed but find gloves during the day little to no help. Do alot of cycling and swimming. The cycling in particular isnt too helpful especially during the winter.
Dexterity isnt too badly effected as I have worked hard on it by doing excercises with my fingers, hands and wrists when they become cold so have developed good dexterity. I find that cuts on my hands and feet tend to heal more slowly and the skin on my hands tends to get dry very easily so use a simple moisturiser.

Mars Bar

Do ye find exercise helps? I haven't been diagnosed with Raynaud's but my feet are always sweaty and cold. My fingers do be cold but nothing at all drastic. Yesterday, I had to go to the gym for an hour and a half to get the blood flowing to my feet. It was the first night in weeks I could sleep without a hot water bottle.

It's probably time I go and see a doctor though.

biomed32

The excercises were not literally for warming up but more so for functionalty which I found worked really well and tend to do it still. My feet are like yours, cold and sweaty, I layer up on socks in bed, a heavy set and now, a pair of slippers, both from penny's usually. The cold feet dont really bother me anymore to be honest, it was always my hands and fingers I was more concerned about a career in science requiring dexterity. I would suggest that if you are concerned, to go see a GP. I as much got the diagnosis from my consultant but never did the tests to confirm.

Mars Bar

It's the fingers that don't bother me as much.

I didn't notice it as much from November last year to August this year because I was doing a full time soccer course so I was exercising in some form or other every day until I got injured.

I HATE sleeping with socks on so it's hot water bottle or grin and bear it for me.

I do volunteer work where I'm out in the cold either on a football pitch coaching or in a stand high up in the stadium and it's uncomfortable getting so cold. Particularly the coaching as it makes kicking a football feel like you're hitting a brick.

I remember being brought to the doctor for chilblains on my toes when I was a teenager. The red itchy skin but cold feet was icky. That was probably a sign...

Mars Bar

My Mam bought me "Cozy Toes" today to keep my feet warm!

trafficlight

Hi, Just looking for some advice. My mother in her 70s has Raynauds and suffers in her toes mostly with it. In the last few days a sore has appeared on one of her toes and now the skin has broke and fluid is seeping out. I am worried that it could get infected.
She is afraid of physically going to a doctors at the moment due to covid but do you think i need to insist she does. Is there any other treatment advice anyone would recommend that has experienced the same.

Many thanks

echo beach

trafficlight wrote: »

Hi, Just looking for some advice. My mother in her 70s has Raynauds and suffers in her toes mostly with it. In the last few days a sore has appeared on one of her toes and now the skin has broke and fluid is seeping out. I am worried that it could get infected.
She is afraid of physically going to a doctors at the moment due to covid but do you think i need to insist she does. Is there any other treatment advice anyone would recommend that has experienced the same.

Many thanks

Most doctors will be happy to look at photos and do a phone or video consultation so she won’t have to go in unless they think it is necessary to see it.