Raynaud's Disease Support Group

I'm sorry to read that you guys seem to be uncomfortably cold most of the time! I think my body temp may be a little low compared to most people, unverified by my doctor, my regular as I've checked is in the 97 range. Sometimes I just feel too hot, and that makes me panic. I've gotten used to the fact that I'm always cold, and I definitely prefer it to being overly warm. I like to keep a light blanket when I'm on the couch, and I ALWAYS sleep with my comforter in the summer, more in the winter, but my feet have to be outside of the blanket to keep me regulated.

Maybe that's wierd, but that's just me ;-)

hi,thekrazee, no it's not weird at rimes i have my feet outside,but othertmes they have two pairs of sock and i'm covered like acocoon! and yes hives i got them so bad they looked like belt welts the school had to call children services my parents had to prove to them that it was a medical problem. I can't win in summer or winter,winter because of cold summer because of fibro and fans and airconitioners. Sence it's getting cooler and i'm off all meds , i'm getting hives on legs arms elbows and fingers

Hi, I also have had this for as long as I can remember, must not be as bad as some here because I don't have a lot of problems with it. Once my hands or feet start to turn white, the only thing I can do is put them in warm (not hot!) water for awhile until it reverses. I try to avoid it by recognizing situations where it often happens and finding ways to head it off. For example when I drive to work in the cold weather, I carry a cup of coffee in a stainless steel thermos cup, it stays warm enough for me to keep my fingers from turning numb. At work if the room is chilly I keep making cups of herb tea - more to hold onto than for drinking! I have gotten some warm shoes and don't worry about being fashionable. So, I am dealing with it OK. My daughter also has it, and I think she manages pretty well.

I used to always wonder in high school, why my feet turned completely numb in the cold weather and felt like rocks until I went home and put them in a warm bath. It was the Raynaud's, made worse by the fact that I wore nylons and skimpy shoes. Now I don't care what my shoes look like as long as my feet keep their feeling!

I was watching mystery diagnosis last night when it prompted me to get more info. The man on he show was eventually diagnosed with Burgers disease and when I looked it up, Raynauds came up.
About 15 or so years ago, I experienced my first symtoms that I can recall, I'm sure it's happened before but this is the one I recall.
I used to ski, mountain bike etc and during one winter after a ski trip I had a hard time warming up my feet. During skiing my toes would become so numb that I had to stop and feet warmers did nothing. This one night with my feet bright red and numb and painful I tried everything to warm them up. It actually took days and eventually got back to normal. I did smoke then but 12 years ago I quit. I experienced the sensation on and off since then but in 2006 while at work, my toes turned blue. I went to a dr. who sent me to a dermatogist who then sent me to the ER. After 3 days in the hospital and every type of test you can imagine including a cold emersion study, it came back nothing. A rhumatologist spoke to me and I mentioned Raynauds and she said its possible but I would have to see her in her office. I got annoyed, since I was already there why couldn't she just evaluate me then? I was discharged and my feet were okay.
My feet and hand get cold very easily as does my nose! Since that episode, I've experienced these cold spells periodically and when the blue color comes it seems to be isolated to the smaller toes, not my big toe and foot like the last time.
It happened again last night, when I was watching that show(oddly)I'm under a great deal of stress right now and unfortunately, 2 months ago I started smoking again. I didn't contribute the smoking the they situation because I had been smoke free for 12 years and still had the sensations.
So, other than wearing multiple layers of sox and keeping my hands warm what else can I do? I'm taking medication for other things and don't want to take anything else or any drug that will interract with what I currently take.
Are there andy herbal supplements that help?
Any advice would be appreciated!

I have had raynauds for many years.For over a year now I have been waking up numerous times a night with excruciating pain and numbness in hands. I started on a BP med for this called novo-amlodipine 5mg 5 days ago and it has made the world of difference. hugs marilyn