MCTD Support Group

Mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) or Sharp's syndrome is a human autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the body. MCTD combines features of polymyositis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and systemic scleroderma and is thus considered an overlap syndrome. MCTD commonly causes joint pain/swelling, Raynaud phenomenon, muscle inflammation, and scarring of...

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/ MCTD Support Group

Raynauds

tammib
tammib
I am having Raynauds symptoms most of the time lately. One of my fingers is infected so it is hot, but the others are hard to get warm. It's getting to be a drag sitting on my hands all the time. Any secret remedies?
brunob
brunob
I used to use those hot things that hunters use, they last about 6-7 hours at a time. I kept them in pockets and I could hold them we I needed too. One year I bought a small case of them and had a pack in every coat to use if I needed them.
deleted_user
deleted_user
I second brunob's advice -- those thing are wonderful. I also want to add that it helps to keep your core temperature warm. So making sure you're dressed warmly -- often that might mean a hat to keep your body heat in helps to keep your extremities warmer.
But if you are getting true digital ulcers and infections from that then you need to get to your doc ASAP. You don't want to lose any fingers.
Does your Rheumy know you have an infection? People with MCTD and severe Raynaud's can lose fingertips if gangrene sets in. If your Raynaud's is that bad there is medication that your doc can put you on.
I have some mild erythromyalgia symptoms sometimes along with my MCTD. One day it freaked my husband and I out when 1 finger was red and hot and the 3 others were blue and cold. But the red hot I had was definitely not an infection.
deleted_user
deleted_user
I take Nifidepine for my Raynauds, and pretty much year round b/c the air conditioning in the summer sets it off, too (90 mg in winter, 60 mg in summer). You definitely need to have your finger looked at, I've heard some pretty freaky things. i cut my finger cutting up fruit & it was turning gray & no feeling in it. I went to the urgent care thinking they would need to cut some tissue off, but the ER doc thought it looked fine. I feel like an idiot now, but I don't think he grasped my concern with Raynauds. So I have some piece of mind but will keep an eye on it. I do use the hand warmers when I'm going to be out in the wintertime, and have TONS of ski socks for my feet. Good luck!
auggie70
auggie70
I was able to buy electric heating pads that were made for hands , I bought them from a spa they used them on hands and had special ones for feet she sold me a pair for 35.00 when i had a sore I did a hot bath and an hour of heat treatment , it worked good luck they are very painful I protect my hands ever since i had that ulcer. Def get on meds if you have raynauds that bad!!