I don't know what ANA is but when I was diagnosed with Raynaud's, they said it was secondary to something but didn't know what. I also have Osteopenia that is secondary and they also don't know to what. The Rheumatologist prescribed Amlodipine the help open the vessels. Seems to help. I was just diagnosed with Common Variable Immune Deficiency and just had my first IVIG treatment on Friday. I always felt lathargic and achy. My IgG, IgA and IgM levels are very low and I had an enlarged spleen (they removed it about a month and a half ago). My doctor said I should notice that my Raynaud symptoms get better with the IVIG. I'm not sure what the connection is but there does seem to be one.

Hi Spirit,
I've had reynauds for about 15 -20 years although i've only known about it for 3 years. I thought it was a touch of frostbite. My Reynauds is secondary to Rheumatoid Arthritis (Which was also diagnosed 3 years ago). I did some research online and read that Reynauds is often an early warning sign of RA or other Auto-immune disorders. so yes I would suggest getting additional screenings.
Good Luck!

I have raynaud's and get similar symptoms as you, red bright hands/b blue and pale, pain and cramp up when I hold things. but I noticed I don't get pains just when it's cold. my doctor told me to cut out decaff and that seems to be helping. I'm also exercising more, and trying to eat a healthy diet. I also have irregular periods, and I asked the net if I could take the contraception pill with but it said no as it causes attacks. I usually have to wait at least 4 months for my period, and when I do get it it is really heavy and painful first few days.

Yes my list includes Autoimmune and related Diseases;
Thyroid, Psoriasis, Fibro (which as yet is not a Immune disease), DDD (not listed yet), Chronic fatigue syndrome(another not yet included), deep vein thrombosis, Vasculitis, Peripheral neuropathy, TN (a inner ear disease) and I am sure I'am missing something....but my ANA are fine....no problem and not all. ANA 's can not always show a Autoimmune Disease. PLEASE WHEN YOU have any test either blood work or a MRI ask for copies, start a journal of how you feel and anything new what you did or ate that day..and ask for all medical records.....

List of Autoimmune and Autoimmune-Related Diseases

Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis (ADEM)
Acute necrotizing hemorrhagic leukoencephalitis
Addison's disease
Agammaglobulinemia
Alopecia areata
Amyloidosis
Ankylosing spondylitis
Anti-GBM/Anti-TBM nephritis
Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS)
Autoimmune angioedema
Autoimmune aplastic anemia
Autoimmune dysautonomia
Autoimmune hepatitis
Autoimmune hyperlipidemia
Autoimmune immunodeficiency
Autoimmune inner ear disease (AIED)
Autoimmune myocarditis
Autoimmune pancreatitis
Autoimmune retinopathy
Autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura (ATP)
Autoimmune thyroid disease
Autoimmune urticaria
Axonal & neuronal neuropathies
Balo disease
Behcets disease
Bullous pemphigoid
Cardiomyopathy
Castleman disease
Celiac disease
Chagas disease
Chronic fatigue syndrome**
Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP)
Chronic recurrent multifocal ostomyelitis (CRMO)
Churg-Strauss syndrome
Cicatricial pemphigoid/benign mucosal pemphigoid
Crohns disease
Cogans syndrome
Cold agglutinin disease
Congenital heart block
Coxsackie myocarditis
CREST disease
Essential mixed cryoglobulinemia
Demyelinating neuropathies
Dermatitis herpetiformis
Dermatomyositis
Devic's disease (neuromyelitis optica)
Discoid lupus
Dresslers syndrome
Endometriosis
Eosinophilic fasciitis
Erythema nodosum
Experimental allergic encephalomyelitis
Evans syndrome
Fibromyalgia**
Fibrosing alveolitis
Giant cell arteritis (temporal arteritis)
Glomerulonephritis
Goodpastures syndrome
Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (GPA) see Wegener's
Graves' disease
Guillain-Barre syndrome
Hashimoto's encephalitis
Hashimotos thyroiditis
Hemolytic anemia
Henoch-Schonlein purpura
Herpes gestationis
Hypogammaglobulinemia
Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP)
IgA nephropathy
IgG4-related sclerosing disease
Immunoregulatory lipoproteins
Inclusion body myositis
Insulin-dependent diabetes (type1)
Interstitial cystitis
Juvenile arthritis
Juvenile diabetes
Kawasaki syndrome
Lambert-Eaton syndrome
Leukocytoclastic vasculitis
Lichen planus
Lichen sclerosus
Ligneous conjunctivitis
Linear IgA disease (LAD)
Lupus (SLE)
Lyme disease, chronic
Menieres disease
Microscopic polyangiitis
Mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD)
Moorens ulcer
Mucha-Habermann disease
Multiple sclerosis
Myasthenia gravis
Myositis
Narcolepsy
Neuromyelitis optica (Devic's)
Neutropenia
Ocular cicatricial pemphigoid
Optic neuritis
Palindromic rheumatism
PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcus)
Paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration
Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH)
Parry Romberg syndrome
Parsonnage-Turner syndrome
Pars planitis (peripheral uveitis)
Pemphigus
Peripheral neuropathy
Perivenous encephalomyelitis
Pernicious anemia
POEMS syndrome
Polyarteritis nodosa
Type I, II, & III autoimmune polyglandular syndromes
Polymyalgia rheumatica
Polymyositis
Postmyocardial infarction syndrome
Postpericardiotomy syndrome
Progesterone dermatitis
Primary biliary cirrhosis
Primary sclerosing cholangitis
Psoriasis
Psoriatic arthritis
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Pyoderma gangrenosum
Pure red cell aplasia
Raynauds phenomenon
Reflex sympathetic dystrophy
Reiters syndrome
Relapsing polychondritis
Restless legs syndrome
Retroperitoneal fibrosis
Rheumatic fever
Rheumatoid arthritis
Sarcoidosis
Schmidt syndrome
Scleritis
Scleroderma
Sjogren's syndrome
Sperm & testicular autoimmunity
Stiff person syndrome
Subacute bacterial endocarditis (SBE)
Susac's syndrome
Sympathetic ophthalmia
Takayasus arteritis
Temporal arteritis/Giant cell arteritis
Thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP)
Tolosa-Hunt syndrome
Transverse myelitis
Ulcerative colitis
Undifferentiated connective tissue disease (UCTD)
Uveitis
Vasculitis
Vesiculobullous dermatosis
Vitiligo
Wegeners granulomatosis (now termed Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (GPA)

The list is long and scary please do not start looking up...talk to your doctor, you best bet is your journal...oh yeah make a list of questions for your doctor...start keeping all records.

Hi guys,

Karen5 ANA is from what I could tell a test of auto-immune system issues such as lupus - which the gp immediately sought to rule out in concern, and thank goodness DiD!

thank-you SO much for your responses. It's nice to know i'm not alone, no one else I know my age at 27 has Raynauds and until the recent result I never really thought of it as secondary to something else.

I am still waiting for my appointment with the Rheumatologist as i'm on a waiting list... a couple of week to go only now and then of course if there are blood tests it will mean waiting on results.

I am a little nervous only because I'm aware i've been pushing away observations of my pain in the past and now I'm more aware of it .. and I'll explain my experiences which I've had on and off for about 6 years now. I love the suggestion of keeping a observation diary and I will use dailystrength for this journal keeping experience and if i've any breakthrough's be sure to update in the hopes of helping others.

Does anyone else with Raynauds experience this?:
My pain radiates sharp and brief, or remains as a dull ache in either fingers, hands, wrists, toes, thigh bones or up my forearms. I don't really notice it anywhere else I don't think.. and the short and sharp win only last's for about four seconds.

As far as the circulation factor goes I noticed a great improvement when having regular sauna's... not to mention the amaZING skin benefits.

I'll update you with my results soon and if anyone finds more info on connections to Raynauds please let me know..

xx.

I just had a thought, is anyone Celiac also? I'm wondering if long term eating gluten with a gluten intolerance has influenced by Raynauds. Who knows...?

Take care guys and God bless you.

Love and peace. Xx.

http://health.msn.com/health-topics/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100234985

an interesting read...

By the way Karen5 I did some research on the Spleen and it seems I have some symptoms of a weaker Spleen - my own analysis by the way and I could be totally off the mark - but i'm not very curious in the spleen. An organ most i'm sure don't put much thought to unless it pops up to say hello!

Can I ask.. how does one care for their spleen.. or what suggestions have they given you in support of no longer having one?..

i mean i've not been very curious about the spleen.. but I am now..

I've had joint pain as well but mostly wrists, elbows, shoulders, knees and ankle. My leg hurts at times too but generally on the left side. I just deal with it for now since so many other things are going on. They thought I might have lymphoma so that is why they decided to take out my spleen (and I was in pain, anemic, and my IgG counts were low.) Ended up being common variable immune deficiency. Its fairly easy to test for and I would highly suggest it for anyone that gets sick a lot be it sinus infections, ear infections, pneumonia, bronchitis. Its SO nice to finally know!! They tested me for lupus, celiac disease, rheumatiod (sp?) arthritis and everything came back negative.

I know for me I am 45+ and have had Raynaud's since I experienced major trauma to my body 15 yrs ago..have tried every possible remedy and it is a PIA all year round but not as much as in the colder months. I was lethargic, always achy and the purple colors were quiet scary looking. Even in the summer my toes were turning purple!!! I was embarrassed to wear my flip flops. Last winter I experienced a blister that went so deep that took months to heal like a diabetic would and I don't have diabetes!!! Changed some radical things on a healthier level and I can't believe the results. Was tested for secondary but nothing else showed up thankgod!!!

Check out the immune disorder Scleroderma..as Raynauds is one of its symptoms.

I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis 2 years ago and just several weeks ago with Raynauds. This pain is killing me! I posted about what I am going through because it's even hard for me to stand for any length of time or walk because my feet hurt so much! Raynauds is secondary to RA...so I hear! Hope this helps!

HI, I just neeed to talk.. I have seen 5 doctors in 4 years and still cant get a dignosis.
I went to a Podiatris in dec 2011- he said acute Raynauds and had for a very long time...
Yes, on 25 pills a day for pain, I have some pallor on my hands & feet but no bad changes,,cant walk very farf as like walking on glass, syptoms have got worse such as hair falling out, sore throat, nails, stiffness. I have had campdodactly since my teens and tgey say it is that only,,,,I have been on adolodipine? in dec and pain has changed to tempeture..but before that was consant numbe, dull ache in hands and feet - very bad...thanks for any advised,,,M

Hi Goldie - I haven't been on here for awhile and just saw your last post. I'm so sorry to hear that you are in so much pain and hope that you are doing better. My best advise is to be your own advocate. I was told my Reynaud's was secondary but they didn't know to what. My osteopenia was secondary but they didn't know to what either. None of those doctors even thought twice to try and figure it out. After many years and new symptoms, I finally found a doctor's who took the time and finally diagnosed me with the common variable immune deficiency. I now keep a 3 ring "Medical Records" binder with dividers. I have it set up as test findings, bloodwork/lab work, dr's notes but you can tab it however you feel best. I tell you that it is SO much easier to keep track of things and when I walk into an office they listen. I have received many comments that they wish more patients would do this. I've been told to keep a journal tracking how I feel on a day to day basis but I haven't mastered this task yet. Hope this helps just a little and I'll be praying for you.