Reynauds - question.....

[jumpthemoon]

I've just seen someone mention this in another post and googled it as I have problems with my hands and I don't know what causes it. I wondered if it could be Reynauds - what do you think? Symptoms below...

Finger (any finger) suddenly swells up and is extremely painful for no apparent reason
Remains swollen for an hour or so
As the swelling goes down it turns blue/purple
Once blue, it's like the circulation has been cut off - extremely sensitive to heat/cold and also numb, especially at the finger tip if it's the whole finger (sometimes it's just patches).

What do you think? Does it sound like it could be Reynauds?

 

[Double_choc_lab]

I thought with Reynauds the fingers/toes went deathly white as the circulation is so reduced. That's what happens with me. what you descrivbe sounds a bit like something I had two days ago - one finger became very blue and swollen - just like a little blood vessel had broken which is what I assumed it was.

Haynet - as we're in the wrong forum.

 

[MardyMare]

Was it Madz (another HHO) that posted? Ask her - she suffers with it. I dont really know anything about it but know it can be really painful. x

 

[Vicki_Krystal]

yup.

I get all those symptoms but without the swelling.
Pain in the arse in the winter - i never leave the house without gloves - ever.
Seems to keep it at bay - but if i even remove them for a minute one finger will go deadly white, then blue and numb - followed by my hands going red / purple.
My doc did say to try asprin as its a blood flow problem but it doesnt make an awfullot of difference.

 

[Spudlet]

It could be - I think the symptoms can vary.

Go and see your GP, they will be a much better source of information and can advise you on what to do for the best

 

[jumpthemoon]

Thanks guys I'll mention it to my GP next time I go in. I have mentioned it before but was told unless they could see it happening it was impossible to diagnose. Maybe I'll find a more helpful doctor!

 

[Spudlet]

You could try taking phone pics of the offending digits?

 

[SpruceRI]

My Mum had Raynauds disease and found these people very helpful especially in diagnosis, as like your Doctors, hers poo-pooed her self diagnosis and started her off on diuretic tablets!

http://www.raynauds.org.uk/

She had it mainly in her fingers. They swelled, went white cold and rigid. And were agony as they 'thawed' out. She wore battery operated heated gloves and stayed indoors as much as possible.

 

[loopyloop]

I know, I know, I have the answer!!

You're just a weirdo!!!

If your fingers drop off can I have Canto?

 

[nicnag]

I have pretty severe Reynauds, I'm on vasodilators to try and improve things but they give me stonking headaches so not much help! Mine shows itself at any time of year but right now I'm really struggling. I lose all the blood in my hands and feet will go completely blue/white. Dead people have better circulation! The mildest I'll see will be orangey patches on the skin. At it's asolute worse it affected from my finger tips to above my wrists and above my ankle, nose and ears weren't great either! Took a long time (hours!) before it came back to normal. I once made the mistake of going into a warm shower - not advisable! I'm a pretty advanced case but have suffered since early teens. Until it gets quite bad you'll probably just be advised to keep your hands warm and dry and to avoid the temptation to run your hands under warm water!

 

[kerilli]

jumpthemoon, that sounds like early symptoms of frostbite, maybe. i'd recommend better gloves, a warmer core (so extremities don't lose so much blood supply), and warming hands up gradually.
A good friend has Reynaulds, her fingers go icy white like nicnag's.

 

[Firehorse]

hi, i hve raynauds disease. i was diagnosed about 3 weeks ago. it all started last year. i was feeling the cold in my whole body to the extreme, couldnt get warm whatever i did or wore. my fingers and toes would go numb and then very very painful. i ignored it just thinking it was because it was extra cold so wore two pairs of gloves and socks to try to stop it, but it didnt.

this year i went to the doctor in september because i couldnt bare to hve the pain again. i hadnt noticed my fingers changing colour because of wearing gloves, but from the symptoms, he knew what it was. i have since noticed that not just my fingers and toes go white, but my whole hand and foot can go white and quite blotchy. the doctor said that the white/red/blue is the text book description of the disease but it can show itself in many ways. (i saw another doctor who said it could not be Raynauds because i didnt get the white/red/blue thing, so watch out as not all doctors are fully aware of the disease.)

now, there are 2 types of raynauds, primary and secondary. primary is referred to as disease as nothing else causes it, then there is secondary, referred to as phenomenon, which is caused by other illnesses, usually immune related. i had to have a blood test to rule out things like auto-immune disease and arthritis. so, i hve primary. no known cause, no known cure. i hve been put onto Nifedipine tablets which havent totally stopped it, but i only get a really painful attack in my hands about once a week rather than everyday, altho i still am constantly frozen and my toes go numb and feel like ice.

its worth you having a chat with your doctor about it as it could well be raynauds. its also meant to be hereditary, i've just found out my uncle has it and my dad has it mildly.

this is what my hands looked like after being cold all evening and then rinsing my hands after brushing my teeth and that is quite mild!

i hate having raynauds and am struggling to get used to the fact i hve it. i've waited 25 yrs for my own horse, having worked with them for yrs too. now i hve my own, this horrid thing is plaguing my enjoyment of him. i cried all last night because i didnt ride him as i couldnt bare the cold. its no fun

anyway, hope ur keeping warm and get sorted out x

 

[jumpthemoon]

Wow - lots of replies!

Loopyloop - you are welcome to Canto, I'm sure you'd soon send him back though

I'll do some more research and next time it happens I'll take some pics to show you. It's weird because it can be just a finger joint or whole finger or a part of my hand that really hurts then swells and goes blue. I do really struggle riding in the cold but I've got gloves and I alternate sitting on my hands to warm them up

The rest of me is usually fine in the cold - my head is nice and warm in my wooly hat, feet toasty in new bargain warm boots - I'm too hot at the mo if it goes below about -2 degrees! Just my fingers that get very cold and painful

Kerilli thanks for the post but I don't think it's frostbite - the fingers go really hot to start with - boiling (well not quite!) then the blue is like a really dark blue/purple/green bruise as opposed to the manky frostbite colour (having googled it!), that's when they go cold. It's almost like something 'pops' inside and cuts off the circulation.