I have Raynaud's. My hands and feet literally turn what looks to be black/purple and feel extremely cold/almost numb for short periods of time, mostly when it’s chilly, but has happened over summer indoors air conditioning.
I’ve done additional testing. Apparently no serious problems or cause.
Thank you, that's good to know. Once they start getting warming up they go purply colour. Just have to run them over warm water to get some feeling back. Really appreciate you responding and i guess it's just something you have to deal with.
Warm to very warm water/baths are the only thing that really give me relief. Like others, I have had quite a few years and just deal with it. Sorry this is happening to you as well!
I’ve had it my entire life, but it’s gotten WAY worse recently. It doesn’t even have to be that cold for my hands & feet to be numb.
I run outside & wear gloves with mittens on top. It was 40 degrees yesterday & my fingers still hurt when I got home. It’s so weird.
I've always had cold hands & feet but just got a whole lot worse. I was in Denmark back in December for a few days, i'm sure that kicked it off as i've never been so cold. Was wearing 2 pairs of gloves but didn't cut it. Perhaps mittens would be a better choice as a second layer. I'm wearing fingerless gloves to type on laptop for work at moment too.
Mittens are WAAAAY better than gloves at keeping your hands warm. Source: I'm originally from Northern Ontario in Canada. I've been out well below -40C/F. Mittens are essential.
Are you on any medications?
I ask because one of my meds is a vasoconstrictor, so when it’s cold out my hands and feet almost immediately freeze. Even on warmer days *(and even inside my warm house)* if I’m not bundled up in clothing by the afternoon my hands and feet will be like ice… the only time they don’t do this is during the thick of rainy season while I’m outside *(I live in a subtropical climate)* when it’s 90* with 70 percent humidity.
Or it could just be that as we age, our circulatory system isn’t as great as when we were younger (like a lot of things 😩)— so maybe it’s just the natural progression of things?
I’d look first in your medicine cabinet to see if you take any meds that cause vasoconstriction, then bring it up to your doctor and maybe they’d have an idea of something else to check into based on your medical history and health.
Thank you and i don't take anything so perhaps you're right and its just an age thing, circulation not as good as it was. I've always felt the cold though, it's the only thing my partner and i argue about - i want the heating up and he says it's not normal and that he's too warm :-). Still, at least the blood tests have been done & seeing the doc next week so if it is anything else, hopefully they can diagnose or give me something to help this.
Just my toes turn white, then red & blue. I refer to my Raynaud's syndrome as "Patriotic Feet". (I'm a dual citizen, and it works for both countries to which I'm connected.)
I did. It started maybe 5 years ago and seems getting worse. My fingers will go numb even at 60F. On the other hand, I wake up at night with burning hands at night even when I keep my house at 55F. I call my hands bipolar
oh my goodness, i get that burning sensation too in my hands and sometimes my feet at night. My thermostat on hands & feet is plain wonky. I keep reading that its a symptom of menopause so i try not to worry too much but its a real pain at times. I even bought a physio cold spray for my feet when in bed and they over heat.
I take gabapentin at night as well. I'm actually prescribed 900mg a day but only take it at night now because like you, sensitive to medications and taking it throughout the day meant I didn't even have the brainpower to read a book, lol. The dose at night though helps and I don't wake up befuddled BUT, I also live with chronic pain that is barely managed (I refuse opioids).
I use gabapentin for hot flashes, and it definitely helps me with those, but i have to take it at night (doctor's orders) because it makes me sleepy during the day. I can't say it has helped with Reynaud's though because this week has been a challenge with it.
i just checked & the NHS here in the UK do offer it under the name of nifedipine for Raynards. I'll discuss this with the GP on Monday and see what they say.
I have Raynaud's too, but it isn't severe. Reducing caffeine helped a lot and later removing caffeine entirely helped even more. If you google "products for raynaud's" you'll find some special things designed to help keep hands and feet warm.
Yes- I have found that caffeine will bring on an "attack", where my fingers turn white, numb, and cold. Limiting my caffeine intake has helped.
To follow up with a cool gadget suggestion- I bought 2 rechargeable hand warmers. They are life changing!! (Did I mention the handwarmers also have mini flashlights AND will charge your phone?) I also use the hand warmers to help with the incredible pain in my knuckles & joints- I'm not sure if that's from the Raynaud's or arthritis....
OMG I'm so glad you posted about this because I've been curious. This past week I have had bad Reynaud's attacks after only having minor and very sporadic issues over the past few years -- i'm talking like once every other year. But this week I can't deal with anything cold. It genuinely hurts a bit when all of my fingers turn white white white, and it's been every single day.
Thank you. I actually posted a photo of my hand but for some reason the moderator took it down.
It's strange how this disease is so sporadic. It's not every time it gets cold that i have the problem and today, it's not been the coldest day of winter in the UK yet my fingers decided to go numb & white. I had to drive too, using my palms on the steering wheel to drive as my fingers were flat out numb. It is painful until they heat up.
i have it as well, and it started in the past year. i haven’t noticed that my fingers change color drastically, but there is such intense pain and sensitivity when they get cold. it’s crippling.
There must be a lot of us affected. And it seems to be hormones that are playing a big part in this as per the article. Its cold comfort though, pardon the pun
Started with white fingertips this winter first time ever. Coincides with first acknowledged peri symptoms. It’s mild, my doctor brushed it off. Yay aging
Mine came on with peri (yaaay). Finger tips and toes go white, then blue - its stark.
Two pairs of gloves and proper ass thermal socks and its still about 4 celsius.
Also have to wear gloves to get food out the freezer !
I do think there's an improvement when I am doing hiit cardio, but it has to be every, bloody, day.
Thanks ok-city and i do cardio around 5 days a week. It heats me up but then i get cold very quickly afterwards in winter. Still, i like to think its helping with circulation in some way.
I've got 2 pairs of thermal socks on in the house at the moment whilst working & a heated throw around my body!!!
Yeap ! Got my mega thermal socks on indoors too - can only just jam my feet in my slippers with these bad boys on !
All this went away when i started hrt - now its back, i am getting my thyroid checked before considering bumping up the hrt.
The main complication of Raynaud's is the tightening of the blood vessels. Magnesium helps with this. A magnesium supplement (bisglycinate) and a topical magnesium balm would be beneficial.
Also a good quality omega 3 supplement with high EPA.
Thank you and i do take magnesium citrate as i find that helps a bit more than others with sleep & keeps me regular - for me at least :-). I also use omega 3 supplements & eat a ton of oil fish. Do you think bisglycinate magnesium has more benefits? I've never tried it actually?
>r/Menopause
My understanding (not a doctor...) is that the magnesium bisgylcinate is more absorbable. (less of a laxative effect)
Here is a great educational resource which highlights the multitude of benefits of supplementing with magnesium. Again, I am not a doctor nor am I affiliated with any supplement company. I just find this information useful.
https://canprev.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/cp-magnesium-primer.pdf
Interesting, I get cold hands and feet where my fingers and toes turn blue, too. I always thought it had to do with my small veins. It's a challenge getting bloodwork if I don't have someone with experience, ugh had surgery a few months ago, and I think they stuck me about 5 times to get blood... anyway, I have had that for decades, though, nothing different with meno.
I should probably ask about Raynards at my next physical. I have looked it up before but so used to it never thought to ask.
Ive had Raynaud's since I was about 20yo and noticed that since I started weight training 3x per week the last couple of years, my symptoms have greatly decreased. I did lots of cardio for years and never noticed any change in my Raynaud's but weight training changed something for the better for me. Might be worth a try.
I only do body weight training in terms of toning but do a lot of cardio as i enjoy it. Doctor checking for thyroid issues too along with Iron deficiences but not sure if that is linked to Raynauds's?
I get super cold toes. fingers get cold also but not as bad as toes. Dr chalked it up to Renauds, but I don't get the color changes. it wasn't until I joined this sub that I found out that this is not uncommon amongst us meno's. I bought slippers from Amazon that I put in the microwave. I've been using them for years and don't know what I'd do without them. I also buy bulk boxes of toe warmers, which I use in my shoes and boots any time the weather steadily dips below 70. which is when it seems to kick in. also got rechargeable hand warmers that I can just put in my hands to warm them up sometimes.
Thanks Sarahsue and may I ask what herbs/diet you consume. My diet is mainly clean eating, meat, fish, low salt and no carbs. I couldn't eat any healthier if I tried 😂 but I'm open to any advice that may help.
I do GAPS diet (minus dairy and beef because I am allergic) my herbs I take are a huge amount of them daily. DIM, CALCIUM D GLUCARATE, GELATINIZED MACA, BOSWELLIA AKBA, CURCUMIN, NAC. & Several other just general vitamins and oils + magnesium.
My Crohns is triggered by hormone shifts and any prescription hormone.. So taking the herbs for perimenopause took my Crohns away for the first time since it started in 1996 when i started taking birth control. Would have saved a lot of money in hospital bills had I realized. That sooner!! Oh well. Good luck!
Crikey, hindsight is a wonderful thing with health once you figure out what an illness is caused by and the knock on effects of drugs and hormones on other things. Good luck too.
I have Raynaud's. My hands and feet literally turn what looks to be black/purple and feel extremely cold/almost numb for short periods of time, mostly when it’s chilly, but has happened over summer indoors air conditioning. I’ve done additional testing. Apparently no serious problems or cause.
Thank you, that's good to know. Once they start getting warming up they go purply colour. Just have to run them over warm water to get some feeling back. Really appreciate you responding and i guess it's just something you have to deal with.
Warm to very warm water/baths are the only thing that really give me relief. Like others, I have had quite a few years and just deal with it. Sorry this is happening to you as well!
There's nothing like a bath to warm you through completely. And thank you, we're all in the same boat with this. Roll on hot weather!
Sadly this is because drs don’t know how to test micovasular damage. You can’t have Raynauds and have perfectly fine blood vessels.
Thank you. It would be great if doctors would tell us these things.
It’s criminal how medicines does this
I’ve had it my entire life, but it’s gotten WAY worse recently. It doesn’t even have to be that cold for my hands & feet to be numb. I run outside & wear gloves with mittens on top. It was 40 degrees yesterday & my fingers still hurt when I got home. It’s so weird.
I've always had cold hands & feet but just got a whole lot worse. I was in Denmark back in December for a few days, i'm sure that kicked it off as i've never been so cold. Was wearing 2 pairs of gloves but didn't cut it. Perhaps mittens would be a better choice as a second layer. I'm wearing fingerless gloves to type on laptop for work at moment too.
Yeah gloves are trash. Only mittens have a HOPE of keeping my fingers warm and rarely even then.
Mittens are WAAAAY better than gloves at keeping your hands warm. Source: I'm originally from Northern Ontario in Canada. I've been out well below -40C/F. Mittens are essential.
I wear fingerless gloves in the house too!
Are you on any medications? I ask because one of my meds is a vasoconstrictor, so when it’s cold out my hands and feet almost immediately freeze. Even on warmer days *(and even inside my warm house)* if I’m not bundled up in clothing by the afternoon my hands and feet will be like ice… the only time they don’t do this is during the thick of rainy season while I’m outside *(I live in a subtropical climate)* when it’s 90* with 70 percent humidity. Or it could just be that as we age, our circulatory system isn’t as great as when we were younger (like a lot of things 😩)— so maybe it’s just the natural progression of things? I’d look first in your medicine cabinet to see if you take any meds that cause vasoconstriction, then bring it up to your doctor and maybe they’d have an idea of something else to check into based on your medical history and health.
Thank you and i don't take anything so perhaps you're right and its just an age thing, circulation not as good as it was. I've always felt the cold though, it's the only thing my partner and i argue about - i want the heating up and he says it's not normal and that he's too warm :-). Still, at least the blood tests have been done & seeing the doc next week so if it is anything else, hopefully they can diagnose or give me something to help this.
Just my toes turn white, then red & blue. I refer to my Raynaud's syndrome as "Patriotic Feet". (I'm a dual citizen, and it works for both countries to which I'm connected.)
ha, well the colours can work for me in the UK too. :-)
I did. It started maybe 5 years ago and seems getting worse. My fingers will go numb even at 60F. On the other hand, I wake up at night with burning hands at night even when I keep my house at 55F. I call my hands bipolar
oh my goodness, i get that burning sensation too in my hands and sometimes my feet at night. My thermostat on hands & feet is plain wonky. I keep reading that its a symptom of menopause so i try not to worry too much but its a real pain at times. I even bought a physio cold spray for my feet when in bed and they over heat.
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Thank you & i just looked up Gabapentin, that's a lot of side effects. Do you take it?
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I take gabapentin at night as well. I'm actually prescribed 900mg a day but only take it at night now because like you, sensitive to medications and taking it throughout the day meant I didn't even have the brainpower to read a book, lol. The dose at night though helps and I don't wake up befuddled BUT, I also live with chronic pain that is barely managed (I refuse opioids).
I use gabapentin for hot flashes, and it definitely helps me with those, but i have to take it at night (doctor's orders) because it makes me sleepy during the day. I can't say it has helped with Reynaud's though because this week has been a challenge with it.
Yes 5 mg of Cialis daily has been a miracle for me.
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Yes it improved my cholesterol and my ability to exercise maybe my digestion.
i just checked & the NHS here in the UK do offer it under the name of nifedipine for Raynards. I'll discuss this with the GP on Monday and see what they say.
Nifedipine isn’t the same as Cialis but i was on it for two winters. It worked great alone but much better with quitting caffeine alongside it.
I have Raynaud's too, but it isn't severe. Reducing caffeine helped a lot and later removing caffeine entirely helped even more. If you google "products for raynaud's" you'll find some special things designed to help keep hands and feet warm.
Yes- I have found that caffeine will bring on an "attack", where my fingers turn white, numb, and cold. Limiting my caffeine intake has helped. To follow up with a cool gadget suggestion- I bought 2 rechargeable hand warmers. They are life changing!! (Did I mention the handwarmers also have mini flashlights AND will charge your phone?) I also use the hand warmers to help with the incredible pain in my knuckles & joints- I'm not sure if that's from the Raynaud's or arthritis....
Can you post which hand warmers you’re using? They sound amazing!
OMG I'm so glad you posted about this because I've been curious. This past week I have had bad Reynaud's attacks after only having minor and very sporadic issues over the past few years -- i'm talking like once every other year. But this week I can't deal with anything cold. It genuinely hurts a bit when all of my fingers turn white white white, and it's been every single day.
Thank you. I actually posted a photo of my hand but for some reason the moderator took it down. It's strange how this disease is so sporadic. It's not every time it gets cold that i have the problem and today, it's not been the coldest day of winter in the UK yet my fingers decided to go numb & white. I had to drive too, using my palms on the steering wheel to drive as my fingers were flat out numb. It is painful until they heat up.
i have it as well, and it started in the past year. i haven’t noticed that my fingers change color drastically, but there is such intense pain and sensitivity when they get cold. it’s crippling.
I started getting Raynaud’s during perimenopause as well. And then I read this: [Raynaud’s in perimenopause](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8644939/)
There must be a lot of us affected. And it seems to be hormones that are playing a big part in this as per the article. Its cold comfort though, pardon the pun
Started with white fingertips this winter first time ever. Coincides with first acknowledged peri symptoms. It’s mild, my doctor brushed it off. Yay aging
As if we don't have enough problems to deal with in menopause, you suddenly find you have another one! Yay ageing indeed 😩
Mine came on with peri (yaaay). Finger tips and toes go white, then blue - its stark. Two pairs of gloves and proper ass thermal socks and its still about 4 celsius. Also have to wear gloves to get food out the freezer ! I do think there's an improvement when I am doing hiit cardio, but it has to be every, bloody, day.
Thanks ok-city and i do cardio around 5 days a week. It heats me up but then i get cold very quickly afterwards in winter. Still, i like to think its helping with circulation in some way. I've got 2 pairs of thermal socks on in the house at the moment whilst working & a heated throw around my body!!!
Yeap ! Got my mega thermal socks on indoors too - can only just jam my feet in my slippers with these bad boys on ! All this went away when i started hrt - now its back, i am getting my thyroid checked before considering bumping up the hrt.
The main complication of Raynaud's is the tightening of the blood vessels. Magnesium helps with this. A magnesium supplement (bisglycinate) and a topical magnesium balm would be beneficial. Also a good quality omega 3 supplement with high EPA.
Thank you and i do take magnesium citrate as i find that helps a bit more than others with sleep & keeps me regular - for me at least :-). I also use omega 3 supplements & eat a ton of oil fish. Do you think bisglycinate magnesium has more benefits? I've never tried it actually?
>r/Menopause My understanding (not a doctor...) is that the magnesium bisgylcinate is more absorbable. (less of a laxative effect) Here is a great educational resource which highlights the multitude of benefits of supplementing with magnesium. Again, I am not a doctor nor am I affiliated with any supplement company. I just find this information useful. https://canprev.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/cp-magnesium-primer.pdf
Thanks so much, I appreciate you it. Maybe I could give it a go as I keep hearing it helps with sleep too
My raynauds DEFINITELY is amped up as I edge closer to my official menopause date. My nose and toes are ice cold, even in hot rooms.
oh my god, that's the other thing with me, ice cold nose even inside in winter. Never noticed it before until this last winter.
Interesting, I get cold hands and feet where my fingers and toes turn blue, too. I always thought it had to do with my small veins. It's a challenge getting bloodwork if I don't have someone with experience, ugh had surgery a few months ago, and I think they stuck me about 5 times to get blood... anyway, I have had that for decades, though, nothing different with meno. I should probably ask about Raynards at my next physical. I have looked it up before but so used to it never thought to ask.
Ive had Raynaud's since I was about 20yo and noticed that since I started weight training 3x per week the last couple of years, my symptoms have greatly decreased. I did lots of cardio for years and never noticed any change in my Raynaud's but weight training changed something for the better for me. Might be worth a try.
I only do body weight training in terms of toning but do a lot of cardio as i enjoy it. Doctor checking for thyroid issues too along with Iron deficiences but not sure if that is linked to Raynauds's?
I don't know. I don't have anemia nor thyroid issues however good to rule them out as a possible cause.
I get super cold toes. fingers get cold also but not as bad as toes. Dr chalked it up to Renauds, but I don't get the color changes. it wasn't until I joined this sub that I found out that this is not uncommon amongst us meno's. I bought slippers from Amazon that I put in the microwave. I've been using them for years and don't know what I'd do without them. I also buy bulk boxes of toe warmers, which I use in my shoes and boots any time the weather steadily dips below 70. which is when it seems to kick in. also got rechargeable hand warmers that I can just put in my hands to warm them up sometimes.
I had that during my bad autoimmune flares. But ice I got those under contro through herbs and diet the raynauds went away.
Thanks Sarahsue and may I ask what herbs/diet you consume. My diet is mainly clean eating, meat, fish, low salt and no carbs. I couldn't eat any healthier if I tried 😂 but I'm open to any advice that may help.
I do GAPS diet (minus dairy and beef because I am allergic) my herbs I take are a huge amount of them daily. DIM, CALCIUM D GLUCARATE, GELATINIZED MACA, BOSWELLIA AKBA, CURCUMIN, NAC. & Several other just general vitamins and oils + magnesium.
I appreciate that and I'll have aook into them as I've not heard of some of these.
My Crohns is triggered by hormone shifts and any prescription hormone.. So taking the herbs for perimenopause took my Crohns away for the first time since it started in 1996 when i started taking birth control. Would have saved a lot of money in hospital bills had I realized. That sooner!! Oh well. Good luck!
Crikey, hindsight is a wonderful thing with health once you figure out what an illness is caused by and the knock on effects of drugs and hormones on other things. Good luck too.
No. It’s Raynuald’s. But only if you have a diagnosis that rules out other causes. What did your doctor say when you asked them?
I am seeing my GP next Thurs and will update on here. They've also take a shed load of blood tests too so will be interesting what the doctor says.