← Return to Raynaud's Syndrome: Anyone want to talk about Raynaud’s?

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@andigreeneyes

I have had Raynaud's for 30 years and would suggest first getting a complete autoimmune workup by a rheumatologist. There are medications that may help. Here are a few things I have found helpful over the years:
1. Don't ignore it when your fingers start to turn colors (white, especially). You need to warm your hands under very warm/hot water until the color returns. This is because the blood flow is leaving your fingers and you could have tissue damage if you don't warm them up.
2. If your fingers are cold GLOVES DO NOT WARM THEM UP! You need to ADD HEAT with hand warmers or semi-hot water until the blood returns, THEN put on gloves. Gloves are for keeping the heat in once your fingers return to normal color. Even the heated gloves usually don't work if your fingers are white/purple.
3. Buy plenty of disposable hand warmers and keep them with you at all times (purse, pockets, car). I buy them by the case. Try to keep your hands from attacks by wearing hand warmers in your gloves/mittens or opening a pack and putting them in your pockets before they turn colors.
4. Most likely your toes have Raynauds, too which you may not be aware of. Buy toe warmers for your "little piggies".
5. Yes, you need hand-warmers even when it's hot outside. Raynaud's is most often triggered by a temperature change and when you go into an air conditioned environment, it will trigger an attack.
6. Be pro-active. Before you go out into the cold, put your gloves on. Before you go into a cold environment (air conditioned movie theater) put your gloves on.
Hope this helps!

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Replies to "I have had Raynaud's for 30 years and would suggest first getting a complete autoimmune workup..."

I also buy handwarmers by the case from Costco. The pain when my hands get cold is unbearable, so I put the small, disposable hand warmer packets (which you have to activate by squeezing) right inside of my thick mittens before a dog walk. I remember once being in so much pain when walking my son around on Halloween years ago that I scavenged plastic newspaper sleeves from junk newspapers lying on neighbors’ lawns to put on my hands — a good fix in an emergency when the pain is unbearable and the weather turns unexpectedly cold. It looked but it was Halloween so no one noticed!