Raynauld's disease-numb fingers/toes

[makbike]

I was initially diagnosed with this but it turned out to be thyroid disease (hypo). You might have your thyroid levels checked.

[ginny]

I have it too! I didn't know I had it until I was about 26. I moved to Co from Fl. I have found (through many self experiments - I'm a scientist, what can I say), that if I keep my core warm, I'm okay. I haven't had the horrible pain in the fingers/toes in a couple of years... I hear women are 30% more likely to have it than men...and it gets worse as one gets older.... that's my two cents...

[Tuckervill]

That keeping the core warm, thing....I don't think that applies to my son. He developed the symptoms when he was three. Both of the worst times resulted in screaming fits and bright red fingers or toes.

The first time we walked around our yard, through the wet grass in early October to pick the last of the tomatoes. He had just come out the front door from inside the house, and had not been outside at all. His core had to be warm. It was probably about 55 degrees outside, cool but not cold, but the grass was chilly. By the time he got to the side of the house, literally 20 feet from the door, he was screaming about his toes. Serious screaming, with tears on his cheeks, like someone stuck him with a pin. (He wasn't a crier, so this was unusual.)

The second time we were in Indianapolis, and it was 5 degrees outside. We went from the hotel lobby to the heated van, to a park, where we stopped to let him experience deep snow. In the van, I bundled him up in a snow suit and boots, put on his mittens and a hat, and then set him outside on the curb while I put my jacket on. I did that and then shut the door of the van, and he started screaming and crying and holding his hands out to me. I pulled off his mittens and his fingers were bright red. Just seconds after I set him out there, he was in pain. Weird.

It's kind of scary, because you don't know what it is, and he couldn't really tell me what was happening--just that it involved his fingers and toes. Since then (he just turned 15), there have been only a few minor episodes, maybe one a year. He never wore shoes growing up (didn't like the feel of socks and he is homeschooled so it didn't matter), and getting him to wear a jacket even on the coldest day is like pulling teeth.

In his case, I just don't think it has anything to do with a warm core. We don't have enough data to really figure out what triggers it, though. His seems to have gotten better, not worse over time, too. Maybe it is different in women.

Karen