To ask for Reynauds advice for daughter

[Blue444]

Posting here as can't find previous thread I thought was here. Daughter 41 has horrid Reynauds, hands go blue in minutes. Am asking for recommendations on what works for others with this in terms of electric heated gloves, handwarmers, any other ideas gratefully received.

Wristwarmers help a bit. It's horrible and very painful. I wear gloves in bed too.

DD has this too. Get togged up totally in the warm before leaving the house so all fibres are warm already. Layers. Silk glove liners (decathlon) then ski gloves. You can get hand warmers to slide in that are like teabags. Gloves remain on and hand heated even if sweaty! Same deal for feet, thin socks then thicker and lined boots.

Upon return to the warm if extremities still affected, gradual reintroduction to the warm and no touching warm things to avoid that horrendous red hard swelling.

I've got a heated foot muff! It's made my Reynolds much better when I'm working from home. Not practical for going out but stops the awful numb, frozen feet. It's this one

https://www.beurer.com/uk/p/fw20-53145/

I have Reynauds, worse in my toes but my hands get very cold. I keep my whole body as warm as I can, lots of layers, natural fibres, Nordic socks, scandi walking boots, sheepskin mittens are the best ones I’ve ever owned. I also have mohair medical socks and a cashmere wrist warmer. I wear so many clothes if I fell down I wouldn’t be able to get back up.

it is trial and error to find what works for you

I have reynauds.
It affects my feet more than my hands I find that yhe following helps

• keep moving, I don't stand still outside even if it's just stepping from side to side
• layers
• always wear shoes as they keep my feet warmer than slippers
• hot water bottle in bed to warm it but don't put my feet on the HWB

I buy a big box of Hot Hand hand warmers and I am rarely without one in winter.

I was at the GP about this today, I'm 46, had it since mid 30s.

GP today said its more about keeping your core warm. I moved to 100% wool socks (avoid bamboo, awful), mittens (gloves make it worse, mittens much better), sheepskin slippers, but these go on and off when my toes start to burn.

I prefer to be barefoot if I'm moving around the house. Slippers and socks in trainers give me more chilblains.

I buy the shoe insole ones too and they are an absolute lifeline.

Definitely mittens rather than gloves. Keeping moving is helpful too, walking really briskly when out or doing a few jumping jacks at home.

Does she take nifedipine?

Agree re keeping the core warm. There are also medications available - she should ask her GP. There is nifedipine or fluoxetine. There's also an infusion available called iloprost.

I take lecarnidipine. Fewer side effects than nifedipine, apparently.

I have an unusual form with Raynaud’s only in my finger tip
When it kicks off I do get a full blotchey hand, but when managing it I’m generally good

Though it’s only my finger, it defiantly helps to avoid getting cold and to avoid changes in temperature (eg warm inside / under sunlight then to shade/airconditioning/freezer sections of supermarkets etc )

I usually carry a silk/fake silk glove liner, and ideally a few in my pocket in case it gets damp
Then when colder I go to a proper glove, and carry chemical warmers - I stock up with pocket/hand/back warmers when they are on sale in the spring etc

Ive looked at heated gloves but have not tried any as I can get away with normal gloves

I do have a prescription for Coracten SR 10mg pills which I take once a day except for the summer
They make a difference for me, which was proven when I lost the ones I had taken for a week away one damp May - The effect wore off over a couple of days, then I was worsening and afterwards it took me about 3 or more days to build back protection once home

There are a few Facebook groups for tips etc

https://www.facebook.com/share/C4mUV9KHFgGNQcA5/?mibextid=LQQJ4d

https://www.facebook.com/share/g/vE9tBFXUSariQ8uQ/?mibextid=K35XfP

I've had Raynauds since my early teens. I never step outside in winter without gloves/mittens and good quality, thick wool socks.
Tell her to never put her bloodless hands in hot water/on a radiator or anything hot - she will regret that, it's agony.
Definitely wouldn't recommend scuba diving off the coast of Cornwall in April - seriously thought I'd done irreparable damage and my GP was less than impressed😂

Wierdly the thing that has helped me with this is regular cold water immersion. Gym has a cold plunge pool, I do 5 mins once or twice a week, up to shoulders, then sauna. Took me about a year to build up to 5 mins, was just counting out ten breaths at first. No problems so far this winter, haven’t worn gloves yet, I’m hoping I might have cured it…

Runs in our family and we use hand warmers, wear gloves and warm socks, keep warm with a heated blanket, etc as described above.

Something we found very helpful was taking ginkgo biloba supplements to increase blood flow to the extremities.

Hi no, she doesnt want the possible side effects

She does chill swim in the sea when she can, as we're local. It's helped some ladies but not her as yet

I am so grateful to you all for sharing. It's her hands and fingers. She has 2 small boys so is always running about thinking of herself last and her hands just drop so quickly and go blue. I wondered if heated gloves would help. I have bought some Hotrox hand heaters as one of my chill swim chums said they're good. But again it's time with the boys and lifestyle. Silk gloves may be feasible too

Silk liner gloves under ski mittens when outside in minus temps

Woolen hat outside always

Hand warmers in mittens if outside and not driving

V good quality thermal vests from now til March. I have a variety of camisole, t-shirts and long sleeved styles. All incredibly warm.

Woollen jumpers, not cotton, to keep core warm

Neck warmer or similar all the time

Woollen rather than cotton socks
Well lined shoes or boots indoors and out. Avoid barefoot on hard floors.

As my dad always said, don't let yourself get cold, and you'll be fine. That's the key.

Alternatively move somewhere tropical 😄😄😄

Definitely important to keep the core warm.

Merino layers are excellent for this. Wool socks, wool blend gloves (merino & possum fur from NZ are the warmest I've found). The silk liners are good too, although I prefer skin contact with the merino.

Putting on an extra layer like a gilet before leaving the house.

Ginger. Worked for me. I used to suffer from awful reynaulds in hands and feet but one year I took ginger supplements, drank tea made with fresh ginger and cooked with it a lot more and it never came back.

I have nothing diagnosed but struggle a lot with the cold. I have Heat Holders 2.3 tog socks which I wear most of the year (over normal socks)
I also wear fingerless gloves a lot, constantly throughout the winter and often to bed. They really help, can still use your hands normally but helps with the cold

My DH finds partly silver thread gloves good

Battery heated gloves from amazon - absolute finger saver - no pain and can drive or take out a phone etc.

I have it and have to walk our mad dog a lot which is rubbish in cold wet weather.

Agree re keeping the core warm. A thin down gilet that fits under your main warm coat helps. Down mittens are also amazing - alpkit do some for about £25 that enable me to hold the lead and throw balls happily on snowy days. If she doesn't have either of those things ask if they would help.