Have you got raynaud's?

[NaturalBaby]

I had a bad year last year due to being outdoors a lot more and my hands were a painful mess by December. They're just starting to really suffer now so am wondering what other's are doing to look after their hands.

I also get chilblains all over my fingers and very dry skin that cracks. My wedding rings aren't going to see the light of day till April at this rate!

For dry skin, try crabtree and evelyn hand therapy. It works brilliantly on my hands

Silk glove inners are great, possum fur gloves and this year I bought heated gloves for my daughter. They charge in the wall and then stay warm for 6 hours plus. She used them mainly for skiing, hiking and being outdoors - I think as long as your hands are an ok temp when you put them in there is no risk of chilblains etc.

It's the chilblains that are getting to me, I can't believe that's what it is but I've been getting them for years without any idea of what they are! Always on the same spot on the same finger, then they start spreading across my joints.

I've got cetraben for my dry skin which is working quite well - I just need it next to every sink!

Despite my advice yesterday I can't feel my toes today (and I am in the house with thermal tights and sheepskin slippers on). I hate it. Nose is painful too waaaaah.

I think the key (which can be impossible to achieve) is not to let them get cold in the first place. One they are cold all the gloves in the world won't help.
Interestingly a few weeks ago I had a shot of steroids in the bum for my arthritis. Raynauds was much better for a while. Back to normal now.

That's half the challenge! I'm running late quite a lot so end up dashing out the house without gloves on, so am really trying to get organised so I get both pairs on before I need to leave.

Has anyone found any supplements that help? I used to take WellWoman but now just take a multivitamin and am wondering if it's worse because I'm not taking any oil supplements. I've just bought some evening primrose to see if that helps. I'm not liking the side effects of Nifedipine at all and not sure if it's making much difference.

I try to avoid all pills
BUT
to get a load of Nectar points I bought a thermal long sleeve top in Sainsburys the other day. It looks like a normal round neck top, but the sleeves come down over the heels of my hands and its wonderful it keeps the circulation going into my hands really well.

Naturalbaby
Yup : Gloves. I have a nice pair of fleece lined lather driving gloves I got from John Lewis. I never EVER leave the house without them.
Even in August I'll drive with the roof down and a strappy top and gloves. Get v odd looks - but that may have nothing to do with the gloves

d'oh Leather not lather ...

I used to have it in my 20s and 30s in my fingers quite badly but when I got to about my mid 40s it started getting less. I'm now in my mid 50s and don't really get it at all though obviously i still wear gloves if its cold.
Its like I have grown out of it.

I am watching with interest as my hands are in agony with awful splitting chilblains and dryness, not helped by the fact that I wash my hands -compulsively- frequently because I'm so afraid of getting Norovirus! My joints are especially tender if I knock them even slightly and the pain wakes me up in the night. I also have arthritis but this is controlled by medication at the moment.
Last year I had a hand balm called O'Keefe's Working Hands. You slather it on at night and it heals the skin. I can thoroughly recommend it (must look mine out and start using it again)

www.amazon.co.uk/OKeeffes-Working-Hands-Hand-Cream/dp/B005PA0UV4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1384795125&sr=8-1&keywords=o%27keeffe%27s+working+hands

I find I am better if I make sure my core temperature stays warm, so I always wear vests, thermals etc, plus thermal socks.

Ooo I got that thermal vest from sainsbury in their last clothing sale! Something that doesn't help is I'm really tall so it's difficult to get sleeves to cover my wrists or gloves to fit very long fingers without being massive.

I have Cetrabem cream now as last year as I had raw, split skin on pretty much every single joint across all my fingers and that healed it in a couple of days. I thought I had arthritis at first because of the red, swollen, stiff joints.

It was only last year that it's become such a big issue, I've got through my 20's without it being a problem but last year was unbearable because I was outdoors so much.

Naturalbaby
Have a look see if you can find anything here
www.longtallsally.com/c/tall/sale-clearance

I was recommended Gincko (sp?) as a supplement, with the added benefit of making you more brainy apparently.

I bought a bottle but it didn't seem to make much difference (to feet, hands or brain), but maybe I didn't give it long enough. I dropped it as I couldn't really afford it.

My feet are my worst part for whiteness / chillblains etc., but my hands go an awful blue colour, I look like I'm dead!

NaturalBaby - the Sainsburys soft touch long-sleeved t-shirts are really long in the arm and body this year - first t-shirt for ages that doesn't finish half-way up my gibbon-length arms :) And they wash well and they are only £8 - I currently have 3 but will be getting more if I find them.

A really attractive body warmer has made a lot of difference to keeping me warm and I'm just trying out these. Ugly as sin but they fit under my thick furry gloves however I am reserving judgement as the medium feels a bit too tight.

Argh it's the baine if my life...gp can give u tablets (as long as ur not pregnant or nursing) but otherwise I'm afraid it's a case of hibernation during the winter xx

I think sainsburys has a TU sale on so will go looking. I'm on the verge of wearing gloves at home but need to wash my hands a lot with a little one at home.

I did look at Ginko the other week and thought about trying it.

Those heat therapy gloves look good.

I work in health care so it is a nightmare. I only wash my hands at work when grossly contaminated and every 6 th patient. The other 5 times is gel (WHO says only works 5 times then wash). I dry meticulously getting right down between my fingers, I never ever use iodine scrub and Liz Earle handcream is my best friend. Outside I wear fingerless gloves with examination gloves over the top.
My nose is the very worst bit though since my other conditions mean I have stopped making mucus so no more runny nose giving me a chapped tip.
Physiologically alcohol is the worst thing as yes initially you get vasodilation letting blood flow, but the reflex vasoconstriction, but get after the alcohol has gone will be worse making the Reynauds worse. I rarely drink in the winter as the next days reflex vasoconstriction is so awful my fingers were barely working which when you do surgery is not good. So only alcohol if no surgery the next day.

mammywelsh my GP did say there was a drug you could take to help, but she said thought the side effects would probably outweigh the benefits - wonder if it's the same thing?

Had to give up my classical guitar lessons last year :( Was a 3 mile cycle ride and in winter, by the time I got to his house, my hands couldn't do a thing!

unfortunately I'm not able to take nifedipine, which is a shame as it did help a little.

I've never taken anything for it : do not like medication if its avoidable
thermal fingerless gloves are good, especially if only the tips are not there
but mainly you need to keep wrists and ankles warm from the experience of sufferers I've chatted to

I don't like taking medication either generally so am trying nifedipine at night - I was taking it in the morning but the side effects are really bad till mid morning which doesn't help when your rushing kids to school or going out to exercise at the weekend.

It feels mad wearing fingerless gloves in my own home!

you don't like taking medication but then name the very strong medication you are taking.
I'm confused.

Do any of you also feel very tired and sick with Raynauds?

It's my othèr conditions that make me feel tired and sick!

I don't think it's a normal symptom gormen but raynauds can be associated with other conditions.

not me, but I'm a gym bunny who swims masses