Raynauds sore feet

[Nightbound]

Hi All, first year with raynauds and it is making me very miserable. I take Nifedine 3 times a day but it's not helping. I have heated gloves which are great when walking the dog. It's my toes that are so painful. I have sores on them. The thing is my feet get really cold. Then when walking or in bed with a hot water bottle they get too hot and sweaty, which is possibly making them sore. I cant find a happy medium. Anyone else struggle with this and any tips please?

I'm prone to chilblains on my toes and I suspect Raynaud's, although that is worse on my hands as they get painful like they are on fire when they are cold. I live in ski socks through the winter. Or wear tights under my trousers /socks so there's an extra layer
If my feet are cold and I try to get them warm I often end up over doing it and then makes them sore and painful. If I aim for less cold slightly warm then I usually get them to the right temperature. I'd maybe try more stepwise warming up of the toes and see if that stops the flipping from painful cold to painful hot

Heated foot warmers in your socks. Otherwise you can also get heated socks like you do gloves? Make sure shoes/boots aren't too tight so you can wiggle and move your feet easily to allow blood flow and plenty of bend in the sole so your foot is moving well. Waterproof socks can help so there isnt any damp hitting your feet too when it is wet out. Reynauds is a pain. I get it and I can't take the Nefidipine as it makes me vertigo/light headed. Annoying. So I wear heated gloves, and foot warmers when needed but mostly thick socks, and warm shoes and try and ensure they dont get wet when out walking dog with waterproof socks. Wear ankle warmers etc too so that the blood is warmer when it reaches your feet.

One thing I've noticed is that if my core is toasty because I'm wrapped up, the blood flow to my extremities isn't restricted so much. If my core is at a neutral temperature or a bit cold, the blood supply to my hands gets restricted, they become very chilled, and then the chillblain-type damage happens. Then I've got painful and damaged hands till the warmth of proper Spring arrives.

Wool socks that fit properly. I

I've had raynauds for about 15yrs but have just started Nifedepine but have had to stop as it made me itch my skin off. I scratched so hard I have bruises all over my legs. I also felt dizzy. I have low blood pressure anyway and this made it worse.

But when I took it, I made sure I had one about 45 mins before going outside and I didn't get a chillblain for weeks. So it does work.

Normally every toe has chilblains on.

Thank you to everyone's replies.

@Justputsomeyoghurtonit i didn't realise that's how the nifedipine works , I thought it was something that had to be taken multiple times a day to build up in the system, that's good to know, I'll take it closer to going out.

@FMLpassthegin I've tried heated insoles. They made my feet more painful. Not sure if I couldn't feel them burning or something else. I'll try waterproof socks thank you.

Well I discovered this on the basis that there is no way I am considering taking something three times a day, that's absolutely ridiculous! I was also scared of fainting when I first started.

The itching happened on a day when I DID take it three times due to being in and out between heating and cold all day.

Heat holders 3 tog socks, long ones. As a lifelong Raynauds sufferers these are the only things that help my feet in the winter. Also make sure you wear decent boots that aren’t too tight, you need a bit of air room around your toes.

I find that as long as I am warm at my core, the Raynauds is less likely to flare up too badly as well. Mountain warehouse do a great line in fleece lined walking trousers that keep my legs toasty. My daughter is horsey so I spend a great deal of time in the cold walking next to her or hanging around stables.

Heatholders also do incredible gloves, the only ones I have found that stop my fingers from kicking off.

Sorry, 2.3 tog socks- not 3.

Pictures below of the trousers and socks I have that have saved my life whilst on horse duty in the wind, rain, sleet, snow and ice.

I can’t agree more! Definitely this, OP.

I don’t really feel cold, I’d describe myself as ‘running warm’. However my hands, wrists, lower calves and feet get cold and won’t warm up.

I’ve discovered that wrist warmers (on Amazon in a multipack, like socks) make an enormous difference, so double socks or long socks- perhaps pop socks and ordinary socks would work.

And most of all, keep your middle warmer than you need. I have a hot water bottle on my lap at my desk, whether I’m cold or not, and it keeps my feet warm.

I’ll be totally comfortable except for my feet and hands, but extra heat on my middle sorts out my hands and feet.

Another Raynauds person here. There is another drug - Amlodipine - that can be prescribed. I took that before Nifedipine, but I think they work in a v similar way.

I echo all advice. Keep your middle warm and wrap up. Room in your boots etc and keep moving.

But the hot water bottle DIRECTLY on feet sounds like a recipe for chilblains to me. You need to warm up your extremities gradually.

Something I always recommend and I swear makes more of a difference than you'd think is dry socks mid afternoon (or when you come in from a walk, or when you can't warm up etc). You might not think your feet sweat much but even a tiny bit of moisture will just leach the warmth away. So dry socks will really help.