Raynaud's Syndrome - any good hints and tips?

[feetheart]

Always had bad circulation and felt the cold in my hands and feet but last year my fingers were going white more often and this year its worse again - had 6 white fingers by the veg section in Asda at w/e and hadn't even reached the chiller section

Really need some tips that have worked for others as its starting to interfere with life a bit too much.

Thanks
feetheart - currently typing with ring finger and middle finger!

working in a warehouse yesterday I was dressed in
workboots, long socks, short socks, leggings, trousers, T-shirt, fleece jumper, body warmer ( puffa-alike),buff and hat. as we kept the big doors shut I wasn't wearing gloves as well( was doing fiddlly things)

Tea at start of day, soup at lunchtime and I was OK.

Its colder today, probadly not got above 0 all day, as the doormat has had frost on it all day. But I've not been at work, sat here in 2 jumpers tho. and had painfully cold fingers inside gloves when I walked down to postbox ( 10mins) at 4ish.

Best of everything to my fellow RS sufferers in teh big chill and snow.

I look like an eskimo today lol.

Got about 10 layers on and walking around with my dressing gown ontop whilst the flat warms up!

I'm cold ALL the time, and today I found a great tip for staying warmer.

Everyone knows to wear tights under jeans, that's ok, but today I'm wearing warm jogging bottoms under jeans, and no, it's not making me look fatter much to my relief!

I feel MUCH warmer than yesterday, and here its been -4 this morning!

warm joggers? where you get those from tina?

Hi! I can't remember where I got these from (they're a few years old now), but
we were in a big sportswear shop last weekend looking for something for DP's brother, I had a look around cos I want to get some more of these and they had some on stands there, next to the colder ones.

These are a warmer, thicker material than the cold ones you normally see. I hope you have a shop like that near you.

I hope that helps you get warmer!

Speaking of which I better go out quick to catch the shops, back later. Good luck!

Another sufferer here! One thing I've found helps, completely by coincidence, are back supports. The cold was really getting to my bad back last winter, so I got a floprene back support from here. It's like the stuff that wet suits are made of, but breathable. It seems to raise my core temperature enough that my feet at least seem to have a little warm blood getting to them, so I feel pretty much OK even after 2 or 3 hours in the cold, which is a miracle for me!

Apart from that, I just bundle myself up like the michelin man in microfleeces/cardies/jumpers/roll necks/vests. Haven't managed to sort my hands out though, 2 layers of gloves still isn't enough and the handwarmers just make the pain worse.

Not necessarily a Reynaulds tip but more of a general keeping warm tip -probably obvious to everyone else but I've only just twigged...wear a scarf at all times.

I only ever used to wear them outdoors but realised (when DP and I challenged each other last winter to see who would be the first to crack and put the central heating on )that even a fairly lightweight scarf looped around your neck indoors makes a world of difference.

Norbert I always wear a scarf/pashmina indoors

Tina I'll have a look when I go into town on monday - finishing my xmas shopping.

I'm back & was lovely & toasty throughout!

Only downside was being too warm in the shopping centres, but hey I'd rather that any day!!!

Good luck looking!

Mittens instead of gloves as they are warmer because they keep your fingers together.

Put them onto warm hands or warm the mittens on a radiator before donning them.

If your fingers are already cold when you put gloves on then they won't stop turning white as they are isolated and have no warmth from anything but wearing mittens over warm hands keeps the heat in and is much more effective at preventing them from turning white IME.

Found a nice pair of joggers today got totally soaked shopping in Portsmouth today too, was sopping wet when i got indoors.

Gingko Bilboa (sp?). In Germany they prescribe it, but you can also get it over the counter (in the UK anyway) at healthfood type shops.

Worth a go, but check any contraindications with other drugs you might be taking.

I got it in my nipples when pg., and it wasn't funny. Had to stop at Stone Henge and get DH to buy me a cup of hot chocolate.. poxy flintstone car, no heating and it was minus something.. and we were on our way back to London. Had to stop for hot drinks (and loo) about 10 times.

HTH btw.

Hi MM, sorry you soaked!

Have you tried them on yet? Have you been warmer?

Thinking of you & the cold conditions they showed on the news down south.

muppets. a pair of PJ bottoms is also good under jeans and they are not as bulky

Yeah got them on now lol. Also sat with 4 layers ontop and my scarf lol. Its like a skating rink outside.

AP- never thought of PJ bottoms as mine as i've always thought of them as being baggy.

I don't think down south is as bad as midlands or up north. the rain is just making the ice worse down here.

Got a great pair of slipper socks from Accessorize for xmas from DP they are keeping my feet very toasty and warm and warm my feet up very quickly when getting in from the cold outside

Funny you should say about pregnancy bulletproof - I just realised that I would normally have 3 white finger tips on my left hand but have not suffered with this since being pregnant with and having DS.

One thing other thing that does seem to help me keep my hands warm is keeping my feet warm so all the advice about slipper socks is good.

Been trying to find a nice pair of thick gloves today and can't find any

My neighbour (aged 60+) gets Reynaulds in her fingers like me.

She bought some heated gloves recently but they didn't help. They apprently heated the palm which didn't help her fingers at all (oh, and the batteries were huge!)

yeah its my finger for me and not really the palm of my hands.