Have I traded hot flashes for Reynauds?

[mommybunny]

I’m 53 and have been taking Elleste Duet off and on (mainly on) for about 3 years. I started when the night sweats became unbearable and the HRT has worked such a treat I’m like a different person.

But lately I’ve been suffering horribly with hands that get so cold my fingers go white and numb. The air doesn’t have to be particularly cold to set me off - 16 or 17 degrees is quite sufficient. If I warm up I have pins and needles in my fingers and once while I was running and my fingers warmed up I became lightheaded and almost fainted.

I’m pretty sure it’s Reynauds syndrome as it meets all the criteria in a google search. Although I’ve always “felt the cold” it’s never been this bad before. Is anyone aware of a connection between HRT and Reynauds? There was some speculation in one website that there is a connection with estrogen because it afflicts women so much more than men, but I know my BIL has it and funnily enough one of my brothers was just telling me he thinks he has it.

Hi I have raynauds - developed it at about 40 and now 50. I have been on hrt for 18 months and felt much better being on it but raynauds has got worse over last couple of years,I hadn’t connected the two assumed it was just age! Like you just being in a supermarket can set off the dead mans fingers and now I lose feeling in my toes too. I have felt lightheaded too a couple of times recently but not necessarily after being cold or getting feeling back. Sorry this doesn’t answer your Q but maybe there is a link ?

I am not on HRT but am having similar problems. Oddly enough,I have found having a glass of warm water with half a lemon squeezed into it stops it at night. It was getting so bad I couldn’t sleep at night. I thought it might be peripheral nerve damage but the doctor dismisses this.
I ought to try the lemon juice thing every day to see if I can eradicate it, but I only remember when the numbness/tingling/pain is particularly bad.
I tried that because it works for gout !

Rosesandiris will give that a go !

It's highly unlikely there is any connection with it and HRT @mommybunny.

Hrt puts back the hormones you had before- it's not a 'drug'- in the sense, so it's more likely your Raynaurds would have developed anyway.

My DH has it so he's definitely not on hrt!

@Calmandsteady

I would do it twice a day, before bed and when you wake up. Leave at least 20 mins between eating or drinking anything else.