Just diagnosed, how long does the tingly feeling last?
Posted , 2 users are following.
I'm so glad I found this group! I was just diagnosed with Raynaud's, after landing in the ER because my right hand had gone completely blue. They were sure it was a blood clot, but ultrasound showed no clots in either arm, and within about ten minutes of being there, my hand started pinking up. All of the other tests were normal, so they called it Raynaud's and have referred me to both a vascular specialist and a rheumatologist. I have had episodes like this in the past, though not so dramatic; this one involved my entire hand, and in the past it's just been a finger or two that's changed color and been tingly in the cold, typically. This time, though, I was under a lot of stress (my daughter was being evaluated for a bone tumor and it was a very stressful time.) At any rate--the color's returned to my hand, but my hand and arm still feel intermittently tingly. Is that standard for the period after a Raynaud's episode? I don't see the first specialist until Dec 20th, so I'm Googling quite a bit to try to figure out what this is, and found this forum. Thanks for any guidance you can provide!
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ihavenonickname kate71548
Posted
First, how is your daughter?
If you open the freezer door, fish around for something in the rear, grab it and bring the item out...what happens to your hand, fingers?
Raynaud's is a constriction of the small arteries. It behaves like frost bite. It is exacerbated by going from warm to cold. Which is why I asked you to perform the experiment. If I rummaged in my freezer, my Raynaud's would shut off the blood supply to my hand which in turn would change color and become numb...but when I return my hand to warm, the pain of my vessels dilating is intense enough to bring tears to my eyes. And it takes time for my hand to warm, regain its color, cease hurting and return to full sensation. The depth of the reaction is proportional to the exposure.
Raynaud's typically manifests in the hands and/or feet although it can be anywhere in the body. It is an autoummune disease.
For me, I have adapted my lifestyle...like gloves or wooden fork tp rummage around in the freezer. Even to put things away. Obviously going out into the cold means protecting my hands and feet...anything from wearing shoes and placing my hands beneath my armpits to multiple layers of light gloves and heavy boots with wo socks. A friend of mine crocheted long tubes with a thumb and fringe around the finger area tube. The fringe behaves like fur around you face keeps your face warm.
Best wishes for great outcomes
kate71548 ihavenonickname
Posted
My daughter is okay, thank you for asking! She broke her ankle two weeks ago and when they x-rayed to diagnose the fracture, the radiologist spotted a tumor in her tibia, unrelated to the injury. So we had to follow up with a specialist at the children's hospital where we live. Fortunately, the tumor is benign. The only real risk is that they can grow and weaken the healthy bone around them, which can lead to bad fractures, so they're going to take x-rays of her leg every six months to track that. But it's not malignant, nor will it metastasize, so it was very good news, just a stressful process, waiting for answers. Thank you for all of the information about Raynaud's. When I reach into the freezer and grab something, my hand gets red and fingers get white and tingly, but it warms up right away. The episode last week was different. We were at the hospital with my daughter and I looked down and noticed my right hand was purplish blue. I rubbed it and it pinked up a bit, but then turned blue again. My husband was worried and insisted we go to the ER. We walked in and the receptionist zipped back to get a nurse as soon as she saw my hand, and they decided quickly it was a clot and put me on IV blood thinners, but then the very thorough ultrasound exam of both arms, my neck and chest showed no clots, and the pulses in my arm, wrist and hand were very strong. My hand turned pink again, then blue, then pink again, then blue, and then the nurse noticed discoloration in my left hand, too (though not nearly as profound). The vascular surgeon who was on call wanted to start me on Procardia, but the ER doc argued with him and they decided to start me on aspirin, instead, until I could follow up with the specialist. My hand has stayed nice and pink, but it is a little sore, and occasionally tingly. I did have an episode of both hands turning grayish blue several years ago, after I'd been raking leaves outside in the cold for a while, and I've had some numbless and tingling in my hands in cold weather forever, but I thought everyone did. .
So who knows. I am otherwise healthy and active, so we'll see what the specialist says! In the meantime--I'm trying to be more careful about keeping warm (not easy in winter where I live!), and will work on managing stress. Ha. Thanks again!
ihavenonickname kate71548
Posted
Excellent...you are hypersensitive to cold...even when you don't t ferl cold, your hands do.
The hospital episodes was your sympathetic nervous system reacting to the stress.
Do be vigilant with your daughter's tumor, it may need to be excised to protect the bone.
Merry Christmas