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Need some help here about raynauds

Posted , 4 users are following.

Arm668
Arm668

so I went to my doctor since I've suffered pain since February 2012 following an injury in pe class. At the time it was put down to a not bad sprain, worsened by not using the affected wrist. I finally persuaded my mum we should do something since it hadn't cleared up after all this time. He said its raynauds, wear gloves, you'll be fine, etc etc. however, the pain has only worsened since then, the temperature of my wrist and hand has continued to decrease, the pain spreads towards my elbow/shoulder at times and I'm noticing a definite decrease in ability to use my affected wrist. It is difficult to write, open things, turn pages, and most seriously of all my daily journey on the bus is near impossible due to the pain of holding on to the bar. Is all this a consequence of primary raynauds or is my doctor wrong?

 

P.s. I'm experiencing some colour change on the lower part of my fingers too, which I know is a definite sign of raynauds.

1 like, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • EileenH
    EileenH Arm668

    Posted

    If this is your GP then I would not accept his "diagnosis" of Raynauds. You need referral to a vascular specialist and further testing to find out if it is primary or secondary Raynauds. If your hand is cold all the time it suggests to me there is something more than mild Raynauds which tends to be spasmodic. There could be underlying damage that is restricting blood flow or something else affecting that one hand. Raynauds is usually episodic. Is the colour change permanent? Like the coldness? Do you get the hyperaemic reaction? The bright red painful bit when the blood flow returns?

    Have you read this?

    https://patient.info/health/raynauds-phenomenon

    If your GP is difficult and refuses to consider specialist assessment then change your GP - there must be another in the practice if nothing else.

    One of the main things about Raynauds IS keeping warm - that is true. My husband used to do diagnosis of Raynauds to decide if it was primary or secondary and one of the things that often happened was that young women arrived in short skirts with bare legs in winter. Their tests always showed little wrong - they just needed to dress appropriately for the temperatures. But you do need to know if there is anything causing what is really a symptom in some cases.

    Good luck.

  • jenny
    jenny Arm668

    Posted

    I think you have damaged a nerve, which is giving some symptoms of raynauds . Go back to your practise and if necessary see another GP. Make it known you are not happy and don't leave it.

    Good luck.

     

  • Arm668
    Arm668

    Posted

    Does anyone know if it may be carpal tunnel syndrome? Some of the descriptions I read for it seem a possible match but I don't know. 

    Also are there any stretches/excercises that anyone can suggest to combat the muscle weakness as it has gotten worse since I posted this initially?

  • jenny
    jenny Arm668

    Posted

    Have you been back to the practice and told the doctor what you have written here? If so and they haven't done anything different I would  see a physiotherapist privately. I would say a NHS one, but that can take up to 6 weeks here and you plainly need help urgentl. Or go into a NHS walk in centre or minor injuries unit. My broken elbow was diagnosed by a physiotherapist after three weeks going backwards and forward to the surgery and X ray dept and being told there was nothing wrong. You have to be forceful, but polite these days. Those symptoms seem to be due to damage not Raynauds.

     

  • Arm668
    Arm668

    Posted

    Hospital said there's nothing really wrong. Been referred to a physiotherapist because of the muscle problems and have to keep wearing gloves. Thanks for all the help and suggestions anyway guysbiggrin
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