blue / purple hands: Hi Does anyone... - Fibromyalgia Acti...

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blue / purple hands

Mark1973 profile image
24 Replies

Hi

Does anyone else get blue / purple and numb hands..? I’ve done a bit of research and it seems to be one of the more obscure symptoms of Fibro. I think the medical term is Raynaud’s disease.

Thanks

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Mark1973 profile image
Mark1973
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24 Replies
Blue-52 profile image
Blue-52

hi, yes I get this, in my hands feet and toes, they go red, then purple. I also done a bit of research, and it came up with Raynaulds, but I haven’t been diagnosed with it yet, I keep forgetting to mention it to my doctor., I think we should as it is restrictions of the blood flow, apparently there is help.

Rocky-Balboa profile image
Rocky-Balboa

Hi Mark

I get tingling hands during the night that wakes me but I also get a totally numb right leg after sitting on the toilet for a while, I’ve mentioned this to my GP but to no avail.

Dizzytwo profile image
DizzytwoModerator in reply to Rocky-Balboa

The sitting on the toilet sounds like you could be pressing on a sciatic nerve.

Rocky-Balboa profile image
Rocky-Balboa in reply to Dizzytwo

I don’t get any pain it just feels like I haven’t hit a right leg at all it’s totally numb and it’s the only time it happens to me, never in a sofa or chair etc which suggests to me that it’s because of the angle I’m sat in a lower seated position on the toilet. Again I mentioned this to my GP and I got hmm never heard that one before.

Dizzytwo profile image
DizzytwoModerator in reply to Rocky-Balboa

Again sitting on something hard will press on a nerve. I get the same problem if made to sit on hard furniture. But ok when on a soft padded chair.

On a hard surface the muscles will react by tightening up. Which in turn could be pressing on a nerve.

I am not medically trained. I am going on my own personal experiences. Maybe some light leg exercises may help you.

I have this and dr diagnosed reynard syndrome x

Fibroplus profile image
Fibroplus

yes I have fibromyalgia and also blood circulation problems purplish blue hands and feet it’s called raynards and is part of fibromyalgia

Sapphire34 profile image
Sapphire34

Hi, yes I always have cold hands and feet. Then they go red and really hot uncomfortably hot.. my feet are blue if they are dangling down from a seat. I also flush on my face if I've been in the cold and go into the warm. My face then goes red. I was diagnosed with Raynaud's for these symptoms.

My big toes also go white when I bath.

Patdoyle profile image
Patdoyle in reply to Sapphire34

I get the same. My face goes bright red and is embarrassing if I’m out. Also happens if I get stressed

Cat00 profile image
Cat00

I've had Raynauds all of my life in my hands, my feet and my ears. You can get it on the tip of your nose too. You can have primary or secondary Raynauds, I've heard you can get meds for but I've never been offered them and I suspect they aren't ideal in other ways.

MS_2019 profile image
MS_2019

yes I have this and GP diagnosed me with Raynaud’s disease, I’ve been prescribed blood pressure medication, although I don’t have any pressure problems but they said it helps with blood circulation, the other tip is to try and keep your hands and feet warm, so gloves and warm socks/ shoes and try to avoid the cold if you possibly can, also Raynaud’s can occur only in the colder weather however stress can trigger it as well, I was recently diagnosed so waiting to see if it eases off in the summer 🤞🏻, best to mention to your GP and discuss what options might work for you, best of luck

Hawkin profile image
Hawkin

Hi,Yes me too. My fingers and toes go ice cold and completely white- they look dead and are totally numb. It takes hours for it to subside and can be painful.

Odly it doesn't have to be extremely cold for it to kick off. Even running my fingers in cold tap water or removing an item from the fridge will kick off that particular hand.

My rheumatologist said it was Reynauds but he dismissed me from clinic saying there's nothing he can do for fibromyalgia. I am unaware if GP has been informed of the Reynauds.

Is it circulation and commonly associated with Fibro? I'm not sure but it's uncanny that it's been a symptom since before thr fibro.

Be well 🙂

My 2 year old grandson suffers with blue cold fingers and toes and a couple of weeks ago he had an appointment at the hospital, the rheumatology clinic for suspected Renaud’s Disease and apparently the specialist said Renaud’s is more likely to be in females rather than males, and she ruled Renaud’s out, however my grandson is still having ongoing investigations.

saj01 profile image
saj01

Hi ,

Have had this for years, before the fibro. Often they prescribe calcium channel blockers but I can't take them... too many side effects, swollen legs and ankles. My hands etc become numb and turn white, the blue tends to be poor circulation. I've just been out it's wet and chilly. The backs of my hands were blue up to the knuckles, then a delightful shade of red to the rest, with some of my fingers going numb and white.........They are starting to thaw out now I'm home but they are still a reddy purple and very cold. My feet are starting to get a bit warmer now I've got my slipper boots on. Do speak to your gp. about it.

Astra67 profile image
Astra67

hi I have reynards and it sounds very familiar to what you’re saying dose your nose go purple and your feet

buddy99 profile image
buddy99

Yes, I get red to purple to almost black fingers and toes. Doc thought it was funny (as in "that makes me laugh" funny) and did not do any follow up whatsoever. It does not hurt. It just happens, so I let it be. Having said that; my mother in law has fibro and had the exact same problem. However for her it was extremely painful (we are talking opioid painful) when it happened. Most of her fingers have now been amputated. It was said to be a circulatory issue that killed the tissue over time. Whether that can be applied to everybody with this issue I don't know. There might be other causes.

Dinkie profile image
Dinkie

I have raynauds too, very painful at times. GP gave me a drug for blood pressure as he says it helps but the side effects were too much for me, so I continue to have white or red or purple fingers and toes - very colourful but seldom do they match my outfits🤣😂

gemimafibro profile image
gemimafibro

Hi. I've had blue hands and feet all my life. I've always put it down to me being so pale in skin tone, practically see through. And they're so much worse when it is cold.

When I saw a Rheumatologist for the first time it was the first thing he noticed and tested me for Raynaud's, I didn't have that. Then it was just forgotten about and lost amongst the other Fibro symptoms. Recently I was put on Duloxetine, to help my Fibro, and it sent my heart rate soaring to 150 BPM. I have always had a ridiculously fast heart rate, sitting at 100 BPM at resting, apparently this isn't normal 🤣 who knew, I certainly didn't!

Long story short, I have been put on a beta blocker. Bisoprolol 2.5mg, to bring it down, which it has but it has also given me normal coloured hands and feet for the first time ever. I can tell when it is wearing off too because the blueness begins to reappear.

I'm certainly not saying this is your issue at all, I just wanted to share another experience of the blue/purple hands without Raynaud's.

I hope you manage to get to the root of your issue

Gemima 😊

Dee188 profile image
Dee188 in reply to gemimafibro

Gosh, that definitely isn't normal and could be quite dangerous if the lowest pulse rate at rest is 100bpm.From my brief nursing experience in cardiology/coronary care I would suggest that there may be a chemical imbalance between calcium/potassium levels on your blood which could be triggering the SA node (the hearts natural pacemaker) to fire too often and maybe causing the AV node (acts like a goalkeeper) not to block enough impulses from getting throughncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

If beta blockers don't work and the doctors cannot correct any potential chemical imbalance (they should also check thyroid levels) you may need an artificial pacemaker.

Meanwhile stay away from artificial stimulants such as caffeine which speed up heart rate.

Hope you get sorted soon.

gemimafibro profile image
gemimafibro in reply to Dee188

Oh goodness 😳

I have been deficient in both of those over the last few years. I've just had bloods for to check my thyroid and they were fine thankfully. I've just had a 24 hour BP monitor and my blood pressure was completely normal thankfully, it's literally just the heart rate that's high.

I'd always put it being fast due to me having anxiety. But after being on the beta blockers my anxiety is so much better too. I'm sitting at around 85-90 at rest currently, so it's still not where it should be but it's better than it was. I'm waiting to see Cardiology at the moment.

Thank you so much for sharing your experience, it really is so appreciated ❤️

Dee188 profile image
Dee188

Yes, mine go more dusky red than purple ( as my late grans did) I was diagnosed with Fibro in 2017 (symptoms several years prior) plus I have hypothyroidism (since 1994)

Nessie87 profile image
Nessie87

hi, yes that’s correct. I get that and my hands/ fingers and feet too go blue/purple and numb then go white with no colour. Absolute agony when they ‘thaw out’ as it were!

DOES NOT MEAN ITS FIBRO ,it's Rayaunds , everyone puts other systems down to Fibromyalgia

Crochetmakes profile image
Crochetmakes

Those symptoms are very familiar to me. At first the rheumatologist dismissed it until I showed him some photos. Hot burning hands which I can't use when it happens. This also causes my nose to go bright red too, I look like I've been on the booze! My feet turn blue, look awful but not painful. It was called acrocyanosis with raynauds on top. Blood pressure meds has not stopped it yet. It's frustrating because the docs hear you have fibro, then switch off, put it all down to that. It was showing him the photos that made him stop and look at me properly. Hope things are ok with you.

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