Which heating aid or garment have you... - Scleroderma & Ray...
Which heating aid or garment have you found to be the best for helping Raynaud's in your hands and/or feet?
RSA_Hannah106 VotersPlease select one:
Little Hotties disposable handwarmers have transformed my life! The versions for feet would be good too but these are a bit big and I end up with pains in my feet from having them crammed into my shoes, unfortunately. You can get the handwarmers in bulk so they work out fairly cheap and I always have a few packs with me.
I USE HEATBANDS FROM THE U.K. THEY ARE INSULATED WRAPS YOU PUT AROUND THE WRIST THAT AMPLIFY THE HEAT IN YOUR WRIST TO YOUR HANDS. THEY REALLY WORK.NOT EXPENSIVE.
Hi where do u get these heat bands from ? Thanks
Zippo handwarmers. I have two. I just fill with lighter fuel (£1 from the pound shop) and they stay warm all day. I have had my pair for over a year and they are still going strong. I cannot understand why anyone goes in for the disposable ones. A can of lighter fuel last for many many fillings.
I use the disposable ones as they are small enough to slip inside my gloves so that I can do gardening, horse riding, birdwatching, etc., where I need to use my fingers.
agreed vanessa 
Hi all- I use gel packs and microwavable warmers. I have in the past had battery heated gloves, but they were bulky and come adrift and I would be walking around with leads hanging down from under my coat!!!
I bought my silver gloves from the RSA online shop. They are the most effective I've ever worn, even the fingerless ones.
I have been given an electric fury throw. You set the time you want it on and the warmth. It is much quicker than an electric blanket but, of course, you have to be at home and sitting down. There is also one for the car. I use many things in my daily life depending on what I am doing. For example, I wear my silver gloves because it does not diminish my sensation and they are washable so I can even eat with them on.
I found a pair of "electric" boots made by Colombian. They are rechargeable with usb port or plug into an outlet on the wall. there are 3 settings high, medium and low, on high they can last up to 6 hours on low more than 8. But i found that i only needed to use the low setting for the most part. LOVE these boots. FYI They cost me about $300 at my local sporting goods store. But when i was looking for warm boots, the price was right there with the other top of the line boots made for extreme cold weather and i was not impressed with the other boots. I knew without a "heat" source, I would not be able to stay warm.
Hi.. I'm from New Zealand and find our long winters brutally cold.
I use reheatable gel pads and thermal gloves, plus a pair of fur-skin mitts to keep my hands/fingers warm..
My feet and toes are the worse to keep warmed as they are like blocks of ice 24/7; so I wear thick woolly Merino socks then a pair of Hottiez heated disposable insoles, then a pair of fur-skin booties and lastly my thick sheepskin boots.
I did try a pair of rechargeable heated insoles but they only lasted 6 months....
I have been using home made finger insulators. Seem to be effective for working outside and walking. Wear by themselves or inside gloves.
I have ski mittens which were not cheep at all (they were a present), but they are the best thing because you can easily fit hand warmers in them and still wiggle your fingers to keep the blood flowing.
If i let some one else has try them on they have to take them off because their hands get too hot within about fifteen mins (mine are obviousally still cold, just not blue).
only minus side is they are rather big and a bit tricky to do things when wearing them. also they are really out of place when out and about in the uk, they are more suited to the lapland style look. but o well anything to try to help keep the pain away.
I find the reusable gel handwarmers too difficult. cant snap the disc due to scleroderma.
I have found the electrically heated insoles (from rechargeable batteries) to be an absolute godsend. I would be house bound for about half the year without them.
I read in the newspaper that a great heat source for raynauds is to cook a jacket potato and wrap in tin foil, apparently it will stay hot for ages and you can eat it afterwards too!
Because of the sclerodermic / skin-peeling aspect of Spuff's Raynauds, for all of the winter she has only been able to tolerate a piece of a torn-up Thai sarong loosely bound around her left hand. She goes everywhere with it ( like Linus's blue blanket ). She experimented about six months ago with heated rice and wheat bags but found they were too heavy and held and released too much hot dampness. Today, 15/3/12, she was able put on her first cotton glove, inside out so the seams didn't cut into her. She dreams of a trip to Liberty's to find fine cotton lawn to wrap around her hand.
JoetheCarer
I have a lot of things helping me and my daughter keep warm.
1. fleeced jackets and gillets we wear them every day and have loads of colors in our wardrobe.
2. fingerless gloves they help us both a great deal, I use them when on the computer my daughter uses them when in college.
3.Body warmers these are a must for us both wearing inside and also when we go outside.
4. Thermal gloves with fingerless one's on top wonderfuly warm.
5.In bed we use fleeced socks to keep our feet warm along with a high Tog duvet keeps us warmer.
6. Fleeced or Thermal socks when outside is a must along with Tights/Stockings.
7. fleeced throw/blanket when in bed or sitting in a chair watching TV or at the computer.
Hope this helps
Bella
i wear a long sleeved vest, thermal, fingerless mittens to keep the wrist warm, which is the pulse point, i was told.important to keep all pressure points warm Use a petrol hand warmer ,the one i use last all day. Plus several layers of clothing.
take care fellow sufferers
Back again, I forgot to add that my doctor prescribed heart patches, which I cut in half and put one half on the back of each hand, they seem to work very well. bestest wishes to all fellow sufferers
Zippo hand warmer works best for me. I do occasionally use disposable hand warmers and the reusable gel hand warmers but definitely the Zippo rocks for me!
The best heating aid (handwarmer) for me is the HotRox. I just love it. Charge it for 2 hours to get 6 hours heat. It feels good, has two heat settings and has never failed to give me heat when I want it. Brilliant on holiday. The other excellent product is an adhesive heat pack which I wear on my back - called Heat Ease. Great if you want heat on your trunk for a whole day. All available from the RSA online shop.
I bought a hot wax machime from a beauty supply store!
I've put 'other' as I can't afford to be buying special things. I have a small fleece blanket that I often have around my shoulders to sleep and I wrap my hands in the ends of this. If it's really cold I wear fleece lined gloves.
Disposable hand warmers are best as they're soft and easy to handle. Other than that, layers and layers of jumpers.
Motorbike winter clothes are brilliant especially the body warmers & heated gloves & boots/socks. Their under suits are thermal & really keep you warm too. They even have knee warmers available! All motorbike stores/shops sell this stuff.
MY RHEUMATOLOGIST, HAS PUT ME ON LOW DOSE BLOOD PRESSURE MEDICATION, TO
INCREASE THE CIRCULATION, IN MY HANDS AND FEET. I HAVE HAD RAYNOIDS FOR OVER 30 YRS., AND HAVE FOUND THAT THE MEDICATION, REALLY DOES WORK FOR ME. I DO NOT HAVE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, SO I WAS SKEPTICAL, TO TRY THIS, BUT I AM GLAD THAT I DID.
I use the disposable hand warmer. Tried a lot of different ones. And the only ones that stay hot for the 7 to 8 hours as predicted to do are boyztoys. There best by far. Got them from £1 shop at first but never had them ones in since so got the next of halfpriceperfumes site. But also out of stock now. So I googled just boyztoys and they have there own site so shudnt ever strugglee any more to get them. I bought 2 boxes good value for money. Recomend them to all who need them.
One of the best things I have found helpful in addressing my raynaud's is to keep my turso warm by wearing either an undershirt or camisole.
- The best way I have found of reducing Raynauld's attacks in my hands and feet is to wear a long sleeved thermal vest and thermal long johns (ideally a matching set in terms of warmth) ALL YEAR.
- I have thrown out all my short and three-quarted length sleeved clothing. What I found was that if my sleeves finished above my wrist then my wrists become ice-cold very very quickly.
- I personally prefer Damart Warmth Level 4 but have succesfully worn other brands in the past. I also where Damart thermals instead of Pyjamas.
- If you are buying new thermals or base layers.I suggest you put your hands inside first for a few minutes (This was my husband's idea - it is a real good way of checking the warmth of any clothing.).
Words to the wise - or "don't do what I did" ......
- What happened whan I didn't do this - I bought a set of ski-ing base layers. They were a smooth man-made fibre. The problem I found was that they are cold to the touch so as soon as they lost contact with my body the fabric cooled down. Then, as I moved about my skin would come into contact with the cold fabric and, in my case, that put me at high risk of having a Raynauld's attack.
And finally .....
- There are similar problems with silk fabrics becoming cold to the touch which is a shame because silk is a good natutral insulator.The trick is to make sure silk underwear is close fitting. Alternatively avoid this problem by doing as I do and wear silk over your thermals for extra insulation.
Moderation team
