Changes following an electric shock

[DamienG]

First post, 34 yo male, I've always had undiagnosed Raynauds since I was a child, cold hands (and feet) turning white, blue and red at the slightest change in temperature. I used to wear gloves outside for half the year, but it never really concerned me too much.

2 months ago I had an electric shock from the mains, bad enough to leave small burns on my thumb, but not bad enough to concern the hospital doctor or my GP. Since then the hand and arm that got shocked seems even more sensitive to the cold, and my hands are now often two distinct different colours, which I don't remember seeing before, and is really freaking me out!

Any advice would be very welcome, thanks for listening.

[Hidden]

Odd, but I often wear only one mitten indoors and out. The most used hand may get Raynauds worse maybe. However, do get it checked out as treatment may be important.

Good luck with this.

[amd21]

I have a recently developed secondary raynauds but 15 years or so before i had that, i slipped a disc which damaged the radial & median nerves in my right arm. once the pain had settled down (18 months of burning!) ive been left with reduced nerve & therefore blood supply to my right hand, which has left my thumb and 1st two fingers colder than the rest.

it could be something similar i.e. nerve damage or vascular damage and unrelated to rays but obviously will interact with it. look up online radial nerve, median nerve & ulnar nerve and see if you symptom pattern matches the innervation pattern of one of them - if it does ask GP to check maybe physio or neurology could help. alan

[Creaky-Paddler]

Hi, I can't advise, but can sympathise! I too have had raynauds for many years, the start of this year though I had a strange addition, I had come from a freezing garden and washed my hands in hot water without thinking!

This caused a really weird feeling on one of my hands and it became swollen and tender, at first I thought I had brought on Chilblains, but even now, the swelling and tenderness has gone but that hand is much darker than my other hand. Freaks me out too!

[DamienG]

Thanks for the replies. The hands is just one issue I'm having right now, the whole thing has left me feeling anxious and scared, and I can't seem to get much sympathy from my GP who seems to think its all anxiety related.

[gindy]

I've got Raynauds and SSc and one hand is much more affected than the other. I'm right handed, and the right hand's the more severely affected.

It's certainly possible that the shock set the imbalance into action, but it could also just be a coincidence I guess.

Get medical opinions and maybe go for some blood tests to see if you've got SSc markers. You're in the age range for developing SSc whilst being s Raynauds sufferer. Although it's more prevalent in females there's quite a few men here suffering.

[DamienG]

Thanks Gindy. I'd never even heard of scleroderma until I visit this website a few days ago!

One of the other symptoms I've been experiencing since the shock, and the one that is causing me the most pain at the moment is the sudden appearance of visible and varicose veins on my legs, I've been looking this up online and this could be a possible flag?

[gindy]

Yes DamienG broken varicose looking veins are a sure sign (especially if combined with other symptoms) of SSc. It's an illness that for me rose from nowhere, into a full on bout of several symptoms and lots of pain.

What was most disturbing to me was how tired I'd become, I mean from a healthy(ish) active person I became an almost recluse that rarely left my home. It took a good 6 months before the docs realised what was wrong and I started to be able to cope with moderately active days!

I sincerely hope you're not suffering with SSc, but if I were you I'd definitely be asking the doctor to refer you for blood tests and an appt with a rheumatologist.

Keep us updated, and remember there's always a friendly ear on this forum if needed

[DamienG]

Thanks again, I hope you are doing OK these days. My GP doesn't really even seem to accept that there is anything wrong with me, and is treating me for anxiety only at the moment. He doesn't even seem to think there is a link between the veins and the electric shock, but in a few weeks I've gone from never even seeing a leg vein to having visible ones covering both legs and one bulging so bad right over my knee I can no longer fully bend my leg. I had bloods done recently but everything was OK. Its really getting me down that I feel so bad but can't get anything done about it.