Finger not correcting for hours

[Magsterly]

Something new is happening. Two fingers stay blue. For 3-4 hrs. Does anyone have an answer for this obvious turn for the worse? This is happening in the heat! (Raynauds for 20 yrs)

[honeybug]

Hi Magsterly 😊🌿🌸🦋

I’ve had Raynauds for 56 years. My dad has had it since his 40s he’s 89.

So far I’m blessed that my hands and feet recover fully.

My dad’s is doing like yours. He runs WARM water over them till they pink up. He has been a cigar smoker for decades and cigarettes too. He has emphysema plus heart disease with dead heart tissue areas so it doesn’t work well. Combine the two heart / lung conditions plus Raynauds Phenomenon and it now seems like the damage to the small blood vessels is so extensive that oxygen doesn’t reach them very well. He wears thermal underwear under layers of clothes all year round.

He’s very stubborn and refuses to seek treatment for anything nowadays.

When the circulation isn’t restored quickly ulcers and gangrene frostbite can occur.

See your doctor/ rheumatologist for treatment ASAP.

Best wishes. Abundant blessings.

EJ 😊🌿🌸🦋🙏🤗💗😘😇🕊

[Magsterly in reply to honeybug]

Yes. This time warm water and arm circles are not working. My GP will not refer me to a rhuemy. Perhaps when I go again this week she will.

Still slightly discolored this morning. Thank you for your input.

Obviously Im scared to death if ulcers and gangrene are next for me. If so I will want amputation. I don’t think I could live with it.

[linda-l in reply to Magsterly]

Your GP HAS to refer you to a rheumatologist! It is your legal right for a second opinion.

If you have Secondary Raynaud's you MUST see a specialist as it's can autoimmune condition which only a specialist should treat.

Be brave and when you see her, demand your right to see a specialist.

I really hope you receive the advice and treatment you clearly need.

👍🏻😊

[Magsterly in reply to linda-l]

Thank you for this Linda. Your right. I am seeing her again this Wednesday since it happened a second time. It didn’t correct for 20 hrs! I will push rhuemy visit.

[Hidden in reply to Magsterly]

Royal Free has a specialist Raynauds dept as k to be referred to them can go from anywhere in country.

Unlike with my stupid Quack said no as not local! can see from my window! They asked where i was said we have many from round there!.

Then asked when seeing Rheumy again for treatment? said not looks like a one off as just said yes Raynauds! So she cocked that one up as well!

[overnighthearingloss in reply to Magsterly]

I know it's unproven but the red light is incredibly penetrating and COULD work for you.

I understand fear of unknown consequences but personally I place value on keeping my fingers more. Amputation is really not something I would want to contemplate.

[Magsterly in reply to overnighthearingloss]

I appreciate this. And saw the study on the red light therapy. Does look intriguing!

[overnighthearingloss in reply to Magsterly]

My middle right finger is much shorter than it used to be, due to recurrent bouts of ulceration. Most of the rest are scarred at the tips.

I agree with others that you need to establish whether you have primary or secondary Raynaud's to be aware of likely progression.

I only had blue fingers at the start, but this is due to poor circulation. If you then get a cut with any infection your limited blood supply in the fingers has a hard time healing it and ulcers can develop.

Ask your GP what criteria you would need to satisfy to see a rheumy.

[Magsterly in reply to overnighthearingloss]

Very good advice. Well explained. Thank you.

Now I have a question. Do ulcers appear ONLY WHEN you are injured like a cut - or does it creep up no matter what.

And Im super duper careful not to get finger injuries! Luckily when some minor cut occurs- it heals

[overnighthearingloss in reply to Magsterly]

when I say cut, it can be something as simple as a microscopic paper cut. You don't need finger trauma per se.

I have also had an ulcer start after something feeling like a bit of grit pops through the skin. It might be calcium or suchlike. I think something in the body causes it to breakout through the fingertips. Then there is an opening for infection to set in. I have never found out for sure what exactly breaks through the skin but it is usually white in colour and before it breaks out it feels a bit like an embedded splinter.

[Magsterly in reply to overnighthearingloss]

My goodness this is awful. Don’t the doctors know for a certainty what and why?? Sounds like many just grasp at straws for explanations. So ulcers CAN occur for no “reason”. Your explanations are very clear and I appreciate everything you have added here. After 150 yrs when Frenchman - Mr Raynaud put a name to the symptoms of this disease it is still poorly understood and completely under funded.

[overnighthearingloss in reply to Magsterly]

well it might sound defeatist but although I know there are huge numbers of very dedicated and caring nurses and doctors, I don't really believe that the western medicine system at least looks for cures. Even with all the charities that collect and provide huge amounts of funding for research.

I now tend to believe that all we can expect is symptom relief. That way we all remain 'customers' of the pharma corporations. Pharma owns western medicine right from the beginning at the teaching stage.

Anything not produced by the pharma corporations is gradually being banned.

I believe that even with greater resources than ever before new cures for anything will be very rare.

I am developing interests in how various conditions are treated around the world. With alternative approaches to the Western model.

[overnighthearingloss in reply to overnighthearingloss]

collective-evolution.com/20...

I rest my case.

[honeybug in reply to Magsterly]

I’m so sorry your usual methods of recovery hasn’t worked.

Yes it is scary to think/know about ulcers and the other dreaded things that can happen from this condition.

I pray that you’ll get the help you need and prevent all of those worst case scenarios.

Take care. Abundant blessings.

EJ. 😊🌿🌸🦋🙏🤗💗😘😇🕊

[Hidden]

Ugh I have this happen. twice I ended up with ulcers that took MONTHS to heal. Super painful the second time I realized what was happening and it wasn't as bad but still super painful. For me it is almost like my finger seizes up and won't let go like a constriction response but not temp related like my usual raynaulds stuff. I try to keep it constantly warm for as much circulation as possible and my Rhuematologist told me to up my nifedipine to the max dose which is 60 MG 2 times a day as fall and winter come around but the seizing happens even when it is warm. I use warm water, a microwave hot pack, hand warmers tons of layers and try to just spend as much time with it warm as possible but even then it sometimes won't let go except when i sleep and get my whole body super warm. I would tell your doc she if she won;t send you to a specialist which she should she needs to get you some better meds to help with blood flow or you will be spending a lot of time in his/her office with an ulcerated finger.

[Magsterly in reply to Hidden]

Ziva girl. Thank you. Im not on any meds right now. And it happened a second time.

Does this indicate my first ulcers are just around the corner???? Never had them. And I DREAD it.

Im seeing my GP this week. I can push a rhuemy but wonder what that will mean. 10-15 min appt with just a harsh drug prescription.... guess no choice.

[Hidden in reply to Magsterly]

I wouldn't say it means you will get an ulcer but I would for sure take very good care of your hands and have a serious talk with you doc about your symptoms.

[Magsterly in reply to Hidden]

Are you OK telling me if you smoke - and do your ulcers come as a result of a cut or do they just break thru skin and show up just like ‘overnight hearing loss’ said.

[cowhide in reply to Magsterly]

Anyone with Raynauds should get checked if it is primary Raynauds or much more serious secondary Raynauds (ie part of a wider autoimmune disease). A rheumy should do this even if your GP won't. Don't turn away the chance of a rheumy appointment and remember that some of us are very glad of 'harsh drugs' that actually in some cases prevent gangrene, pain, or even keep us alive (and some can't be prescribed by a GP).

[Magsterly in reply to cowhide]

I agree. My GP just referred me NOT to a rhuemy but another GP I think. He said he will see me before a referral 🙄

Trying! Yet Kaiser here in CA are about to go on strike. Lovely

[Hidden]

Try Ginger and Cayenne pepper in your food regularly

[Magsterly in reply to Hidden]

Thank you Oscar. Have been drinking more fresh ginger tea. Deciding what kind of Tumeric supplement to take that won’t be hard on my GI tract

[Hidden in reply to Magsterly]

Have a look at peacock handwarmers one in each pocket will keep you warm.

Had mine for years 60+C warmth

[daphnedaphne in reply to Magsterly]

You could start rubbing ginger oil in to your hands daily as well, just to see if it may help... If you do look at doing that I would give it a decent amount of time to trial and do it regularly