My doctor has diagnosed me with Raynaud's. Do I need to see a consultant?

[adrianhillson]

[uknlv]

If you are having other symptoms besides the Raynaud's then this could be caused by an auto-immune or connective tissue disease, which causes Raynaud's quite freguently. I would talk to your doctor about your concerns and if you are having more symptoms then ask to be referred to a Rhuematologist that specializes in the above type of diseases. Better safe than sorry, my GP never put all my symptoms together, it was when I went to the Rheumatologist for something else that I discovered I had Limited Systemic Sclerosis/Scleroderma and all my symptoms were caused by that, including the Raynaud's.

[AHM42]

The important things to look for are swollen fingers, any problems with swallowing or heartburn in addition to your Raynaud's. Primary Raynaud's is very common and is benign and often little more than a nuisance. However, it can be severe and that is when one would go along to your GP and ask for a blood test to look for anti nuclear factor antibodies which will give a clue as to whether the Raynaud's is primary or secondary to an underlying condition such as scleroderma. Much more information on this subject is available from the Raynaud's & Scleroderma Association.

[Emma2]

I agree with the other answers on here - you need to ask your GP for a blood test to confirm whether you are dealing with primary or secondary raynauds. If you are showing other symptoms which may indicate secondary raynauds then it is important you get this done as soon as possible so that you know what you are dealing with and can start appropriate treatment. By the time I was properly diagnosed my raynauds was affecting my hands very badly, my feet, my tongue and the blood vessels on my hands near my cuticles were damaged and looked abnormal. Good luck!

[Hidden]

Raynauds for me was one of the first symptoms I had before being diagnosed with Limited Scleroderma-I had other problems with joints pain, chronic fatigue and often choked.

I saw a Vascular consultant after battling with Raynauds for a couple of years,it was he that ordered extensive blood tests for me.

If you're worried,concerned or just want peace of mind it may be worth asking for these blood tests.

[cowhide]

It also depends how severe your Raynauds is. Even Raynauds alone can cause severe problems and if you see a consultant you may get referred for a treatment like iloprost which really helps some people get through the winter