I hope everyone is enjoying the cooler weather, as you may have guessed, I am not. No really bad reactions yet, though my feet are having issues regulating themselves. Today most of me was hot except my feet! They were FREEZING!! sigh...
Well an interesting thing, I was curious as to if kids got this sorta thing, because most things I've ever heard about was with adults. The general age range starts at 18, but that's general. So I started to look up things to see if kids got this sorta thing, I'm sure they can but I don't know much about that subject so I will tell you my findings.
I found this website which was helpful with children having this and just Raynaud's in general, from Boston's Children Hospital.
I didn't know this but Raynaud's is French, coming from a French Medical student who first described this in 1862. Surprising that not many people know about this "disease" even though it's found in 4-15 percent of people in the United States, documented by the Arthritis Foundation.
Every person I have found and talked to that knows someone or that they have Raynaud's are women. 80 percent of those who have the Primary form are women. It can also develop between the ages of 12 and 30!
They also found that 25 percent of people who have the Primary form have a family history of it as well. Strange that it's only 25 percent though.
I saw this paragraph that was very interesting to me...
Studies on pediatric Raynaud’s are rare, with Children’s Hospital Boston rheumatologists being among the handful of investigators. Peter Nigrovic, MD, and Robert Sundel, MD, recently coauthored a study of more than 100 Raynaud’s patients, ranging from infants to age 19, published in the journal Pediatrics. Among the study's findings:
Primary and secondary Raynaud’s tended to begin around the same age, roughly 12 or 13.
As with adult patients, the majority of the children referred to rheumatologists (about 70 percent) had the relatively harmless form of the condition, called primary Raynaud’s.
As with adult patients, antinuclear antibody (ANA) and nailfold capillary tests offered strong indicators of whether a child had secondary Raynaud’s.
Interesting...Like I told you all (to whom ever actually reads this) I started symptoms when I was 18.
One good thing they say in their article is that the 'disease' never worsens...the bad...that it doesn't go away and that there is no cure...but...I do like that it's said that it won't get worse that what it is now.
That's all for this post! Toodles!!http://www.childrenshospital.org/az/Site2940/mainpageS2940P1.html
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Sorry guys! I have been super busy and SUPER exhausted! I am about to fall asleep on my laptop as I type. Bleh! :/
Anyways, last time I left you with me getting the blood thinner medication and good news, it worked! My reactions are actually so much more regulated that I just take blood pressure medicine in the winter! And I've been thinking about it lately, I don't think I get near as many reactions as I used too...This year...I swam in the pool for the first time since my Raynauds and NO reaction!! :D
And strangely the on and off thing with the blood pressure medicine...it doesn't affect my blood pressure...weird I know! But I'm ok with that! :P
It's kinda cool though, I'm meeting more and more people that have this. I also used to not get cold so easy...but it does give me an excuse to have my boyfriend warm me up :P haha! He's very warm and ALL the time! And I'm always cold! lol, so we're a good match :P
When I was in middle school I could stand outside for a few hours in a light jacket when it was 32 and be fine!! Sure it was cold! But no reaction and I wasn't a wimp like I am now. :/ Yeah...I said it...I'm a wimp about the cold now...Honestly...I'm a bit afraid of it now. I don't always know when I'm going to have a reaction and it's a bit more than just uncomfortable, it's a bit painful... :(
sigh...but I must go to bed now...I am taking care of two little boy baby squirrels right now. Their mother got hit by a car a week ago and they weren't ready to be weened yet. I've taken care of plenty, they may actually be descendants from a trio I had this time last year :P
Night guys!! :)
Anyways, last time I left you with me getting the blood thinner medication and good news, it worked! My reactions are actually so much more regulated that I just take blood pressure medicine in the winter! And I've been thinking about it lately, I don't think I get near as many reactions as I used too...This year...I swam in the pool for the first time since my Raynauds and NO reaction!! :D
And strangely the on and off thing with the blood pressure medicine...it doesn't affect my blood pressure...weird I know! But I'm ok with that! :P
It's kinda cool though, I'm meeting more and more people that have this. I also used to not get cold so easy...but it does give me an excuse to have my boyfriend warm me up :P haha! He's very warm and ALL the time! And I'm always cold! lol, so we're a good match :P
When I was in middle school I could stand outside for a few hours in a light jacket when it was 32 and be fine!! Sure it was cold! But no reaction and I wasn't a wimp like I am now. :/ Yeah...I said it...I'm a wimp about the cold now...Honestly...I'm a bit afraid of it now. I don't always know when I'm going to have a reaction and it's a bit more than just uncomfortable, it's a bit painful... :(
sigh...but I must go to bed now...I am taking care of two little boy baby squirrels right now. Their mother got hit by a car a week ago and they weren't ready to be weened yet. I've taken care of plenty, they may actually be descendants from a trio I had this time last year :P
Night guys!! :)
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
More Facts
Ok like I said, "More facts later", well it's a bit later...I'm impatient...Besides, I only gave you ONE website. I wonder how many of your light bulbs came on. :)
Ok, so another website I looked at when I was researching and yes...they are on the first page of a Google search, but they were consistently the same...
The other one is from a cite called Medicinnet.com, where doctors are the authors of these works.
Oh and by the way a reaction is called a Spasm...and the reaction doesn't start when you get cold...it starts when you start to get warm because the blood starts to circulate again, giving you your feeling back. It starts to feel like the cold area is going to sleep.
Oh! And I did a Presentation on this when I was in my Public Speaking class, it was awesome because while I was doing my presentation, I had an ice pack on my arm while I was at the podium and was scratching. Scratching? Yes...it itches reallllly bad, remember I said I call the hives Mosquito bites because that's what it feels like.
Anyways, I told them this is a reaction and showed my arm to them, which surprised them! lol It was red with lots of the white "mosquito bites". That was a "Shock factor". :)
Some causes of Raynaud's which is stated in one or both websites is Stress, caffeine, cold (no duh...), and smoking. The smoking can be considered as a Secondary type because it has been linked as a cause. But when I was doing my research on myself, I did discover that caffeine and stress were a factor in it.
Weird...it's a bit cold in my house right now and my pinky is starting to react to it...it itches... :/ time to warm up!
Oh and here's the link for the Medicinnet :)
http://www.medicinenet.com/raynauds_phenomenon/article.htm#raynauds_phenomenon_facts
Ok, so another website I looked at when I was researching and yes...they are on the first page of a Google search, but they were consistently the same...
The other one is from a cite called Medicinnet.com, where doctors are the authors of these works.
Oh and by the way a reaction is called a Spasm...and the reaction doesn't start when you get cold...it starts when you start to get warm because the blood starts to circulate again, giving you your feeling back. It starts to feel like the cold area is going to sleep.
Oh! And I did a Presentation on this when I was in my Public Speaking class, it was awesome because while I was doing my presentation, I had an ice pack on my arm while I was at the podium and was scratching. Scratching? Yes...it itches reallllly bad, remember I said I call the hives Mosquito bites because that's what it feels like.
Anyways, I told them this is a reaction and showed my arm to them, which surprised them! lol It was red with lots of the white "mosquito bites". That was a "Shock factor". :)
Some causes of Raynaud's which is stated in one or both websites is Stress, caffeine, cold (no duh...), and smoking. The smoking can be considered as a Secondary type because it has been linked as a cause. But when I was doing my research on myself, I did discover that caffeine and stress were a factor in it.
Weird...it's a bit cold in my house right now and my pinky is starting to react to it...it itches... :/ time to warm up!
Oh and here's the link for the Medicinnet :)
http://www.medicinenet.com/raynauds_phenomenon/article.htm#raynauds_phenomenon_facts
Facts
Ok so here's a break of story stuff and here's a fact time...this information I am about to give you are things I found from a few websites when I was first discovering this stuff...
First topic: What is it?
Raynaud's is a problem with your blood flow, or poor circulation in general in your body. Strangely one of the girls in my class that I sit next too, we started talking about this...she has it...BUT we think she was miss diagnosed with something similar but not as many answers, called, Cold Uticaria. When she read up on Raynaud's she said that made a lot more sense than this cold thing. But as we talked and started figuring more things out I had been thinking recently about this poor circulation problem...don't worry, I'm going somewhere with this thought! I asked her if her legs, feet, arms and hands fell asleep a lot, that if she needed to shift positions a lot. She was surprised and said yes, asking if it was part of Raynaud's I smiled weakly at her and told her I think it is...I have the same problem. I have to shift a lot and re-position myself constantly.
Ok sorry, that was a new discovery. When I go to my doctor I will tell him :)
But yes...RESEARCH...my apologies, I am unfortunately, but entertaining for you, ADD.
Ok so Poor Circulation...because of the poor circulation, when your body gets cold the veins constrict allowing less blood flow which explains the extreme symptoms as frostbite. And strangely...my blood pressure has ALWAYS been perfect...
Now, did you know there are TWO different types of Raynaud's? Bet not, ok. So there is Primary and Secondary, not hard to remember.
I have Primary, which means there is no underlying illness that caused this...
Secondary, as you may have guessed, another problem you had, made this occur.
This is straight from one of the websites I looked up when I was researching everything, on causes of Raynaud's. It's quite interesting...well it is for me...
First topic: What is it?
Raynaud's is a problem with your blood flow, or poor circulation in general in your body. Strangely one of the girls in my class that I sit next too, we started talking about this...she has it...BUT we think she was miss diagnosed with something similar but not as many answers, called, Cold Uticaria. When she read up on Raynaud's she said that made a lot more sense than this cold thing. But as we talked and started figuring more things out I had been thinking recently about this poor circulation problem...don't worry, I'm going somewhere with this thought! I asked her if her legs, feet, arms and hands fell asleep a lot, that if she needed to shift positions a lot. She was surprised and said yes, asking if it was part of Raynaud's I smiled weakly at her and told her I think it is...I have the same problem. I have to shift a lot and re-position myself constantly.
Ok sorry, that was a new discovery. When I go to my doctor I will tell him :)
But yes...RESEARCH...my apologies, I am unfortunately, but entertaining for you, ADD.
Ok so Poor Circulation...because of the poor circulation, when your body gets cold the veins constrict allowing less blood flow which explains the extreme symptoms as frostbite. And strangely...my blood pressure has ALWAYS been perfect...
Now, did you know there are TWO different types of Raynaud's? Bet not, ok. So there is Primary and Secondary, not hard to remember.
I have Primary, which means there is no underlying illness that caused this...
Secondary, as you may have guessed, another problem you had, made this occur.
This is straight from one of the websites I looked up when I was researching everything, on causes of Raynaud's. It's quite interesting...well it is for me...
Doctors don't completely understand the cause of Raynaud's attacks, but blood vessels in the hands and feet appear to overreact to cold temperatures or stress:
- Cold temperatures. When your body is exposed to cold temperatures, your extremities lose heat. Your body slows down blood supply to your fingers and toes to preserve your body's core temperature. Your body specifically reduces blood flow by narrowing the small arteries under the skin of your extremities. In people with Raynaud's, this normal response is exaggerated.
- Stress. Stress causes a similar reaction to cold in the body, and likewise the body's response may be exaggerated in people with Raynaud's.
Blood vessels in spasm
With Raynaud's, arteries to your fingers and toes go into vasospasm. Vasospasm narrows your vessels dramatically and temporarily limits blood supply. Over time, these same small arteries may thicken slightly, further limiting blood flow. The result is that affected skin turns a pale and dusky color due to the lack of blood flow to the area. Once the spasms go away and blood returns to the area, the tissue may turn red before returning to the normal color.
With Raynaud's, arteries to your fingers and toes go into vasospasm. Vasospasm narrows your vessels dramatically and temporarily limits blood supply. Over time, these same small arteries may thicken slightly, further limiting blood flow. The result is that affected skin turns a pale and dusky color due to the lack of blood flow to the area. Once the spasms go away and blood returns to the area, the tissue may turn red before returning to the normal color.
Cold temperatures are most likely to trigger an attack. Exposure to cold can be as simple as putting your hands under a faucet of running cold water, taking something out of the freezer or exposure to cold air. For some people, exposure to cold temperatures isn't necessary. Emotional stress alone can cause an episode of Raynaud's.
Raynaud's may be partly an inherited disorder.
Primary vs. secondary Raynaud's
Raynaud's occurs in two main types:
Raynaud's occurs in two main types:
- Primary Raynaud's. This is Raynaud's without an underlying disease or associated medical problem that could provoke vasospasm. Also called Raynaud's disease, it's the most common form of the disorder.
- Secondary Raynaud's. Also called Raynaud's phenomenon, this form is caused by an underlying problem. Although secondary Raynaud's is less common than the primary form, it tends to be a more serious disorder. Signs and symptoms of secondary Raynaud's usually first appear at later ages — around 40 — than they do for people with the primary form of Raynaud's.
Causes of secondary Raynaud's include:
- Scleroderma. Raynaud's phenomenon occurs in the majority of people who have scleroderma — a rare disease that leads to hardening and scarring of the skin.
- Lupus. Raynaud's is also a common problem for people with lupus erythematosus — an autoimmune disease that can affect many parts of your body, including your skin, joints, organs and blood vessels.
- Rheumatoid arthritis. Raynaud's may be an initial sign of rheumatoid arthritis — an inflammatory condition causing pain and stiffness in the joints, often including the hands and feet.
- Sjogren's syndrome. Raynaud's phenomenon can also occur in people who have Sjogren's syndrome — an autoimmune disorder that may accompany scleroderma, lupus or rheumatoid arthritis.
- Diseases of the arteries. Raynaud's phenomenon can be associated with various diseases that affect arteries, such as atherosclerosis, which is the gradual buildup of plaques in blood vessels that feed the heart (coronary arteries), or Buerger's disease, a disorder in which the blood vessels of the hands and feet become inflamed. Primary pulmonary hypertension, a type of high blood pressure that affects the arteries of the lungs, can be linked to Raynaud's.
- Carpal tunnel syndrome. The carpal tunnel is a narrow passageway in your wrist that protects a major nerve to your hand. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition in which pressure is put on this nerve, producing numbness and pain in the affected hand. The affected hand may become more susceptible to cold temperatures and episodes of Raynaud's.
- Injury due to overuse. Raynaud's can also be caused by repetitive injuries that damage nerves serving blood vessels in the hands and feet. Some people who type or play the piano vigorously or for long periods of time may be susceptible to Raynaud's. Workers who operate vibrating tools can develop a type of Raynaud's phenomenon called vibration white finger.
- Smoking. Smoking constricts blood vessels and is a potential cause of Raynaud's.
- Injuries. Prior injuries to the hands or feet, such as wrist fracture, surgery or frostbite, can lead to Raynaud's phenomenon.
- Certain medications. Some drugs — including beta blockers, which are used to treat high blood pressure; migraine medications that contain ergotamine; medications containing estrogen; certain chemotherapy agents; and drugs that cause blood vessels to narrow, such as some over-the-counter (OTC) cold medications — have been linked to Raynaud's.
- Chemical exposure. People exposed to vinyl chloride, such as those who work in the plastics industry, may develop an illness similar to scleroderma. Raynaud's can be a part of that illness.
- Other causes. Raynaud's has also been linked to thyroid gland disorders.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
I last left you with the cliff hanger of leaving the doc with Ibuprofen. Well, I won't keep you waiting any longer. During the time I had Ibuprofen, I continued to do my little experiments, and the Ibuprofen worked for a few months, but then my reactions started to flare like it did in the beginning. Now don't think that the Ibuprofen was a magical cure all, it only weakened the reaction, just made it not as bad. Remember you can treat the symptoms, not the disease.
Well, I got to the point that it bothered me horribly, because I'm such a lucky person, the disease started right before one of the coldest Texas winters I can remember....Oh yes...there was snow...two years...in a row....hehe that kinda rhymed :)
Anyways, I couldn't wait for my doctor to get back to be switched to the blood pressure medicine, so I went to a different doctor in the same office, a female doctor. Lucky me again, she told me that she would not prescribe me any such thing because I wasn't turning blue....yes....that's what she said...she wanted me to start turning blue before she would help me. She also told me that it should be easy for me to not have reactions because it's Texas....and to just wash my hands with warm water....and yes....this was a doctor...unfortunately she's still there and licensed...
So I had to pay another co-pay to get back into MY doctor and told him what happened. He wasn't happy about that and prescribed me Nifedipine. Now I have it a bit under more control except that the blood thinner made things...not so great. Unfortunately in this situation...I'm a girl...who still has her period....yeah...so to control that aspect of life I had to get on birth control to regulate it and to keep my cramps down. And I came up with that! My doctor thought I was smart :D
Unfortunately for you readers that I surprisingly have, it's time for bed for me.
Goodnight! :)
Well, I got to the point that it bothered me horribly, because I'm such a lucky person, the disease started right before one of the coldest Texas winters I can remember....Oh yes...there was snow...two years...in a row....hehe that kinda rhymed :)
Anyways, I couldn't wait for my doctor to get back to be switched to the blood pressure medicine, so I went to a different doctor in the same office, a female doctor. Lucky me again, she told me that she would not prescribe me any such thing because I wasn't turning blue....yes....that's what she said...she wanted me to start turning blue before she would help me. She also told me that it should be easy for me to not have reactions because it's Texas....and to just wash my hands with warm water....and yes....this was a doctor...unfortunately she's still there and licensed...
So I had to pay another co-pay to get back into MY doctor and told him what happened. He wasn't happy about that and prescribed me Nifedipine. Now I have it a bit under more control except that the blood thinner made things...not so great. Unfortunately in this situation...I'm a girl...who still has her period....yeah...so to control that aspect of life I had to get on birth control to regulate it and to keep my cramps down. And I came up with that! My doctor thought I was smart :D
Unfortunately for you readers that I surprisingly have, it's time for bed for me.
Goodnight! :)
Saturday, September 15, 2012
So I left you with a good long cliff hanger, good news, I will fill you in on a bit more. I left off on telling you, my dear and few readers, that I started to do experiments on myself to see if I had this Raynaud's thing....
What kind of experiments? Well nothing too extreme, I would hold a cold drink and my hand would quickly react, I would put it on my leg and then it would react. It was all pretty slow though. It started in my fingers, then worked it's way to my hands, then up my arms and neck. Next was my toes, then my thighs, then my lower legs, then it moved to the rest of the body. By the way, if I eat too much of something cold, like a Popsicle stick...My lips swell and bit and it looks like I had just gotten botox...yeah...why is that a problem? I actually like the way my lips are already...and it feels weird...
After I did all these things, which in reality took a few months of just trying to figure this thing out, I went to my doctor and told him how weird I am...he did a few tests on me to make sure I was correct, and yes...yes I was right...We then started to discuss about this...thing...a bit more. From what I learned and from what he told me, basically I have a poor circulatory system and it's believed to be genetic. What happens to my body when I come in contact with something cold for too long, my veins constrict, making it more difficult for blood to pass to the appendages and the rest of what ever is cold, that need it. Because it's not getting the correct amount of blood flow, I have my allergic reaction; Swelling, itching, decreased feeling, color changing, and what I call 'mosquito bites'. This is also why some patience may get Frostbite.
So our first step to helping me with this, since unfortunately there is no cure...he suggested to first start taking just some good ol' Ibuprofen, because it happens to have a anticoagulant, which in English, is a blood thinner. Well what if that doesn't work? Well the next step is a blood thinner...or a blood pressure medication...
Well, ok then doc...Ibuprofen it is...
ANOTHER.....dun dun dun!!! CLIFF HANGER!!!!
Good night!
What kind of experiments? Well nothing too extreme, I would hold a cold drink and my hand would quickly react, I would put it on my leg and then it would react. It was all pretty slow though. It started in my fingers, then worked it's way to my hands, then up my arms and neck. Next was my toes, then my thighs, then my lower legs, then it moved to the rest of the body. By the way, if I eat too much of something cold, like a Popsicle stick...My lips swell and bit and it looks like I had just gotten botox...yeah...why is that a problem? I actually like the way my lips are already...and it feels weird...
After I did all these things, which in reality took a few months of just trying to figure this thing out, I went to my doctor and told him how weird I am...he did a few tests on me to make sure I was correct, and yes...yes I was right...We then started to discuss about this...thing...a bit more. From what I learned and from what he told me, basically I have a poor circulatory system and it's believed to be genetic. What happens to my body when I come in contact with something cold for too long, my veins constrict, making it more difficult for blood to pass to the appendages and the rest of what ever is cold, that need it. Because it's not getting the correct amount of blood flow, I have my allergic reaction; Swelling, itching, decreased feeling, color changing, and what I call 'mosquito bites'. This is also why some patience may get Frostbite.
So our first step to helping me with this, since unfortunately there is no cure...he suggested to first start taking just some good ol' Ibuprofen, because it happens to have a anticoagulant, which in English, is a blood thinner. Well what if that doesn't work? Well the next step is a blood thinner...or a blood pressure medication...
Well, ok then doc...Ibuprofen it is...
ANOTHER.....dun dun dun!!! CLIFF HANGER!!!!
Good night!
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
When I was about 18 years old, just out of high school, my body started to move more against me than it ever had before. I was, and am, allergic to a lot of things, sure, but this...this was different.
I worked at a vet clinic in Colleyville, Texas. And it all started when I washed my hands. Yeah...something that simple. Working at a vet clinic you tend to wash your hands a lot from, well let's just say gross stuff. I had just gotten done with reading a fecal, yes...I said it...reading poo...it's a dirty job, reading poo...but somebody has to do it so we can tell you if Mr. Fluffles has any worms or parasites we need to treat him for. Now that I cleared up why I was looking at poo, let's continue with my story. Anyways...as I washed my hands with cold water, because, well...that's just what I turn on when I wash my hands, well used too anyways. My hands, more my fingers started to feel funny...they were, itchy...and turning a bit white. I stopped and dried my hands and examined them. They itched more. I rubbed them together, scratching them a bit, puzzled. And then welts started to show up. It looked like hives, or mosquito bites all over my hand, and it felt like it too. Hmm...well I am allergic to some breeds of dog, mostly just the short haired breeds, and well I had just been helping the nurses with a boxer...but this...this was different...
Each day, it got worse when I washed my hands. The welts showed up, they itched, they blotched with white spots, they even began to swell and I began to lose a bit of feeling in my fingers...This. Is. Not. Normal!
One of the girls I worked with was in school to be a human nurse and I told her about my hands and what was going on. She thought it was weird at first then mentioned about something called, 'Raynaud's' and for the life of me I couldn't remember if it was Raynaud's or Reynald's, which are two completely different things. But I got online and I started searching. I saw horrible pictures of BLUE fingers and toes and even FROSTBITE symptoms! I was now scared. I needed to figure this out. I didn't know how to explain it just yet to a doctor, I wasn't sure about what was causing it besides washing my hands, so...I started to do experiments on myself to see if it was this Raynaud's thing...er whatever it was...
*Insert Cliff hanger*
Sorry but no more for today, Good night!!
I worked at a vet clinic in Colleyville, Texas. And it all started when I washed my hands. Yeah...something that simple. Working at a vet clinic you tend to wash your hands a lot from, well let's just say gross stuff. I had just gotten done with reading a fecal, yes...I said it...reading poo...it's a dirty job, reading poo...but somebody has to do it so we can tell you if Mr. Fluffles has any worms or parasites we need to treat him for. Now that I cleared up why I was looking at poo, let's continue with my story. Anyways...as I washed my hands with cold water, because, well...that's just what I turn on when I wash my hands, well used too anyways. My hands, more my fingers started to feel funny...they were, itchy...and turning a bit white. I stopped and dried my hands and examined them. They itched more. I rubbed them together, scratching them a bit, puzzled. And then welts started to show up. It looked like hives, or mosquito bites all over my hand, and it felt like it too. Hmm...well I am allergic to some breeds of dog, mostly just the short haired breeds, and well I had just been helping the nurses with a boxer...but this...this was different...
Each day, it got worse when I washed my hands. The welts showed up, they itched, they blotched with white spots, they even began to swell and I began to lose a bit of feeling in my fingers...This. Is. Not. Normal!
One of the girls I worked with was in school to be a human nurse and I told her about my hands and what was going on. She thought it was weird at first then mentioned about something called, 'Raynaud's' and for the life of me I couldn't remember if it was Raynaud's or Reynald's, which are two completely different things. But I got online and I started searching. I saw horrible pictures of BLUE fingers and toes and even FROSTBITE symptoms! I was now scared. I needed to figure this out. I didn't know how to explain it just yet to a doctor, I wasn't sure about what was causing it besides washing my hands, so...I started to do experiments on myself to see if it was this Raynaud's thing...er whatever it was...
*Insert Cliff hanger*
Sorry but no more for today, Good night!!
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