EXTREMELY cold hands and feet?

So I've had this problem even lonnnnng before my ED. There are times in the day where my feet and hands get incredibly cold and pale, and impossible to warm up! I can warm up the outside by wearing gloves or slippers until they start sweating, but it almost feels like the inside is cold. Like the blood itself is cold or something. I've had this problem since I was 10, but didn't really think much of it. It got even worse during the ED, but it went away briefly when I started recovery. And now it's starting up again! Sometimes it becomes extremely difficult to do simple tasks such as writing or driving because they become numb! Does anyone have any clue as to what might be causing this? It's only my hands and feet.. Nothing else.

I have had a similar problem for years too. Gloves dont work, as there is no heat there to keep in! I went to the doc about it years ago, said it was 'like' Raynaud's disease, but that there was no underlying cause or anything wrong apart from that, so not to worry. Maybe check that out and see if the symptoms match? Or, go to the Doc's yourself, as there could be low blood pressure problems or something more serious causing it, best to be safe right?

I think I have something slightly different at any rate, I get icey hands and feet, and cold arms and legs, until the point where my whole skin is ice cold and I'm shivering even in the sun. My mates say I am a zombie :S Maybe I should go back too...

I also forgot to mention that it seems to run in the family too. My mom and her father both have this problem too. I don't think they were officially diagnosed with Raynaud's disease.. They don't think very much of it.. I guess they've just learned to live with it.

Good to know I'm not alone with this either! Yeah in most cases, gloves or slippers actually make it worse. I have them on until they're drenched with sweat, and then they get even colder when it evaporates (icky, I know...). I'm actually experiencing it right now, and I'm finding it really hard to type.. Either way, I probably should talk to me doc about it. But in the meantime, have you found any remedies to warm up your hands and feet?? Nothing seems to work!!

Aside from clutching mugs of tea like it's going out of style? I use those heat pad things, all the time! I got some neat ones that you shake to activate, they get really hot and stay warm for hours. Those ones you boil and then click the disk are cool too, and reuseable. I put them in fingerless gloves when I have to work outside for a long time, or a pocket. They can get Very hot though, so be careful. Feet are trickier though, heat packs in a shoe? Burnt toes all round. I hear there are ones specially made for gloves and shoes from camping places, that dont get hot enough to burn, but I'v never seen them firsthand. Good luck on your heat seeking quest, maybe some other people have more ideas!

I vote to go see your doctor.  While it might be something that you can cope with and that your family members have coped with, wouldn't it be so much nicer if there was an actual remedy?  You won't know unless you ask and inquire and probably reinquire and get tested and try different things with your doctor's help.

Hmm... have you ever had your thyroid tested? Cold hands/feet are a symptom of hypothyroidism.

tweeko: Haha, I totally do that all the time. I always volunteer to hold other people's tea and coffee for them. =P The heat pads might work on the hands, but the feet are indeed a little trickier. And my feet are often wayy more cold than my hands. Thanks for the advice! I think I'll use some of those heat pads, until I can talk to my doctor. Thanks for the help!

smwhipple: Yeah, I'm definitely planning on going this weekend. I agree, finding an actual remedy would be far better than having to deal with numb hands all the time.

the_kats_meow: I believe I had my thyroid tested a few years back, and it turned up normal or maybe a little lower than what it should've been, but not enough to be classified as full-fledged hypothyroidism. Though both my mom and my dad have hypothyroidism and are on medication for it. It's quite possible that I might have inherited a slightly slower thyroid.. I'll be sure to bring that up with my doctor.

Thanks for the help everyone!

Raynaud's Disease has no cure. It's something you either have or you don't but will sometimes just go away on it's own. If you smoke you should give up immediately (obviously! But specifically for this) as smoking affects the circulation.

Raynaud's disease is annoying but it doesn't affect anything else.Unfortunately you will just have to live with it.

Edit: Here's some more http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/conditions/raynau ds1.shtml

Do see your doc to make sure it definately is Reynaud's

It seems to be worse when the weather gets a little chillier. It's not thaaat much colder here, but I guess it's enough to trigger the cold response in my hands and feet. I don't smoke either - never have, never will :)

Yeah, it's really more of an annoyance than anything. Like I said above, the only major effects it has on me is with writing and feeling the pedals when I'm driving. Thanks for that link by the way! Very interesting read.. A lot of those symptoms are very true with me.... o_O

I too have really bad circulation so my hands and feet are always ICY. I agree about going to the doctor, but as far as a foot remedy.. Whenever I go skiing, I use these things called "Toastee Toes." I think they're activated by the air, and you stick them to the bottom of your socks, and I think they're good for like 2 hours. It's been a while since I went skiing so I can't remember the specifics. They're pretty cheap if you're just getting a couple, but I'm sure it would get expensive to stock up on them and use them long-term. Hope everything works out!

I've been diagnosed with Reynaud's phenomenon, here's what helps me:

Fingerless gloves help keep my palms warm and since they're open at the top I don't get sweaty as fast

Wool socks will keep your feet warmer than cotton socks while also breathing more than synthetic materials like nylon to help with sweatyness.

There are reusable heat packs out there, like this one: http://www.campingsurvival.com/prreha.html (don't know anything about the website, but that's a brand I have used before)

Other than that, warm baths, lots of blankets, avoid caffeine and alcohol when you're cold.  Avoid stress if you can (hard I know).  My fingers only turn blue when I'm cold and really stressed.  If I'm not stressed they just get cold and stiff.  Mostly I just have cold hands and feet a lot.