Discussion
Does anyone else suffer from Reynards ?
My wife has had it since I've known her and it's got steadily worse. Dr prescribes anti histamines, but pharmacy doesn't understand why and suggests she doesn't take them. Spoke to different pharmacist who agreed with dr.
It's getting so bad, that she will step into a cold bath for 5 minutes, to just numb the feet and thus not feel the itching.
just wondering how others deal with it ?
My wife has had it since I've known her and it's got steadily worse. Dr prescribes anti histamines, but pharmacy doesn't understand why and suggests she doesn't take them. Spoke to different pharmacist who agreed with dr.
It's getting so bad, that she will step into a cold bath for 5 minutes, to just numb the feet and thus not feel the itching.
just wondering how others deal with it ?
My Mrs has it but nowhere near that bad. Reckons ginger and ginkgo biloba have some effect.
Is your Mrs a member of https://www.sruk.co.uk/ the Mrs gets the magazine but they've got support forums that might be worth a look
Is your Mrs a member of https://www.sruk.co.uk/ the Mrs gets the magazine but they've got support forums that might be worth a look
I suffer from it, mostly when out on my motorbike, even on warm summer days. Its more annoying than painful when I start to lose the circulation in my fingers as I have to find a hot tap to run over my hands for 15 bloody minutes to get any feeling back!!
Speak to your doctor about Nifepedine - its a drug they can prescribe that opens up the vessels to allow more blood flow - it does come with a list of side effects however so read up about it.
I started taking it but kept missing doses so came off it, but Ive read that it can help relieve symptoms in a lot of people. GOOd luck!
Speak to your doctor about Nifepedine - its a drug they can prescribe that opens up the vessels to allow more blood flow - it does come with a list of side effects however so read up about it.
I started taking it but kept missing doses so came off it, but Ive read that it can help relieve symptoms in a lot of people. GOOd luck!
STe_rsv4 said:
Speak to your doctor about Nifepedine - its a drug they can prescribe that opens up the vessels to allow more blood flow - it does come with a list of side effects however so read up about it.!
My wife suffers terribly with it and was on the above pills, they worked great but gave her regular migraines so has had to come of them.For difficult Raynaud's phenomenon, you can use calcium channel blockers. Slow-release or long-acting preparations of nifedipine or amlodipine can work in Raynaud's that hasn't responded to 'general measures'. You need to speak to your GP to discuss those options.
Up to date lists the 'general measures' as follows:
●Avoidance of cold exposure, especially sudden changes such as walking into the frozen food section of a grocery store.
●Use of strategies to keep the whole body warm, including dressing warmly (eg, with thermal underwear, layered clothing, and a heat-conserving hat).
●Use of strategies to keep the digits of the hands and feet warm (eg, winter gloves, chemical hand warmers, and heavy wool stockings).
●Knowledge of methods to help terminate an attack of RP. These include placing the hands under warm water or in a warm place (such as the axilla) or rotating arms in a whirling or windmill pattern. Rubbing the hands together can help.
●Avoidance of rapidly changing temperatures, such as occurs when quickly moving from a hot environment (90ºF) into an air-conditioned room (70ºF). Avoiding sitting motionless in cool breezes or in humid cold air is also recommended.
●Avoidance of smoking is advised since regular smokers are sensitized to the vasoconstrictive properties of cigarettes. The response in patients with RP does not appear to be different from that in normal individuals [12]. A large study including over 600 patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) found that smoking was associated with substantially worse RP symptoms among patients with SSc [13]. Avoiding secondhand smoke is also prudent.
●Avoidance of sympathomimetic drugs (such as decongestants, amphetamines, diet pills, herbs containing ephedra), which is generally recommended, although studies evaluating the degree of the impact of over-the-counter preparations (such as cold medications) have not been performed [11].
●Avoidance of agents used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (methylphenidate and dextroamphetamine) is recommended. A case-control study found a significant association between the presence of RP and past or current use these stimulants [11].
●Avoidance of some of the medications used for migraine headaches, including serotonin agonists (eg, sumatriptan) or caffeine plus ergotamine.
●Avoidance of repeated trauma to the fingertips by all patients with RP and avoidance of vibrating tools by patients with vibration-induced RP [14].
●Control or limitation of emotional stress, because the thermoregulatory vessels are constricted by increased sympathetic tone. Stress plus cold exposure is an especially potent trigger for RP [15].
An aggravating role of estrogen use is suggested by the finding that postmenopausal women using unopposed estrogens have a higher prevalence of RP [16]. However, the exact impact of estrogens is not fully defined.
We do not routinely stop caffeine-containing drinks in patients with RP, although some experts have recommended doing so. The impact of caffeine on RP has not been defined, and its xanthine-related properties may result in systemic vasodilation [17,18]. Coffee consumption has been associated with vasoconstrictive effects, which transiently increase blood pressure. However, coffee contains many biological active compounds in addition to caffeine and overall may have vascular benefit [19]. Thus, the decision to stop caffeine-containing drinks should be based on the patient’s experience.
Hope that helps.
Up to date lists the 'general measures' as follows:
●Avoidance of cold exposure, especially sudden changes such as walking into the frozen food section of a grocery store.
●Use of strategies to keep the whole body warm, including dressing warmly (eg, with thermal underwear, layered clothing, and a heat-conserving hat).
●Use of strategies to keep the digits of the hands and feet warm (eg, winter gloves, chemical hand warmers, and heavy wool stockings).
●Knowledge of methods to help terminate an attack of RP. These include placing the hands under warm water or in a warm place (such as the axilla) or rotating arms in a whirling or windmill pattern. Rubbing the hands together can help.
●Avoidance of rapidly changing temperatures, such as occurs when quickly moving from a hot environment (90ºF) into an air-conditioned room (70ºF). Avoiding sitting motionless in cool breezes or in humid cold air is also recommended.
●Avoidance of smoking is advised since regular smokers are sensitized to the vasoconstrictive properties of cigarettes. The response in patients with RP does not appear to be different from that in normal individuals [12]. A large study including over 600 patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) found that smoking was associated with substantially worse RP symptoms among patients with SSc [13]. Avoiding secondhand smoke is also prudent.
●Avoidance of sympathomimetic drugs (such as decongestants, amphetamines, diet pills, herbs containing ephedra), which is generally recommended, although studies evaluating the degree of the impact of over-the-counter preparations (such as cold medications) have not been performed [11].
●Avoidance of agents used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (methylphenidate and dextroamphetamine) is recommended. A case-control study found a significant association between the presence of RP and past or current use these stimulants [11].
●Avoidance of some of the medications used for migraine headaches, including serotonin agonists (eg, sumatriptan) or caffeine plus ergotamine.
●Avoidance of repeated trauma to the fingertips by all patients with RP and avoidance of vibrating tools by patients with vibration-induced RP [14].
●Control or limitation of emotional stress, because the thermoregulatory vessels are constricted by increased sympathetic tone. Stress plus cold exposure is an especially potent trigger for RP [15].
An aggravating role of estrogen use is suggested by the finding that postmenopausal women using unopposed estrogens have a higher prevalence of RP [16]. However, the exact impact of estrogens is not fully defined.
We do not routinely stop caffeine-containing drinks in patients with RP, although some experts have recommended doing so. The impact of caffeine on RP has not been defined, and its xanthine-related properties may result in systemic vasodilation [17,18]. Coffee consumption has been associated with vasoconstrictive effects, which transiently increase blood pressure. However, coffee contains many biological active compounds in addition to caffeine and overall may have vascular benefit [19]. Thus, the decision to stop caffeine-containing drinks should be based on the patient’s experience.
Hope that helps.
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