cold hands and extremeties

[gonelifting]

My wife has had this problem forever. If it`s slightly cold outside or snow her hands would turn blue/purple and become VERY painful. She is ALWAYS generally cold. Is there anything that this is caused from? diet? physically? thyroid???

She stopped working out a few years ago, average weight now. Also I don`t know if this is important but she is VERY sensitive to lots of foods like spicy foods and foods that don`t digest well. Any info would be appreciated. also on bc

 

[The Shadow]

Get thyroid panel.

 

[Spook]

sensitivity to spicy foods woudn't matter

The sensitivity to spicy foods is common with a lot of people. You may want her to at least check her gall bladder for the spicy food thing just to be safe.

For the cold hands and extremities, that is somewhat common in some respects but maybe not to the point of turning blue. With the hands and feet, those blood vessels are at the farthest points from the heart and very close to the surface of the body. It isn't uncommon for the hands to get extremely cold and sometimes blue in color, but I'd consider it to me more of a circulation problem than thyroid.

If she dropped out of the gym and she is back to normal or average weight I'd assume her thyroid is normal, but when does she get the cold blue hands and extremities? Is it when she is outside in the cold without gloves? Or is it anytime the weather turns cold and she is inside the house with the thermostat set to normal? If its inside the house with a normal indoor temp, I'd consider part circulation and part hypochondria to an extent. If its outside, it may be normal for her.

I'd probably be more concerned with circulation than thyroid.

 

[gonelifting]

Re: sensitivity to spicy foods woudn't matter

The sensitivity to spicy foods is common with a lot of people. You may want her to at least check her gall bladder for the spicy food thing just to be safe.

For the cold hands and extremities, that is somewhat common in some respects but maybe not to the point of turning blue. With the hands and feet, those blood vessels are at the farthest points from the heart and very close to the surface of the body. It isn't uncommon for the hands to get extremely cold and sometimes blue in color, but I'd consider it to me more of a circulation problem than thyroid.

If she dropped out of the gym and she is back to normal or average weight I'd assume her thyroid is normal, but when does she get the cold blue hands and extremities? Is it when she is outside in the cold without gloves? Or is it anytime the weather turns cold and she is inside the house with the thermostat set to normal? If its inside the house with a normal indoor temp, I'd consider part circulation and part hypochondria to an extent. If its outside, it may be normal for her.

I'd probably be more concerned with circulation than thyroid.

About the spicy foods, I just threw that in there thought it would help.
Her hands get cold ALL the time, of course when she`s outside it`s more... It could be in a room 72 degrees and you feel her hands... COLD. Shes an Occupational Therapist and when she touches her patients (they all know by now) they have to "brace" for the "cold hands". So it`s pretty much ALL THE TIME. but they don`t turn blue in normal room, ONLY outside and COLD weather.

I thought it may be circulation and I THOUGHT that you could improve it by excercising and cardio, I could be wrong I`m just guessing. So she used to do CARDIO for about 45 minutes to an HOUR several days a week along with weights but that did`nt help. That`s why I`m thinking it`s something else.

This is happening for years so it`s not a REAL emergency, but it would be nice to know what`s wrong and I think it would help with other problems/functions. Thanks for the replies.
I will add that I tried giving her NYC and tried EC but that did`nt agree with her ( I hope it was a dosage problem) I thought it would help "speed up" her body and "warm" her up. lol any opinions?

 

[badgrrl]

What's her average blood pressure and pulse rate? It sounds like low blood pressure, poor circulation or a combination of both. Has she informed her physician of this?

 

[gonelifting]

I THINK she had low blood pressure in the past. I think she told her docter but never checked for anything. What does low blood pressure do? How can that be fixed or what causes it? THAT may be it. Thanks
Of course she`s got to get checked out but I`d like to be steered in the right direction from here first.

 

[Gladiola]

Cold extremities could be Reynaud's Syndrome.

 

[badgrrl]

Low blood pressure could cause poor circulation. Use of EC usually causes an increase in BP. If that had no positive effect, I suggest that she consult her physician. There are prescription meds that can restore your BP to a normal range. There may even be other (non-prescription) alternatives.

But again, the best advice I can offer is to check w/her primary care physician.

This is quite common in women. I used to manage a physician's office and I saw this on a regular basis.

Hope everything works out!

 

[wyst]

Cold extremities could be Reynaud's Syndrome.

Yep. My mom has that, and I do to a lesser extent. She can turn blue easily if she's not careful. It's not a nice thing to have.

xoxo

Wyst

 

[gonelifting]

THANKS EVERYONE FOR ALL THE REPLIES. I think it runs in her family. She has/had low iron too.

I was so impressed with the EC and NYC that I gave it to her but she did`nt respond well at the time. BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN OTHER FACTORS. So I will try again soon. I have to get the dosage right.

 

[Spook]

Nyc and EC stacks probably wont help

for low BP's or poor circulation. I'm not knocking a good NYC since it is best used for a fat burner, but the circulation issue seems to be the best and most probable cause. My BP runs around 90/50 and it isn't uncommon at all for my feet and hands be suffer from the cold in a short period of time. When a person is in the wild or survival situation it is always the extremities that get frostbitten the first since those vessels run so close to the skin. Get the little lady some fleece lined gloves and some insulated shoes with good socks to wear in the cold. Some fleece lined mocs would be great around the house and keeping the thermostat up to where it is comfortable for both of you would be a plus.

 

[macrophage69alpha]

yohimbine is quite effective at increasing peripheral blood flow. NYC does help with this. EC may actually, in women.. have the opposite effect unless stacked with yohimbine..

 

[macrophage69alpha]

there are other supplements that CAN improve circulation as well, but she should probably see a doctor just to get a basic blood profile done... if the symptoms do not improve with exercise.

 

[gonelifting]

Spook, She does where gloves and bundles up. I think that`s just putting a band-aid on a problem. Also, here in the northeast I have my thermostat on 81 degrees. ouch when the heating bill comes it`s not pleasant and I wake up in the middle of the night to change my drenched T shirt.

Macro I`m going to try the NYC again but NOT the EC I guess. I will look into yohimbine. I have the Yo DF and I like it btw.

 

[Metro Girl]

Cold extremities could be Reynaud's Syndrome.

That's what it is. I have had it for about 5 years now. . I went to a doctor who told me to take a niacin supplement and get lots of aerobic exercise to get the blood flowing. I was taking the niacin for a few years but have since stopped.

What really seem helped me the most is the exercise and quitting smoking. Smoking and especially cocaine make the condition much worse because they constrict your blood vessels. Any exercise where you are moving your arms like running, swimming, jumping jacks for example is great because you get the blood to your fingertips.

You're wife shoud also take a niacin supplement. Niacin in high amounts though make you flush and makes your skin itchy so I recoment Inositol which is a "no-flush" form of niacin and much easier on your liver.

She should also avoid getting cold and wear gloves outside even if it's not that cold. Drinking hot tea throughout the day is good.

There is no *cure* for this but you can control it.

Hope this has helped.

 

[Candi Barr]

I used to have this problem when I was thinner, ever though I did alot of cycling, hiking, etc. Since I put on some muscle it's gotten a whole lot better. I don't know how well I'd hold up to a northeast winter though.

 

[gonelifting]

THANK YOU SO MUCH.