Cold Hands And Feet

[Sin3str0]

Here is my odd situation and since my Doctor sucks, I come to you.

I usually have cold hands and cold feet. I can really notice it with my hands more than my feet since they are always exposed.

The only time they get warm is if I eat. Every time I eat they regulate and then a couple of hours later they get cold again.

I have no clue what it is at this point or what is causing this.

I did the standard blood work and they Doc said nothing about my Thyroid being out of whack. Is there a specific thyroid test or can we rule out that it is not my thyroid?

I'm at a loss. x_x

Thank you.

[gadgetgirl]

I also have cold hands and feet most all the time. Or actually, I should say USED TO have cold hands & feet. Since the beginning of the year I have gone grain-free and with the higher fat content in my diet, from using nut flours in place of gluten-free grains, I have noticed how much warmer I have felt. This is great since we have had a miserable winter here in the Chicago area.

I also now am able to set the thermostat in my office down a couple degrees as well which is helping with the heating bills!

I am gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free & yeast-free, BTW.

[oceangirl]

Prior to going gluten-free 4 yrs ago I had constant cold hands and feet. I still do SOMETIMES. Of course, there were far worse symptoms, however.

lisa

[Roda]

I know someone that has raynaud's disease so here is a link...

Open Original Shared Link

[Sin3str0]

I know someone that has raynaud's disease so here is a link...

Open Original Shared Link

Mine comes and goes though. Never constant.

Maybe I need to be gluten-free for a bit longer to see any result? >_<

[julirama723]

I have this same problem, as does my mother. My mom is actually diagnosed with Raynaud's, and I'm just assuming I have it as well. My hands and feet will be FREEZING for no apparent reason. It is worse in cold weather, but it can happen in any sort of climate or temperature. Sometimes it's one hand and not the other. Sometimes it's just a finger or two. My fingers are especially problematic; if I move them too much (as in typing or playing a musical instrument) they will become absolutely frozen and almost numb, very difficult to move.

I have not noticed that going gluten-free (as well as dairy-free, soy-free, grain-free, sugar-free, fruit-free) has helped it any. Ironically, the ONLY time I have warm hands is if I've had a drink or two!

(Right now as I type this, my left hand is warm, and the middle, ring, and pinky finger of my right hand are frozen.)

[RiceGuy]

Certain supplements may be helpful for the cold extremities. I used to have such sensitivity to cold, but not much any more. I think both the B12 and magnesium I take have really helped me with this.

Supplemets to try:

vitamin E

Magnesium

inositol hexaniacinate or Nicotinic acid (two forms of niacin)

ginkgo biloba

evening primrose oil or borage oil as a topical treatment

omega-3 fatty acids

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

[Roda]

I have this same problem, as does my mother. My mom is actually diagnosed with Raynaud's, and I'm just assuming I have it as well. My hands and feet will be FREEZING for no apparent reason. It is worse in cold weather, but it can happen in any sort of climate or temperature. Sometimes it's one hand and not the other. Sometimes it's just a finger or two. My fingers are especially problematic; if I move them too much (as in typing or playing a musical instrument) they will become absolutely frozen and almost numb, very difficult to move.

I have not noticed that going gluten-free (as well as dairy-free, soy-free, grain-free, sugar-free, fruit-free) has helped it any. Ironically, the ONLY time I have warm hands is if I've had a drink or two!

(Right now as I type this, my left hand is warm, and the middle, ring, and pinky finger of my right hand are frozen.)

So weird. I usually have cold hands and feet too. I always thought it was weird that if I am on the computer that my left hand will be fine my right hand when using the mouse will be ice cold.

[I hate gluten]

HAve you had your vitamin levels checked recently. I know my hands and feet get me similar problems when my D is low. Just a thought. Good luck

[Roda]

Good advice for Sin3str0. I have had my vit D checked and it was 17 ish. My endocrinologist has me taking 50,000 iu in a capsule once a week. I can't believe the difference that the gluten free diet and the latest addition of the vitamin D has had on my fatigue and pms. Both are sooo much better! The vitamin D really made an inpact on my energy levels. I am really excited about the overall fatigue and being tired improving that I have spring fever. I can't wait to get outside and walk,bike, and play without getting extremely fatigued, heartrate souring, and short of breath. Of course I'll need to get back into things gradually.

[maile]

So weird. I usually have cold hands and feet too. I always thought it was weird that if I am on the computer that my left hand will be fine my right hand when using the mouse will be ice cold.

what's with that anyway!!! this is my situation exactly (even right now, right hand cold, left coldish but not as bad)

I find that except for the few days in the summer when the evening temp is above 25 C I have to have a hot bath in order to fall asleep, nothing else works to warm my hands and feet.

[I hate gluten]

Roda-- Isnt it odd, how the D supplement worked. My b12 injection worked ok, but as soon as they started my D (50000 per week also) I was ready to take on the world again. Funny how my doctor said that only menopausal woman and gereatric ( even though I felt like I was gereatric I am far from) have vit deficiencys. Yeah still asked him to run the b12 and D ( doc rolled his eyes and ran it to please me- showed him didnt I !) any way. Well this 29 year old girl had major low, low, low of both. Now if I didnt, I would still be on my couch watching my younge children from a distance instead of playing with them. Docs dont know everything. Sorry to all the Docs on this forum!

[Roda]

Roda-- Isnt it odd, how the D supplement worked. My b12 injection worked ok, but as soon as they started my D (50000 per week also) I was ready to take on the world again. Funny how my doctor said that only menopausal woman and gereatric ( even though I felt like I was gereatric I am far from) have vit deficiencys. Yeah still asked him to run the b12 and D ( doc rolled his eyes and ran it to please me- showed him didnt I !) any way. Well this 29 year old girl had major low, low, low of both. Now if I didnt, I would still be on my couch watching my younge children from a distance instead of playing with them. Docs dont know everything. Sorry to all the Docs on this forum!

My PCP is not to keen on running tests. He wanted to give me proton pump inhibitors when I was complaining of the acid reflux/heartburn. I insisted on an UGI first, just to make sure nothing was amiss. Even after it came back normal I still refused the meds. I knew that something was wrong and that the meds were just a bandaid. It wasn't until I started seeing my endocrinologist for about a year (I have hashimotos) that I asked her about the link to celiac. She is the one that kept a check on my low ferritin levels also. After reading about celiac I asked her if she would run a test. She doesn't have any problems ordering things for me that seem reasonable. And so here I am after a EGD with biopsy (I even asked the GI doc to make sure he took a least 6 samples) and colonoscopy. Between the GI and endocrinologist I think the celiac and any deficiencies will be taken care of. I have not been back to the PCP since Dec. 06 for a physical or the such. I have been to the office before diagnosis for little things but saw the PA. I think a good doctor is one that is humble and does not claim to know everything. Why do they think they call it the "practice of medicine"? If they are unfamilure with something they should have good references and specialists in their circle to rely upon for advice.

[Live2BWell]

Here is my odd situation and since my Doctor sucks, I come to you.

I usually have cold hands and cold feet. I can really notice it with my hands more than my feet since they are always exposed.

The only time they get warm is if I eat. Every time I eat they regulate and then a couple of hours later they get cold again.

I have no clue what it is at this point or what is causing this.

I did the standard blood work and they Doc said nothing about my Thyroid being out of whack. Is there a specific thyroid test or can we rule out that it is not my thyroid?

I'm at a loss. x_x

Thank you.

Hi there, I wanted to respond to your thread because this may be of help. I was diagnosed with having Hashimotos Thyroiditis. Interestingly enough, my thyroid tests didn't come back "that bad" and my doctor said that I didn't have much of a thyroid problem and to just "keep an eye on it."

Several months later I was physically a mess, one of the more annoying symptoms was freezing hands & feet (to the point of it being painful.) Through specific blood work to check for antibodies (that is not usually done for routine thyroid tests) and then later through an ultrasound, I was diagnosed with Hashimotos Disease. Hashimotos is an autoimmune thyroid condition that often runs hand in hand with Celiac. With Hashimotos, the thyroid still works (therefore not necessarily showing hypothyroid on bloodwork) but since the body is attacking the thyroid, a slew of problems errupt. Here's a link you might be interested in. Best of luck!

Open Original Shared Link

[digmom1014]

Thanks for link Jessica-I'm typing with my gloves on right now!!!

[Dylan's Mom]

I always have cold hands and feet...my husband says that I could freeze meat they are so cold...my chiropractor suggested a very simple solution - Niacin (Vitamen B3) you don't need much (100mg per day) I buy it from the health food store. I usually only take it for about a week to 10 days because my hands and feet get so freakin hot that I can't stand it!!

A word of caution - After taking niacin you may feel tingly and have a whole body flush. This is normal, it feels wierd but I find if I take it with food it doesn't happen very often. And it (the flushing/tingling) doesn't last very long. You can buy 'non-flushing' niacin, I have never tried it but I'm sure it works well.

[Sin3str0]

Guys, Thank you so much for the advice so far.

Weird thing I've noticed paying more attention to my body.

My hands and feet will warm up when I'm sitting down, but when I stand up they get cold.

Any ideas?

[julirama723]

I almost wish my vitamin levels were off, that would be an easy fix! All of my levels are fantastic, I am not deficient in anything. I take supplements daily (b complex, flax, biotin, b-12, d, calcium, e, garlic oil, c, cranberry, echinacea, goldenseal, l-carnitine, etc.) and have never noticed a cessation in the frozen extremities. It's happened my whole life. It's happened since I was a small child. I'd have to stop practicing the piano and warm my hands up so I could feel the keys. I have to stop typing and actually physically warm my fingers up. And yes, on bad days, I DO type with gloves on!

My thyroid came back as normal this last time, though the test before it was slightly elevated. So I suppose thyroid problems are not out of the question, as I have a history. (I was diagnosed with Graves disease when I was 13, but it went into remission on its own when I was 16.)

One point of information about flush-free niacin--I have always read that those with liver problems SHOULD NOT take the flush-free version.

[CLeeB]

I don't have much to add other than "Me too!." I am currently doing acupuncture and the poor woman always cranks the heat lamp over my feet before she starts using the pins.

I do think the cold hand on the computer mouse has more to do with circulation than anything else, as my wife gets this too and she has no known issue with gluten.

This thread is making me push my natureopath harder to get my vitamin levels checked. I recently went to the happiest place on Earth over New Years and my going theory is the extended sun contributed to me feeling much better. I live in the very wet and gray Pacific NW, so I can imagine how winter could exacerbate what might be a Vit D problem.

I'm also fascinated by roda's post about D levels helping fatigue, increased HR after any physical exercise as I had that issue when things were at their worst last Spring/early Summer (before going gluten-free).

[C.S. Blogsmith]

If your hands or feet tend to turn a blueish tinge or if you feet get puffy, it can be a symptom of Lupus. However, it could be a neurological complication related to Celiac. With Sensory Processing Disorder the body's temperature regulation can get thrown off.

[Eric-C]

My wife has Raynauds.

Just over a year and a half ago I was sitting on the couch watching a football game when my lower legs and feet suddenly went icecold.

What a PITA that was...tons of tests, spinal scans, you name it...had the same problem in my hands, also a burning sensation. Doc of course could not figure it out, had good pulse, blood flow, etc...

Gave up gluten, went away.

It still comes back once in a great while but its nerve related. If I sit in a certain position I'll get it but its extremely rare now.

In fact most of my neuropathies went away giving up gluten, and all of them except the very occasional cold feet went away when I started taking B12 and D3 daily.

Going on the vitamins fixed me in days. We run our own business and just started it two months ago. I do custom developement work that requires a lot of clear thought and a good memory. Before the vitamins I could work but things were a bit of a struggle. With the B&D I'm back to where I was 8-9 years ago in how I feel. I used to pick up information and learn at a fantastic rate but all that slowed down and I just thought I was getting old. Starting with the vitamins and I'm back to my old learning pace.

There is no way in the world I would have been able to run this business as effectively as I have without them. I take concepts and turn them into useable applications so nearly every job I have to learn something completely new, understand it, and implement it in a very short period of time.

For as good as I was 6 months ago I would not have been able to do it the way I am today were it not for the vitamins.