RA Q&A articles share our responses to inquiries about Raynaud’s, symptoms, products, treatments, doctors, warming strategies and more. We hope the information in this Fall 2024 RA Q&A post, along with all of our quarterly columns, prove helpful to fellow Frosties.
I’ve experienced numbness in my finger tips. My neurologist prescribed nifedipine 30 mg and that helps. I intend to have a yearly visit with him to find if any other pill could be better. Suggestions?
There are several other drugs in the same category of calcium channel blockers (CCB’s) as nifedipine that are all clinically proven to help alleviate Raynaud’s symptoms. You need to give them time, and work up to the highest dose you can tolerate. If at that point they aren’t helping enough or you experience side effects, try another drug in the category, as they can each work differently with our bodies. If something stronger is needed, the ED drugs (Viagra, Cialis) are proving quite effective for those with severe Raynaud’s, so that’s another option to discuss with your doctor.
While it’s good that your neurologist prescribed a Raynaud’s drug for you, the doctors who are most knowledgeable about the condition are rheumatologists, as they treat the more serious autoimmune diseases that can be associated with Raynaud’s and are most likely up to date on research and treatment options. Hope you find a treatment that works well for you!
Is it normal to have flare ups 24/7? None of my doctors can answer this question. Please help!
Thanks for your question. Raynaud’s attacks are generally intermittent based on trigger events (exposure to cold or stress), so that makes me think there may be another condition for you to explore.
I’d suggest speaking with your doctor about acrocyanosis which is a vascular disorder. The symptoms for acrocyanosis are quite similar, so it is easily confused with Raynaud’s. One of the main differences between the two conditions is that acrocyanosis color changes are longer lasting, while those involved in Raynaud’s attacks are shorter-term episodes, not constant. And while the color changes for acrocyanosis primarily affects the extremities much like Raynaud’s, they can occur in other parts of the body, not just the digits – that’s also different than Raynaud’s.
Here’s an article recently published in Medical News Today on acrocyanosis you might find helpful: What to know about acrocyanosis. It specifically addresses some differences between the two medical conditions. Keep in mind that they aren’t mutually exclusive, so it is possible to suffer from both disorders (adding to the confusion!). Hope the above information is helpful and that you find some answers shortly.
Any menopause tips? I’ve done everything I can think of…
While we’re not aware of any specific data studying the impact of menopause on Raynaud’s patients, as more females suffer from the condition than men, it’s not surprising there might be some hormonal connection.
The only “tip” I can share is if you’re thinking about hormone therapy, consider progesterone-only pills. You don’t mention if your Raynaud’s is primary or secondary, but sufferers with more severe symptoms will more likely benefit from avoiding estrogen, as we’ve seen information suggesting that estrogen can have an impact on reduced blood flow.
Wish I could offer you more helpful advice, but there’s just not a lot of research or information available on the subject. Hope you find some relief soon!
I suffer from Raynaud’s disease in my hands and feet and have infusions at the hospital to help. I have to keep warm and am worried about my electricity bill this winter. My question is do you know if there is any help with electricity costs for those with Raynaud’s disease?
To your question, I’m not aware of any opportunities offering those with Raynaud’s discounts on their heating bills. Raynaud’s on its own (not secondary to a serious autoimmune disease) is not considered a medical disability. Even the ability to collect Social Security Disability benefits is dependent upon Raynaud’s being part of a more serious primary disorder (so it’s secondary), and only under certain circumstances, pending the severity of a patient’s symptoms.
However, if you’re receiving infusions in a hospital environment, your Raynaud’s is likely very severe and secondary to a more serious primary ailment (e.g., scleroderma or lupus). If this is the case, your eligibility and the application process will vary by state. For example, here’s the process for those living in Connecticut: https://www.eversource.com/content/residential/account-billing/payment-assistance/medical-web-portal-protection.
You can probably do a search for the appropriate procedures and forms for your state. You might also check with a support organization that serves the community represented by your primary ailment (e.g., the Lupus Foundation or the National Scleroderma Foundation). Hope this is helpful.
Do you know if it’s possible to have a Botox or steroid injection in your foot to help alleviate Raynaud’s attacks?
Yes, while it’s been researched more frequently for use on the fingers, we have heard of Botox being used on the toes. Here’s an article on the subject: Botox Applied to the Toes Restores Heat to Feet.
Please keep in mind that although the Botox studies we’ve seen have shown promising results, the research is still early and the sample sizes have been small, so the jury is still out on the long-term effects of Botox for alleviating Raynaud’s symptoms. If you do try it, please let us know if how it works for you!
We’d appreciate your feedback on our Fall 2024 RA Q&A column. Have questions for us? We’re not medical professionals or the Good Housekeeping Lab when it comes to testing products, but we’ll do our best to provide fellow Frosties with answers. Write to us at info@raynauds.org.
