beaches
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posted
Has anyone been dx'ed with this condition? DD takes florinef and midodrine for POTS.
She's always had cold feet/warm heart and in recent years red, blistering, scaly toes. I explored the possibility of Chilblains years ago, but since no doc we've been to had heard of it (and since there's apparently no remedy other than to keep the feet warm) I didn't pursue the dx. We've showed every doc her feet and all we got were shrugged shoulders.
Her feet have gotten worse since the midodrine. I am not sure how midodrine works to increase BP, but I am thinking perhaps it shrinks the capillaries, which isn't good for her poor toes to say the least.
New doc said it looked like Chilblains to him and suggested seeing a derm (yes, another day, another doctor).
In the meantime, she is coating her feet with coconut oil and putting on cotton socks. I've also ordered "heated" socks from Amazon.
It would be nice to have a day where I didn't have to think think think all the time. But then again, maybe that's why I still have my mind Posts: 1885 | From here | Registered: Jul 2012
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PS .. Keeping her core body warm should help. Make sure she is warm. I wear long underwear in cold weather and sometimes double socks. I also layer my clothes.
I'm usually hot by the time my feet and hands are warm!
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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beaches
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Yeah, some thought she had Raynaud's too. I feel badly for my family. I don't feel the cold the way they do. We didn't have heat one day. Thermostat was at 55 and I didn't even notice. I was moving around, but still. I hope the socks I ordered for her help. And hope the coconut oil does too.
Posts: 1885 | From here | Registered: Jul 2012
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-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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Summer3
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I have the same thing but for me I think it's from beta blockers as opposed to midodrine. I've been taking the same dose of midodrine for months without the issue, but as soon as I switch or raise beta blockers the problem returns.
posted
Verapamil (a calcium channel blocker) is "good" for Raynaud's.
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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beaches
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Summer, in my reading I have found that beta blockers can cause/exacerbate Chilblains. That sounds like what's happening to you. Google for more info, as I no longer have the links.
In the meantime, I'm still wondering about the effect of the midodrine and these symptoms.
LT, didn't know verapamil is good for Raynaud's. I think DD could have that on top of the Chilblains. Problem is she already has low BP and seems like the remedies are meds that control high BP.
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beaches
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Anyone else familiar with the dx?
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Razzle
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Magnesium is a natural calcium channel blocker, if I remember correctly...
-------------------- -Razzle Lyme IgM IGeneX Pos. 18+++, 23-25+, 30++, 31+, 34++, 39 IND, 83-93 IND; IgG IGeneX Neg. 30+, 39 IND; Mayo/CDC Pos. IgM 23+, 39+; IgG Mayo/CDC Neg. band 41+; Bart. (clinical dx; Fry Labs neg. for all coinfections), sx >30 yrs. Posts: 4166 | From WA | Registered: Feb 2011
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Razzle
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Cayenne pepper normalizes blood pressure.
I had continuously cold feet when younger. Then I got into eating spicy food (chili peppers, cayenne) when I was in College, and have not had problems with cold feet since.
And even though I have not eaten chili peppers or cayenne in a few years, I still don't have the problem with cold feet I had as a child.
I believe the chili peppers & cayenne healed whatever circulation issue was causing my problem...
-------------------- -Razzle Lyme IgM IGeneX Pos. 18+++, 23-25+, 30++, 31+, 34++, 39 IND, 83-93 IND; IgG IGeneX Neg. 30+, 39 IND; Mayo/CDC Pos. IgM 23+, 39+; IgG Mayo/CDC Neg. band 41+; Bart. (clinical dx; Fry Labs neg. for all coinfections), sx >30 yrs. Posts: 4166 | From WA | Registered: Feb 2011
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beaches
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Thx Razzle. Very interesting. Don't think DD could tolerate chili peppers or anything remotely spicy, but good to know just in case.
Posts: 1885 | From here | Registered: Jul 2012
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beaches
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posted
Up for more info...
Posts: 1885 | From here | Registered: Jul 2012
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susank
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posted
Am pretty sure I have chilblains. Started last winter. I am always so cold.
Last winter I did what I later learned were no-no's in regards to my hands and feet.
I placed my feet directly on and under hot water bottles while under the covers.
When getting out of the shower I would "blow dry" my feet with the hair dryer.
I would get in the shower with very cold feet and hit them with sprays of very hot water.
Wondered why my toes looked and felt like they were sunburned. Red with swelling.
I think the extremes from cold to hot makes the condition worse.
At GP this past week - I showed her my toes and she said Reynauds. IIRC I have read where one can have both Reynauds and Chilblains - that they are not exactly the same thing.
GP felt the pulse in my ankle - said pulses fine - so I guess that means not a circulation problem.
This winter my fingers and toes doing the same thing - really rebelling against the cold.
I have learned to be more careful. ie cold feet in bed - even with wool socks - I don't let my toes/feet touch the hot water bottle.
I place the bottle - wrapped in a baby blanket - under my calves when under the covers - in bed - reading.
That seems to help. I warm up the bed placing hot water bottles in various places.
Headed there now - expecting to find my dog on top of one those places. We'll have to share.
-------------------- Pos.Bb culture 2012 Labcorp - no bands ever Igenex - Neg. 4 times With overall bands: IGM 18,28,41,66 IND: 23-25,34,39 IGG 41,58 IND: 39 Bart H IGG 40 Posts: 1613 | From Texas | Registered: Aug 2009
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beaches
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Susan, in my reading I found out that it isn't good to suddenly warm up your feet (as with the hot water/heating pad). You'd think the opposite would be true--warm those feet up as fast as possible! But no.
Posts: 1885 | From here | Registered: Jul 2012
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beaches
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Update--After DD applied coconut oil to her feet and covered them with cotton socks, her feet were SO much better!
You would have never guessed she had chilblains! Her feet went from red, scaly, bumpy, painful to looking like healthy overnight!
I got the "heat" socks from Amazon yesterday and they're so warm...she loves them (me, I'd die from them b/c I hate socks and heat ) So between the heat socks and the coconut oil I think we found a solution to this!
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and in recent years red, blistering, scaly toes. I explored the possibility of Chilblains years ago, but since no doc we've been to had heard of it (and since there's apparently no remedy other than to keep the feet warm) I didn't pursue the dx. We've showed every doc her feet and all we got were shrugged shoulders. 
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