Raynaud's and Cooler Temps

My Raynaud's is fairly minor, but I do a couple of things... space heater under my desk and near my favorite chair to keep my feet (and the cat) warm. Heated shawl for over my shoulders. Heating pads and electric blanket as needed. I know some people can't get items out of fridge or freezer without gloves - sometimes I use my pot holders for freezer items. Hats - even if your head isn't cold, it helps keep the body heat in. Warm drinks, not icy ones. Hot tea! Room temperature fruits, I don't keep them in the fridge. That's all that comes to mind right now.

Would a lotion of some sort help with the split finger tips? Maybe some brisk activity (as tolerated) to get the blood moving?

I also have raynauds and have found ways to deal with it. In my home I do turn of the heat a little and also dress warmer. Not just the hands but wear something warm like a fleece vest. Your body regulates where your body heat goes and protects your head and torso first. Last are your hands and feet which is not helpful for those with raynauds. My passion in life is doing things outside in the winter: skiing, snowshoeing and hiking. Knew how to dress for extreme cold and have used those principles to help with raynauds. Even so I will never go into the extreme temps I once did but I am good to about -10F with the right clothing. Stress also seems to bring on raynauds so deal with that as best you can. After almost 15 years I find that raynauds is more annoying than limiting and am able to do pretty much anything I want to do. Also, I find that cool temps are often worse than really cold days because I automatically dress warmer when it is cold as opposed to cool and also turn up the heat a little in the house. Also stay hydrated so your BP stays sufficiently high to keep you extremities warm.

I downhill ski and ski as well as I did as a professional decades ago. Am approaching 80 and ski very fast but do not race, ski bumps or ultra steeps as I once did. Polymyositis took 40 lbs of muscle in a week in 2005 leaving me dying, quadriplegic with a feeding tube. Lupus attacked multiple organs and cause a host of other problems. It took extensive PT/OT and speech therapies to recover and less than 3 years later I returned to skiing. although there are things that I mentioned that I no longer do I ski very fast when conditions are good (50-60 mph) and am still a very good powder skier. I have pretty much given up sports that require endurance like hiking, climbing, Xcountry skiing and more extreme forms of downhill/back country skiing but life is good. The Myositis Assoc made a patient video of me and it is on YouTube and focuses on my recovery story. Don't know how long the dream will last but will enjoy it as long as it does.

Bsime, I live in N. FL and we do not know how to use the heat! I am joking but it is not as automatic as in colder climates where people know how to use the heat more freely as it is a regular thing. I do find keeping my core warmer helps as you suggested, but I also find many times it feels like my blood is actually cold. Again, your message is inspiring. Keep moving!

That is a great video! Quite a story. I guess Thanksgiving is sort of an anniversary for you.

Hope my video helps people deal with their chronic illness and live the best life they can. My story was so dramatic that it had to be told and the Myositis Association made it several years ago. That is also why I volunteer in a rehab hospital and run a myositis support group in the Chicago area with the idea that I can give others hope of living a good life with a chronic disease or disability. Thank you for your kind words.