Seniors: cold feet and hands, how do you cope? (doctor, problems, temperature)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
This. If the interior can't/won't generate the heat, it won't matter what type of socks/gloves/slippers you wear on the outside.
I find it hard to believe too, but that's what DH says re his Reynaud's Syndrome. Socks won't help, lol.
Big reason why we moved down here. Socks barely exist. Benign weather all year. Even so, outside in a stiff ocean breeze, DH will still get cold hands.
I moved from a warm climate to a cool damp climate & wondered why my feet were cold, lol. I was used to wearing flipflops or going barefoot year-round.
Now I wear fleece-lined Staheekum slippers indoors from October to April. Yes, they make my feet sweat, the solution is foot powder. Also, I can wash them in the washing machine & let them air dry in the sun during warmer weather. I also learned to NOT walk barefoot on hardwood floors as this exacerbates plantar fasciitis.
I don't have cold hands but spouse does & also has painful osteoarthritis& he swears by Zippo refillable hand warmers, which were gifted to him but are available on Amazon.
Wearing a hat, like a stocking cap is a good idea. If you spend time outdoors in the cold, you know to wear a hat to lessen body heat from escaping through your head, thus keeping all of your body warmer.
Last edited by happygrrrl; 12-07-2021 at 09:00 PM..
Maybe but it's pretty hard to not notice the discoloration of your extremities if you have it. I have it and my hands turn white, then red and sometimes if it's really bad black. I carry hand warmers with me and wear gloves and socks when it's cold. My mother had it and by the time she was in her 60's had several amputations of the ends of her fingers because they had gotten gangrenous. I've never gotten that bad (cross my fingers)
Some thoughts, but possibly not applicable to the OP.
Thyroid disease is often dismissed because the labs are in range. The only real way to tell is to take the lowest dose and note any changes. I went through childhood with low thyroid and was miserably cold much of the time.
Floor temperatures are often lower than air temps or the temperature at head (and thermostat) level. Use a thermometer to check actual temperatures and if there is a significant difference - 7 degrees or so - explore ways to get the floor temperature higher, and/or use ceiling fans to keep heated air from pooling near the ceiling.
Houses with poor insulation often have cold air sheet down the exposed walls and create a slow current of cold air at floor level.
Bare legs: You can wear warm and toasty socks, but if your legs are cool, you may end up with cold feet - especially if you have circulation issues. Pants/tights/long underwear/whatever. Try it out and see if it makes a difference.
Oriental deficiencies or stagnation in balance between heat/cold/moist/dry body conditions. Much to complex to get into here, other than to note that in addition to the hawthorn already mentioned, many foods and herbs are considered heating or cooling in nature. Cloves and clove teas are considered warming, most everyone knows that cucumbers are cooling, etc.
Some thoughts, but possibly not applicable to the OP.
Thyroid disease is often dismissed because the labs are in range. The only real way to tell is to take the lowest dose and note any changes. ........
You are correct about the thyroid test ranges. The diagnostic test is TSH with a high value indicating low thyroid function. The normal range in use by almost every lab, including LabCorp and Quest, is way too high. Most endocrinologists are well aware of the discrepancy and why it exists. Few primary care doctors know and therefore never treat or make referrals appropriately.
I would disagree about just taking thryoid replacements just to see.
You are correct about the thyroid test ranges. The diagnostic test is TSH with a high value indicating low thyroid function. The normal range in use by almost every lab, including LabCorp and Quest, is way too high. Most endocrinologists are well aware of the discrepancy and why it exists. Few primary care doctors know and therefore never treat or make referrals appropriately.
I would disagree about just taking thryoid replacements just to see.
That advice came from a prominent doctor who wrote a book on the subject. Specifically, he did NOT recommend it for everyone, but for people who had ongoing thyroid deficiency symptoms that had not been resolved by other interventions.
My "normal" tends to be on the extreme of the normal range, which is made even more confusing since the test results are the reverse of what you might think on TSH. It is important that anyone doing this monitor or be monitored for adverse reactions, such as racing heartbeat or palpitations.
I have very cold hands and feet and have suffered with Raynaud's Syndrome for decades. I live in the Pacific Northwest where it's not normally freezing cold, but it's chilly and rainy in the winter, so I bought some of those Hot Hands hand warmer packets. They work really well.
I have really expensive waterproof, insulated riding boots so my feet are fine when I ride my horse, but they make the same kind of packets for feet, too.
My son is an avid mountaineer and on a mountain rescue team, and he uses the Hot Hands when climbing. I gave him a case for his birthday. They last many hours. In fact, I wish they didn't last quite as long because I might be out 2 hours, but 8 hours later, they're still very warm, but I don't need them anymore.
I have very cold hands and feet and have suffered with Raynaud's Syndrome for decades. I live in the Pacific Northwest where it's not normally freezing cold, but it's chilly and rainy in the winter, so I bought some of those Hot Hands hand warmer packets. They work really well.
I have really expensive waterproof, insulated riding boots so my feet are fine when I ride my horse, but they make the same kind of packets for feet, too.
My son is an avid mountaineer and on a mountain rescue team, and he uses the Hot Hands when climbing. I gave him a case for his birthday. They last many hours. In fact, I wish they didn't last quite as long because I might be out 2 hours, but 8 hours later, they're still very warm, but I don't need them anymore.
There's a reusable type of handwarmers that you 'snap' to activate. They last a few hours before losing their warmth. You can reuse them again and again. I had some that I loved before accidentally destroying one. Thinking of buying them again, online as I can't seem to find them in stores anymore. Similar to this https://hotsnapz.com/
There's a reusable type of handwarmers that you 'snap' to activate. They last a few hours before losing their warmth. You can reuse them again and again. I had some that I loved before accidentally destroying one. Thinking of buying them again, online as I can't seem to find them in stores anymore. Similar to this https://hotsnapz.com/
I still have a reusable one that looks like clear gel with a circle of metal inside. It gets very hot and provides a good, DRY heat, unlike the disposable heat packets. To prepare it for reuse, you boil it.
The ones in your link look similar (not identical) to what I have, so if there was a patent it must have expired.
I still have a reusable one that looks like clear gel with a circle of metal inside. It gets very hot and provides a good, DRY heat, unlike the disposable heat packets. To prepare it for reuse, you boil it.
The ones in your link look similar (not identical) to what I have, so if there was a patent it must have expired.
Yep, that's what I had, until a box cutter tangled with a forgotten warmer in my pocket. I just ordered a four pack from Amazon, one set will stay in my glovebox. I hope they are as good as the original set.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
