About Raynaud's

Hi, I have some questions about Raynaud's. I'm not sure if this is the right forum to ask about it but if not, please refer me to it. Here are the questions:

Purple fingernails all the time mean Raynaud's? Mine turned purple a month ago, just after overexercising and since then they remained purple, is this normal? Also, the coloration doesn't seem to change with temperature, does it still mean it is Raynaud's?

Thanks in advance

[CCFHeartMD17]

Raynaud's will normally occur with periods of blue/purple tinged fingernails that can occur after stress and cold.
You should be able to get more focused information on this from the Arthritis doctor forum which is supervised by rheumatologists
http://www.medhelp.org/forums/Arthritis---Rheumatoid-Arthritis-/show/641

[ireneo]

I have Raynauds and my feet/hands/nails have never stayed one color. They will turn white/purplish gray/red at different times. Mostly when chilled or stressed. I would be very concerned if my nails turned purple and stayed that way.

[character28]

My fingers turned purple and stayed that way but sometimes my right thumb and my left index turn very very blue, although they seem to get purple again if I press them. Well I'm seeing a rheumatologist and he thinks it might be raynaud's. Do you think it might be something else than raynaud's?
All this started one day after overexercising. I run much more than I was used to and when I finished my fingernails were purple. Since then they have remained that way.
I have gone through a lot of heart tests and all of them were ok, also a spirometry and blood tests. Do you think maybe my brain is not getting enough oxigen? What test can determine this?
Please your answers will be highly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[jensalmon]

hi im also in the same situation, just over a week ago my nails have turned purple and remianed the same, im going the doctors tomoro. I hope this gets resolved

[character28]

mate, do you have any other symptoms? how old are you?
One week after my discoloration started, I got many other symptoms, which have persisted until today.
Doctors don't seem to be able to give me a diagnosis. Please if you get answers let me know, I've been trying to find answers for two and a half months.

[character28]

I've attached pics here http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Undiagnosed-Symptoms/What-do-you-think-about-this-permanent-discoloration/show/1818448?personal_page_id=2770133

[tiffyb06]

My 6 month old his arms and legs on the left side gets cold and turns purple could this be raynauds and if so should he get put on meds for it

[grendslori]

This is not Raynaurds. Raynaurds affects the hands, feet and ear lobes, extremeties. Young babies often times turn blue in their arms and legs and are prefectly normal. Raynaurds (of which I also have) can be extremely painful, if your baby had this problem, you'd know it. Having said that, you should have him evaluated by his pediatrician.

[ireneo]

After looking at the photo, I don't see a real problem but it may be due to lighting. When my hands turn gray from my Raynauds, they look more like I've been handling newsprint for hours. Quite obvious and embarrassing. My feet turn a bluish gray if I sit for more than 15 minutes. And in the shower I have a few toes that look ghostly white but gradually turn pink in the warm water.

Your hands/nails don't look anything like what I see with Raynauds. They can check your oxygen levels easily. See what the doctor has to say.

[character28]

Hi ireneo,

Well, my fingernails suffered of a discoloration after that day of overexercising. They changed to a purplish blue. Occasionally, one or two of my fingernails turn dark bluish. This stops when I press them.

Anyway, since that day of overexercising, a lot of things happened, a lot of symptoms appeared. This has brought me a lot of suffering. Since the fingernail discoloration was the first symptom, I think that whatever I have, it has to do with that. But doctors don't seem to be interested on the discoloration. Some of them even recognise that I have a discoloration but have no explanation for it. Before the day I overexercised, my fingernails were pink. Very pink, like healthy people, like most people I know.

Also my skin for example after shaving presents the same discoloration. If I cry, before my face turned reddish, now it turns purplish. If I have a scar or scratch, it also turns purplish. Very weird.

I had several tests to rule out lung or heart disease.

So far I only discovered that I have B12 deficiency (my level is really low), and I'm getting B12 therapy. I also discovered that I have sinusitis. Anyway, even resolving both stuffs, it doesn't look like it's gonna solve the discoloration.

[ireneo]

It must be embarrassing to deal with that. I'm sorry but I can't understand why the doctors aren't figuring this out yet. Are you on any medications that might turn your body peculiar colors? I honestly do hope you get some answers.