blue lips and blue nails in 21 yr old felamle

[animalhouse1]

My daughter is 21.  She had severe asthma as a young child and appears to have grown out of the worst of it.  Symptoms only with URI usually.  For the past 2 years or so we have noticed blue nail beds and blue lips fairly frequently.  Often her lips are mottled looking.  She often has cold hands when they are blue but not always.  Her hands do get cold easy and are difficult to warm and she did have an uncle who died from severe reynards affecting his organs.  In addition her father has congenital aoertic stenosis, diagnosed at birth with the last valve replacement done in 1977 as well as reynards.  Her resting heart beat has been around 81 but I have not been able to check her file to see if it has increased to this level.  Her BP is low, as is mine. 105/60.  What do we do?  She spoke with a doc at college re:reynards and doc blew her off.

[ireneo]

I have Raynauds and understand the color changes (I get it in my hands and feet). Fortunately mine is primary Raynauds; I don't have any other auto-immune problems. It sounds like your other family members may have had secondary Raynauds, had it along with something like lupus or Sjogrens or rheumatoid arthritis.

I'm sorry her doctor ignored her. Checking for Raynauds isn't that difficult. There is a nail fold capillaroscopy test that can be done. She may also need to have some simple blood work done (ANA and rheumatoid factor). But she may also need some heart exams done such as an echo and EKG. Does she have a regular family physician that will see her?

[animalhouse1]

Thanks No family doc as she sees docs at the health center.  However I am going to ask mine to take her on so she may be seen during vacations. No nail fold test done.  Negative RA last year but had pain in joints, better now. Trying to get info on exact disease brother had.  Amputations to several fingers and a "hardening" of arteries is what I was told, Scleroderma?   Sorry about spelling, RAYNAUDS. I get it confused with Reynolds.

[Encephalomalcia]

If her lips are turning blue like the color of a crayon, you really need to get her in to see a doctor right away.  Not to scare you, but one of the symptoms of ventricle failure in the heart is blue lips, hands, feet, ears and nose.  This is an extreme emergency situation if this is the case.  With her hands being cold, this could definitely be circulation and her heart.  Does she have any swelling in her ankles, legs, abdomen?  Has she noticed any weight gain?  Has she been sick with anything lately?  Scleroderma is hardening of the skin.  Hardening of the arteries is arthrosclerosis.  If her brother has Scleroderma, she may develop an overactive immune systems also and could get Lupus, MS, Scleroderma, Sarcodosis, Psorasis, arthritis any immune system disease (there are many).  Take her in to see a cardiologist.  

[animalhouse1]

Clarifying as I mis-spoke.  It is my brother who died and I meant to say hardening and loss of circulation in ORGANS.  Sorry.  I had put the raynauds stuff in there just to give pertinent info. 21 yr old female is small, size 4,  No weight gain and no swelling.  No sick just tired easily and cold easily.  Cyanosis on hands and lips. Blue like crayon?  More purple crayon maybe.  Thanks, spouse seeing cardiologist Fri, I will send her with.

[ireneo]

Please let us know what you find out. The cardio should probably come first since the heart is such a critical organ.

I understand the color you mean - my hands turn gray like I've been handling newspapers but my feet turn nasty, ugly purple with waxy white toes. Ick.