Another Question From Dr. Park

Here's another question for everyone:

Do you (or did you in the past) have cold hands or feet?
How many of you have to sleep with socks?

[essdipity]

Yes yes yes, but mostly before my hypothyroid was diagnosed. Now it's just occasionally sox on cold winter nights.

ess

[sunshine8]

Yes! The cold hands bother me the most, since I generally wear slippers in the house, but I do have cold feet as well. I don't sleep with socks, because I find it constricting, but I start out with socks and take them off right before I fall asleep.

-Amy

[Lulu54]

I'm like that nursery rhyme about My Son John - I sleep with one sock on and one sock off.  My right leg is affected by neuropathy and the feeling of a sock around my toes wakes me up with discomfort, bordering on pain. My left foot is always cold.  I have taken to sleeping with a loose sock (like those hospital stocking slippers with no elastic) on my left foot only. Quite the picture, huh?

My hands do turn ice cold at times, but do not exhibit the classic Raynaud's Syndrome symtoms (symptoms).  I get a tingling feeling in my forearms and then my hands turn stone cold.  I would guess it's MS related since my circulation appears ok to the cardio experts I see.

Laura

[rendean]

I have always had cold hands and feet even when  I lived in Miami. I now have been diagnosed with Raynaud's. Start off the night with socks on, but like Laura, the sensation bothers  me at some point during the night so I usually remove them.

[Momzilla]

Hello!

I am undiagnosed, although my doc is now entertaining the idea of MS as ALL else has been ruled out.  Those who know me here know what I mean by ALL!  

Yes, I have been diagnosed by a rheumatologist with Raynaud's, but my hands are mild -- it's much more trouble in my feet.  My feet go through the three different colors, or stages associated with Raynaud's, as I understand it.  Sometimes the colors cycle all day.  I do wear socks (which I think are SO dorky, but wear them I do).  However, there is a different cold I experience, as well.  

While the Raynuad's seems to be somewhat superficial, more in the skin on the pads of my feet and toes, the other sensation of cold I get is deep, deep in my leg bone, my right leg bone.  The skin on my leg is not cold, rather, the sensation is deep within, almost like in my bone.

Even when I wear socks or blankets, it just seems to need to go away on its own, sometimes days later.  Sometimes it's mild and sometimes it hurts a bit.  Usually it's just annoying.  

Interestingly (my opinion, of course -- I have teenagers, and have learned that others rarely share my opinion about what is 'interesting'), it seems to me that when I have the sensations of cold, I also seem to have the sensation of someone grasping my ankle.  I sometimes wake and groggily call my 12 year old son's name aloud, thinking he is hiding by my bed for some reason and grabbing my ankle... OK, so 'interesting' may also be another polite way to say 'strange.'

Nice to meet you, Steven!

Take care everyone, and feel well!

"Interesting" Momzilla*

[cuttersmom]

I will start out with socks on at night, but end up taking them off after I have been in bed awhile.  I don't have a distinct feeling of cold in my feet thought.

My fingertips, on the other hand, are always freezing!! I could walk around with gloves on all day and they still wouldn't get warm.  Not the whole hand..just the fingertips.  Drives me nuts!  My Mom keeps telling me it must be Raynaud's, but my fingers never turn colors, it's just the cold.

Kristen

[cuttersmom]

Could you give us a clue where you are going with this?  I've wondered how the cold hands and feet might relate to MS.

[saveone]

I recently had an ABI because I kept complained my feet were so cold they hurt.  Nothing helps.  If I set them on a heating pad the bottoms feel a little warmer but the tops still feel like ice.  I would love to have some relief.

terry

The ABI was normal.

[gooddays]

I always have cold feet and hands.  I sleep with socks on.

[Steven Y Park, MD]

Is there anyone here with MS that doesn't have cold hands or feet?

[saveone]

I seriously doubt it.  We have had some pretty big discussion on this topic...both serious and with a lot of laughs.

[Steven Y Park, MD]

I'm just going on a hunch, and need to gather some more data. I have a few other questions to ask. Once I have what I need, I'll be happy to explain why I'm asking all these questions.

[opie74]

I do not have cold hands, but unless I am pregnant, I have cold feet.  I go to be freezing every night and wake up in a sweat.  My sister has Raynaud's Syndrome, and knowing her troubles, I definately do not have it.  Just really cold feet at night!  

Thank you for taking time with us.  My ENT is incredable interested in MS as well.

REgards,
Opie Ann

[rudyhorse]

I have no diagnosis yet, however they have even checked my circulation because my hands (especially) are so cold.  So are my feet but not as much so.  I also start off with socks but feel like my feet swell in them so take them off.  I have been diagnosed with Raynaud's.
Hope this helps!

[doublevision1]

I usually have cold feet at night, wear socks to bed but can't seem to fall asleep till I finally kick them off.

My fingers do feel cold quite often, but not every day.

When I had my firstreally  BIG flare of MS symptoms (16 months ago), one of the weird things that happened was that I thought my feet were freezing, but when I touched them with my hand, there were warm.  I just had the sensation of coldness, but it wasn't really there, so there was no relieving it with heat, socks, etc.

[Lulu54]

Dr. Park,

We do talk about cold feet and hands quite often here - you may be right that EVERYONE with MS has this problem.  

  I forgot to point out that it gets slow around here on the weekend, but you will get more responses Sunday night and Monday as everyone checks back in.

"Cold feet and the microwave" was a post from November - you can find it here.

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/696505

[PastorDan]

OT: Is there a trick I need to learn to post links in this forum, or is that feature restricted to the community leaders?

[Lulu54]

The hyperlink automatically appears if you are referencing something here on MedHelp.   It seems to be hit or miss if you are posting a different site but usually it does not provide a link.  We have to copy and paste the url to get it to work.  AND remember that the medhelp censors will ***** any competitive site that offers forums like this one.  They want you to stay here and not wander off.....

[young at heart]

DR.PARK,

WELCOME TO OUR DIVERSIFIED AND UNIQUE FORUM FAMILY,

YES,I HAVE DEALT WITH  COLD FEET AND CONSTANT,HOWEVER IF MY HANDS ARE PUT IN HOT WATER THEY GO NUMB,

BACK TO THE FEET,THEY HAVE WENT THROUGH THE COLOR CHANGE,HOWEVER AS I READ POST AND OTHERS WANDERING IF THIS IS MS RELATED,I HAVE MS BUT ALSO CHRONIC BILATERAL ADHESIVE ARACHNOIDITIS THROUGH 5 LUMBARS AND THE S1,THE CAUSE OF THE COLD FEET IS A TOSS UP.
DIAGNOSED WITH  RAYNAULDS(SP) BEFORE A DX  OF MS TEN YEARS AGO.

T-LYNN

[ChunkyMonkeysMommy]

My feet are always cold, to different degrees. Sometimes they feel so cold that it actually becomes painful and I rub them to try to warm them up and to try to ease the pain. I often fall asleep with socks, but wake up and have to kick them off because my feet almost feel like they're stinging. My hands used to be cold a lot, but not so much anymore. However, I also am hypothyroid, so I always attributed this to that. Maybe not?

[Quixotic1]

I have MS, but do not usually have cold hands or feet.  When exposed to extreme cold I do have Raynauds in my fingertips, but at normal room temps they are quite warm.  Same with feet.  If I have been in the garage barefoot, my feet get cold.  And usually it's only the right foot which is also involved in Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy - cooler, red, edema and swelling.

A side to this is that when my feet are cold, I can't tell very well, because the sensatioon is reduced in both.

So, I would say - no to both - under most circumstances.

Quix

[speechgeek]

Hey Dr. Park

A lurking Lyme patient here whe was thought to have  a possible MS Dx before diagnosis.  "Yes cold hands and feet"..  Also have peripherial nueropthy in both legs and one arm...so cold HURTS!!! Socks on until bedtime then  I take them off after the bed warms up. It's been that way simce the onset on symptoms and stilll the case.

Rebeccah

[uk2]

yes for 8 years but 4 years ago dx with raynards (raynaud's) get it in my lips too. since i gave up smoking and cut out caffine and changed diet raynards (raynaud's) not as bad.

sam

[sllowe]

A big yes from me - cold hands and feet.

Have had, and do have.

I can't sleep w/socks on though and only put my feet under the covers long enough to warm them a little - then out the bottom they go! They need air too - I sleep w/a fan on year round!

-Shell (dx in 07)

[Eyesnlegs]

Recently diagosed with 'mild ms' after 19 years of symptoms.

I have always suffered with cold hands and feet, some of my toes are white even in the summer.  Occasionally when I complain that I am chilled all over  but my husband checks and tells me I don't feel cold to touch.

Yes, I put socks on in bed in the winter but like so many others I kick them off before I go to sleep.

[saveone]

I find it fascinating so many of us remover our socks because we feel like our feet are suffocating.  I don't think feet can do that but that is the way I feel.  I didn't mention it earlier because I thought it was just me.

[bearsmum]

Yes, suffer with cold feet and hands, pins and needles and numbness.  Pretty well wear socks 24/7 all year round.

bearsmum

[Heather3418]

I have MS, diagnosed over a decade now and my feet always feel cold. (not necessarily cold to the touch, but feeling uncomfortably cold.)  My hands are "normal."

Even in warm weather, I have to have something covering my feet.  I use to be the kind of girl that never wore shoes and walked to the mailbox in snow, walked across gravel with little discomfort and hated shoes and socks.

Today as a woman in my mid 50's, I do not walk anywhere, without some type of covering on my feet.  Occasionally going to bed with socks on (in the colder season)
My feet are now sensitive and couldn't even think of walking across gravel or dare try to walk in snow, even if only for a second.  It is very painful in fact.  I do have a lesion in my throacic spine, which may be causing this neuropathic pain and discomfort.

Sorry to be lengthy in my answer, Dr. Park....

Heather

[poorkid]

I am diagnosed with MS but do not feel I have abnormally cold hands or feet.  I live in MN and rarely even wear gloves!  

[nette573]

I am undiagnosised I have cold feet now the passed 2 years mostly.  My nose also gets cold. hehe.  

[Khiba]

My husband called me popsicle toes 30 years ago when we got married. Just diagnosed 2 weeks ago with MS. Hands were never cold till  last June when they went numb. Now they are cold all the time. Don't sleep with socks because I hate anything binding on my feet but put a warm flaxseed pack at the bottom of my bed to let me get to sleep with warmth near my feet. Hold a similar pack on my pelvic area and tuck my hands underneath it.

[LATW]

I am dx'd with MS and have found I have a difficult time adjusting to temperature changes.
This year I bought wool gloves, shearling lined boots, and under armor to make it through these sub zero temps.
If I keep from getting cold to start with I don't have a problem.
If I get cold and try to warm up it is difficult.

LA

[Lulu54]

Nette brings up that other chilled body part - my nose is icy cold most of the time.  It feels as if I've been outside in sub-freezing temperatures.  Does that count as a body extremity?  

Chilly tonight,
Lu

[Quixotic1]

I, too, remove my socks if I awaken with them "suffocating."  Funny thing.  I wear socks around the house all day and sometimes fall asleep with them on.  About an hour later I awaken frantically trying to get them off.

Q

[jensequitur]

My feet are always ice cold.  They're only warm after I've been asleep for 8 hours, and that's because I have a heated waterbed.  Sometimes I go to bed with socks on, and have to rip them off in the middle of the night!  

I also get a weird effect where the index fingers of both hands will get really cold, but the rest of the hand is a normal temperature.  I can make a fist and feel the chill of one finger against the warmth of the rest of my hand.  

My thyroid levels have been checked, and as far as I know they're normal - but my body temperature is always around 97.6.

[jensequitur]

Looking up the effects of Raynauds reminded me of something that happened last year.  I was at work, and noticed the two smaller fingers of my right hand were white and very cold.  I went and ran them under some hot water, which helped a little, but it was a long time before they went back to normal.

[shoshin]

My hands, feet, and calves are usually cold. It doesn't bother me so much anymore since I seem to have lost the sensation of being cold. I mostly only notice it when I touch something warm. (My husband, on the other hand, is not too keen on this particular MS symtom.)

I have worn socks to bed for years (except occasionally in the summer). The socks used to bother me sometimes, but now I usually can't tell if I have socks on or not without looking and am no longer bothered (actually once one of my shoes came untied and I walked out of it and tripped and fell and didn't know my shoe had come off until I looked).

I am often generally cold and over time I seem to keep having to put on more clothes and turn up the heat in the winter. My thyroid is also apparently normal, although my TSH had gone up a little bit the last time I had it tested.

sho

[Steven Y Park, MD]

I think there's an overwhelming consensus that most people on this forum have cold hands or feet.

Now on to my last question:

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/763512

[Mand125]

I am MS dx, I have never suffered from cold hands or feet.

My mother had Raynauds and my neice has it (don't know if this of any interest).

Mand

[airyona]

Extremely cold hands and feet all the time. Cant stand sleeping with socks on so I use a heating pad at the end of the bed and keep my feet under it.

To all of u cold feet people, my husband bought me some house shoes from bed bath and beyond for xmas. They have removable spice bags that you microwave and it stays warm for about an hour. They are WONDERFUL!

[ShadowsSister]

YES, YES YES. But I don't realize they are very cold until they touch another part of my body. Can't wear socks or regular shoes, they cause spasms and spasticity. If anyone touches my back ( rubbing motion) body spasms ac-cure.
Sorry, this is way too much information.
Have Nice Day{{{~!~}}}

[meg321]

Yes, i have cold feet and hands too, was diagnosed with  Raynauds in my feet.

meg

[swellkell]

Yes!  My husband thinks I'm weird but I sleep with socks on.  My hands aren't a problem.

[Steven Y Park, MD]

It seems people with MS in general may have cold hands but they all have warm hearts :)

I'll post my answer for these three questions now (in a new post).

[Lulu54]

Any chance we could get you to switch specialties and become a neurologist?  I don't believe most of us here have ever had this much attention from a specialist ever, let alone such kind words.

Ok, so you want to stay an ENT.  Next question, how about house calls?  I know some patients in Ohio and Oregon that really appreciate your interest and  help and would love to use your professional services but the trip to NYC is a bit far.  :-)

My best to you and thanks again!
Laura

[Erin0313]

Sorry that I am late in posting. I am suffering optic neuritis and have not been on the computer much.

Am I the exception? My hands and feet hurt but they are more often warm to the feel and touch than they are cold. I have been diagnosed with Raynauds but even when my fingers get that nasty numbness and turn colors they feel fine or warm to the touch.

Sorry to put a monkey wrench in the everyone who has MS has cold hands and feet because you have to count myself and Quix as no.

Thanks for talking to us - take care

Erin

[Octarine]

Not diagnosed with MS; "under evaluation" for it, and my neurologist says it's probably not, but my MRI, bladder, bowel, and swallowing issues are troubling.  

Anyway, yes, my right hand (only) gets extremely cold and gets pale but not the classic Raynaud's colors.  When I told my neurologist, she asked, "what about your feet?" and I said I've been wearing socks to bed for years.  The only time my feet were comfortable at night was during pregnancies.

I'm very interested to see your other questions and, later, your reasons for asking.  Thanks for being here!

[spitfire989]

Yup, definately cold hands and feet.---I do (unfortunately) have to wear socks at night~~~Dorky, I know--but hey.-------Also, during the day, I have to wear 2 pairs of socks to work, whatever, cuz my feet just feel like ice all the time.-----Hands get really cold especially when I'm typing or whatever.---Could never figure that out.---------I have noticed that I can not tolerate ANY cold anymore---and if I do get cold, or go outside when it's bitter cold then, it seems as my spasticity gets 10x's worse:(   -----For quite awhile.--------And on the bed, I have to have an electric blanket on, in addition to 3 blankets plus a thick down comfortor.----It's a wonder my significant other still sleeps in the bed! Cuz he likes just having a sheet!~~~~~~~~~But long of short---the cold really really bothers me.~~~Which is why I think I should move to Arizona!  :)

[truelove47]

I do Not  have cold feet and hands.  Dx'ed in 86, by ms neuro