Circulation Problems?

squeefish

It takes a really long time for my feet and hands to warm up in winter. My feet get these big white/yellow patches on the soles that don't go away even in a hot shower, and my left index finger will go totally white and numb for at least half an hour after I've been out in the cold, even when I wasn't outside for that long (and even when I'm doing something that should improve circulation, such as working out on an elliptical). I'm assuming this is some sort of circulation problem.

All the stuff I've read on poor circulation says it's usually caused by diabetes, poor eating/exercise habits, or smoking. I highly doubt I'm diabetic (I eat a lot of sweets and it doesn't seem to affect me much), I work out regularly, and I don't smoke. I'm twenty years old and female, by the way.

Anyone have any experience with this? I'll mention it at my next doctor's appointment, but for now I'm just curious and kind of tired of this problem. At least it only happens in winter.

shadydentist

So you're saying that

I highly doubt I'm diabetic

because

I eat a lot of sweets

:P

Its probably just your normal poor circulation, although I've never heard of the white/yellow patch problems. Are these just from a lack of blood?

squeefish

I just figured that if I had diabetes, I'd get some sort of reaction from eating too much sugar, wouldn't I? Crashing energy levels and stuff, or just poor health in general? I don't seem to have any of the other symptoms on the checklists I've found online. But I don't really know much about it.

I'm assuming the patches are just from a lack of blood, yeah. I'm a little paranoid about that one finger though, since I knew a girl in high school who had a finger amputated because of some sort of circulation disorder.

Savant

It might not necessarily be a purely circulation problem, it could also be something like Raynaud's syndrome. Blood vessels in your extremities constrict and spasm in response to cold or other triggers with this disorder, and it can cause discoloration. It can be associated with other conditions which cause it or simply be by itself.

I'd just ask the doctor if I were you, because there's more than one thing that can cause your symptoms.

Dachshund

Are you a female me? 26 y/o male with slightly more moderate symptoms. Even my left index finger occasionally goes numb, once or twice a year. I can heat up quickly with external aid, like a shower, but in general my extremeties are kind of cold. My BP is fairly low, usually 100/70, i eat very few sweets, exercise very regularly, don't drink. I used to be a fat kid though, ate so much garbage it is unbelievable. Doc once told me no to reynauds, and said the coldness was due to my slightly low BP. So go check your BP perhaps, andx remember not to worry about a single reading

Doc said the numb finger was due to damaging something as a kid so the veins there are more susceptible to damage now. Things like carrying a really heavy plastic grocery bag where the handle pushes into the flesh or gripping bicycle handlebars too tighly can temporarily dmg the veins.

All anecdotal of course

Peas

You can try soaking your feet in a basin filled with hot water, this works better than having a hot shower.

Hypatia

When it happens, do you feel cold during that time? Do the discolored parts feel numb and is there a sharp cut-off in coloration between say, your finger and the rest of your hand? If so, Raynaud's sounds about right but check with your doctor.

geckahn

squeefish wrote: »

I just figured that if I had diabetes, I'd get some sort of reaction from eating too much sugar, wouldn't I? Crashing energy levels and stuff, or just poor health in general? I don't seem to have any of the other symptoms on the checklists I've found online. But I don't really know much about it.

I'm assuming the patches are just from a lack of blood, yeah. I'm a little paranoid about that one finger though, since I knew a girl in high school who had a finger amputated because of some sort of circulation disorder.

Could absolutely be metabolic syndrome, which is pre-type 2 diabetes.

"eating alot of sweets" vastly increases the chances of this being the case, not the other way around.

PeregrineFalcon

Dachshund wrote: »

Are you a female me? 26 y/o male with slightly more moderate symptoms. Even my left index finger occasionally goes numb, once or twice a year. I can heat up quickly with external aid, like a shower, but in general my extremeties are kind of cold. My BP is fairly low, usually 100/70, i eat very few sweets, exercise very regularly, don't drink. I used to be a fat kid though, ate so much garbage it is unbelievable. Doc once told me no to reynauds, and said the coldness was due to my slightly low BP. So go check your BP perhaps, andx remember not to worry about a single reading

Doc said the numb finger was due to damaging something as a kid so the veins there are more susceptible to damage now. Things like carrying a really heavy plastic grocery bag where the handle pushes into the flesh or gripping bicycle handlebars too tighly can temporarily dmg the veins.

All anecdotal of course

Low BP/HR signing in. I consider it a good day to see three digits somewhere, I'm usually around 90/60 with an HR in the 50s. Same issues with cold fingers/toes/nose, plus the lovely ability to give myself a wicked headrush if I sit down for a minute and then stand up too fast. :P

It made getting past first base in highschool a serious challenge in winter, although sometimes it worked in my favour ("here, let me warm those up for you" :winky: )

squeefish

geckahn wrote: »

squeefish wrote: »

I just figured that if I had diabetes, I'd get some sort of reaction from eating too much sugar, wouldn't I? Crashing energy levels and stuff, or just poor health in general? I don't seem to have any of the other symptoms on the checklists I've found online. But I don't really know much about it.

I'm assuming the patches are just from a lack of blood, yeah. I'm a little paranoid about that one finger though, since I knew a girl in high school who had a finger amputated because of some sort of circulation disorder.

Could absolutely be metabolic syndrome, which is pre-type 2 diabetes.

"eating alot of sweets" vastly increases the chances of this being the case, not the other way around.

Hm. Good to know, but the sweets thing was really just a passing comment -- I've had this problem even when I was underweight and went an entire year without eating a sweet. And it's not like I'm eating loads of candy every day or anything either. More like eating a cinnamon bun or a few cookies for lunch sometimes instead of a sandwich, or having seconds of dessert when it's offered (maybe twice a week).

The Raynaud's thing is interesting. I'll ask about my doctor about that. As for my blood pressure, I think it's pretty average (120/70, if I remember correctly, though it's been a while since I've had it taken). But obviously my doctor will check that too.

Is it dangerous to lose circulation in a certain digit regularly? (Specifically talking about my left index finger here).

Beck

You should be keeping a log of this. Record when it happens, for how long it happens, and how severe the numbness is. It will be helpful to your doctor.

Skimblecat

Sounds like Raynaud's syndrom. - a friend of mine has it, and she calls it "corpse finger" :-)