So I went to the podiatrist. As soon as he looked at my feet the first words he said was your feet are swollen. He asked if I could possibly have Raynaud’s syndrome, have I seen a vascular doctor? Oy-vey… I knew the swelling isn’t normal but another doctor. He said the good news is I feel the pulse, that means that the blood is in there still circulating through my feet. However, he said this is the circulatory issue and he knew it immediately. All this and we still didn’t get to the fungus and the fact that I had blisters on my toes. https://www.cedars-sinai.org/health-library/diseases-and-conditions/r/raynauds-phenomenon.html

What is Raynaud’s phenomenon?

Raynaud’s is a rare disorder of the blood vessels supplying the skin. During a Raynaud’s attack, the blood vessels narrow, limiting blood circulation to affected areas. It makes parts of the body (usually fingers, toes, nose and ears) feel numb and cool in low temperatures or under stress.

Raynaud’s can be classified into two types. When it occurs without another disease present, it is called Raynaud’s disease (or primary Raynaud’s). This is the most common type and typically affects both hands and both feet. Although it can affect men, it most often occurs in women between 15 and 40.

When it occurs as part of another disease, it is called Raynaud’s phenomenon (or secondary Raynaud’s). This type usually affects either both hands or both feet. Causes may include scleroderma, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjögren’s syndrome, diseases of the arteries, carpal tunnel syndrome, smoking, chemical exposure, certain drugs or injury.

My younger sister has this as well as my aunt. I have to be honest my feet are always covered. Even in the summer. I could take my socks off for a little bit, fungus permitting , but I always had to go to sleep with socks. I can’t risk my feet getting cold because that would send cold chills through the rest of my body. My fingers are usually cold too, and just my fingers. However, for me, my feet and my hands are the two most numb areas on my body. I don’t feel them let alone to feel tingling or pain in them. I haven’t felt my feet like that in many years but I haven’t felt my hands like that in easily three.

The bottom line is no matter what I need to see a doctor. Whether I have Raynaud’s syndrome or something else, there is definitely something going on. I see my neurologist Tuesday and I’ve already addressed the issue in an email with her so I can speak to her about it at our appointment. In the meantime I’ve taken the water pills that my other neurologist has given me and that seems to help. I can’t imagine being on a water pill at the same time I’m taken something from my bladder.

On a good note, he feels that my shoes are really causing the blister not any circulatory issues. Ive been wearing slip on Keds for 15 years now and he feels that they are a little too tight on my feet. Since I can’t feel he said they are very narrow shoes and my feet are actually wide. That I need to be in a sneaker or something other than those kind of shoes and that should relieve the blisters. The fungus he gave me some cream for and he will file the nail as soon as the open wound of the blisters are healed. He said that should help get rid of everything.