# odd bruising-kinda-thigh



## Scoope (Oct 19, 2010)

Hi there , 
this sounds exactly like the symptoms of what I have. I have Raynauds Disease. I'll list some of the symptoms and you can see if it matches any of yours.

1)cold temperatures reduces blood supply to the extremities (and sometimes areas of skin) turning the skin pale/white and the area affected becomes cold and numb. (in my case this is hands and feet primarily , and my lower back somewhat bizarrely) 
2) the affected area turns blue/purple when the oxygen in the blood lowers - it'll then start to look like a bruise that wont go away.
3) the change in skin tone/apparent bruising/coldness isnt permanent - when the affected areas warm up the blood flow will start again properly and the skin will go pinky/red before going back to normal. Sometimes my hands and feet/lower back will swell up and I'llg et awful pins and needles until its warmed up again.

theres two different types of Raynauds - I have primary raynauds disease, this is where the symptoms are not related to any other disease , If your've been checked over by the Docter and he cant find a reason for your symptoms then It sounds to me like you could possibly have Raynauds disease too.

Secondary Raynauds - or Raynauds syndrome (different from raynauds disease) is where the symptoms are brought on by other illnesses , anorexia is a common one , and hypothyroidism as well as carpol tunnel.

Being in Scotland (it is when we travel back to the UK in winter that I flare up!!) you cant really escape the cold , but you can put on more layers to keep the areas warm , I always wear merino gloves and socks as well as big ski gloves and thick sheep wool boots to keep me warm , this lowers the symtoms.

I dont drink coffee as the caffine makes it worse - I avoid high caffine foods and drinks too , like soft drink and chocolate/sweets.

theres not really alot you can do to treat it , as it isnt somthing that can be cured , but you can treat the symtoms by avoiding the coffee/cold.

I also take arnica tablets and have arnica cream which seems to help although I dont really know why. flaxseed oil helps as well as cod liver oil which I take in pill form as it tastes foul. I use a stress ball when my hands are bad as the squeezing motion helps bring the blood flow back. or rubbing the skin in circles quite vigoursly helps too. 

Hope this info was helpful somewhat , if this sounds like what you might have PM me and I can tell you more about it.


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## highlander (Oct 26, 2008)

Sounds exactly right, thank you! I think the doctor was on about something to do with this!
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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

I used to bruise easily. I added an iron supplement and increased the red meat a bit. Both helped a lot.


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## Poseidon (Oct 1, 2010)

I have Raynaud's also. The primary kind, as I inherited genetically from my mom, along with being a female in a cold climate, so a prime candidate. 

Mine affects my hands, feet, nose and ears. My hands get very painfully cold to the point where I've started crying. My feet lose blood flow to the front half and become very painful and swollen when the blood returns when I'm warm again. I couldn't ride all winter because I couldn't bend my hands in and out. I am also developing arthritis in my hands and feet because of it (I'm 18, by the way, so I'm oh-so-excited about dealing with this forever). 

My hands and feet are constantly freezing too. Even if the rest of my body is warm, I have to have a blanket on at least my feet because they're so ridiculously cold.

My doctor put me on a blood pressure medication that dilates blood vessels in my extremities. Oh my, does it help. After I started taking it, the most blood flow I would lose to my feet would be like the very tips of my toes, if that. It's called amlodipine (the brand name is Norvasc, I guess).


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## highlander (Oct 26, 2008)

Doctor finally got back to me yesterday. It is primary raynauds. My dad's got it too, thanks scoope you have beenm brilliant at help.
It makes sense now, amd the doctors should have really noticed this last year when I went in but hey.....
Does it tend to be in younger people then? We're all late teens or early twentys.
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## Poseidon (Oct 1, 2010)

It's most common in females who live in climates that are very cold for an extended period of time. Guys can have it (ie, your dad), but it's not as common. 

My doctor told me most people who have Raynaud's have it develop in their teens, so yes. Mine developed when I was little and I was diagnosed when I was about 10, which is apparently ridiculously young, as I was told.

There's also no cure, but the most common treatment for it is blood pressure medications, like I mentioned above.


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## Scoope (Oct 19, 2010)

I've had it since I was wee (4/5) , but it did start to get worse when I hit puberty - so dont know if that is why or not - coincidentally it was also when I got heavily into my music and horse riding , and putting alot of stress on my fingers which is where I first started to notice it.

I do know it affects more women than men , but with that being said , I inherited it from my grandfather down my maternal line. 

Living in a warmer climate , it certianly hits me when I go back to the UK (almost exclusively in the middle of winter due to flight prices!)


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## highlander (Oct 26, 2008)

A question I'm not keen on asking: does it develop and get worse? So far its not as bad as pain you guys have mentioned.
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## highlander (Oct 26, 2008)

Oopps phone thinks its funny!


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## Poseidon (Oct 1, 2010)

Mine has always been fairly consistent. I've had it for as long as I can remember. The most that's gotten worse is the arthritis I'm developing because of it. I'm not sure if that's common with it, but from going untreated for probably 15 years or so and having harsh winters that last at least 6 months and being a kid that wants to play in the snow, I was brutal to my hands about it. Taking away the blood flow to my joints like that is taking effect. Mine is worse than my mom's though. She never had this problem. 

However, I also have had a very hard time trying to cut caffeine out of my diet and eventually gave up. That makes a huge difference.

I would also recommend investing in some awesome mittens/gloves. I got these for Christmas: http://www.manzella.com/index.php/products/detail/mzw-122 A bit pricey, but they're amazing. They're like a glove inside a fluffy mitten. Not a whole lot of dexterity for your fingers, but they certainly won't get cold.


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## highlander (Oct 26, 2008)

I know last winter, at points I lost use of my hands as they so so sore I was out of the saddle for a month. I have noticed the marks on my thighs look scared now but aren't that intense colour and haven't been blue in a while but I think that's due to the temperature being warmer.
Does heat affect you too? I can't really cope with heat (mind you that be. Be scottish and not really seeing a lot of that glowing yellow thing in the sky!
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## Scoope (Oct 19, 2010)

I think the pain levels are hugely based on how you manage it. As I said in the PM - there is no 'treatment' or 'cure' , it is all based down to management. blood thinners like caffine will allways make it worse as it lowers the oxygen levels in the blood flow which in turn slows the circulation in the afflicted areas. so like Posidon said - caffine is a big one. smoking is another. soda with high caffine content. chocolate - anything like that - reading labels is good if your not sure.

If you dont effectively manage the triggers of the disease then the pain will get worse and will persistantly be worse until you start to remove the triggers. A good way to think about it is like an allergy - except an allergy to the cold haha , if you are allergic to pollen , and you are exposed to pollen you will feel the effects of it constantly until the pollen is removed from your system. With Raynauds , you will feel the effects of poor circulation and blood oxygen levels persistantly until you remove the triggers from your system / protect your body from the environmental triggers (the cold) It is just harder as there isnt an antihestimine that will protect you. The level of pain you feel is consistent with the way you manage the disease triggers.

merino wool is your friend ;P


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## highlander (Oct 26, 2008)

Thanks guys. Think I need to go shopping!
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## Poseidon (Oct 1, 2010)

Those are seriously the only gloves I have been able to wear outside for an extended period of time without my hands getting cold. It was amazing. They were a bit spendy, but I love them. I have them in the "Platinum" colour, which is actually like a sky blue. 

I would talk to your doctor about meds if you can. It'll make a big difference.


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## Scoope (Oct 19, 2010)

- your much better to buy one really good quality pair of merino gloves , than lots of cheeper but sub par quality ones, at the end of the day it (at least for me) means the difference between being able to turn my key in the lock , and not being able to grip the key at all!!


just DONT wash them on a hot cycle!!! - my son now has a pair that fit him due to that , - was an expensive mistake!


Mine are pink and purple check  , I have a burgandy pair for when I have to be 'dressy' hahaha


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## highlander (Oct 26, 2008)

Was thinking sealskinz glooves are very very good. Any ideas of wrapping up my legs as well?
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## Scoope (Oct 19, 2010)

merino long johns  or leg warmers (the knitted kind - cheap and easy to do if your handy with a set of needles !) for riding , paddock boots with leg warmers could be an option.


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## Poseidon (Oct 1, 2010)

Heat doesn't bother me that much. We get really bloody hot summers, humid too. I don't take my meds or I'd be boiling. Since it's warm outside, my hands stay warm. They do get cold if I go inside any air conditioned place though. If I get warm in a warm building during the winter though, my hands can get bright red and ridiculously warm. My feet do the same thing because I work in a pool, but I'm required to wear closed-toed shoes. Hot feeeet.


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