Feeling ice cold
I’ve written this but nobody seems to answer. I feel so clued legs and hands I need to go outside to get warm. When I ask someone if I feel cold they’ll say NO
Hi,
!
I'm sorry your question hasn't seemed to get much traction in the past. So, I want to make sure I am understanding you correctly. Your hands and legs will randomly feel too cold and you need to go outside to warm up, right? Do you notice any other symptoms or a build up to this problem (tingling, discolored skin, pain, etc)? Does it only happen in air conditioned spaces or in the summer? Does going outside fix the problem every time?
Best, Erin, Team Member.It’s mainly my legs r very cold .when I’m in AC. Going outside helps but can’t stay out too long bc it’s hot.
, hmmmm. Interesting. My immediate thought was you may be dealing with Raynaud's, which is why I was asking those questions. However, your symptoms don't sound much like Raynaud's. Has your doctor offered any suggestion as to what's going on? I mean, the temperature sensitivity could definitely be tied to your MS, but I hesitate to say that for sure. One thing to keep in mind any other medications you may be taking (like blood thinners) and other health conditions you may have. Also, hormones can play a part in our temperature sensitivity, so if you are a woman of a certain age going through menopause or being post menopausal, you may find your tolerance for the heat and cold to be greatly reduced. I know many women, regardless of age, have to bring space heaters into their office spaces in the summer because the AC is set so low.
As you can probably tell, I honestly have no clue what is causing your cold legs! I wish I did have some brilliant answer and I hope other community members see your post and can at least chime in with some empathy or tips!
I'm sorry I couldn't be more helpful, but I hope it helps a bit to know that your question matters to this community.
Best, Erin, Team Member.I understand whhat you are saying. I have to do the same thing sometimes. This happened the other day to me. I had to shut the ac off for a while. My hubbs was hot but I couldn't get warm for anything. It was worse in my legs but was my whole body this time. Only new treatment I'm taking is allergy injections. It's like my body doesn't regulate temperature.
Few months late to the conversation. But while I can't add any answers, I will definitely give my sympathies and add my experiences.
Even before I was diagnosed in 2002 in my early 20's, I was relying on HOT baths and showers (read lobster color to my skin) in an effort to restore normal warmth to my extremities. Sometimes, I'd be shivering still in a hot shower because it felt like the cold had seeped into the very marrow of my bones.
Like everyone else who has posted-- when I would complain about how cold my fingers and toes felt, others would say they felt maybe cool, but definitely not abnormally so. Even when I tried to describe that it felt like I was grabbing an uncovered ice pack (maybe one of the industrial ones).
Even gloves don't help. In fact, it always feels like instead of trapping and circulating body heat, the gloves trap cold air that never warms up--no matter how long keep them on.
Dr.s have theorized its Raynaud's even though my blood doesn't carry the markers for it. My feet do get purple-ish and my hands will turn whiter, but in full transparency-- my feet my also be a bit messed up from the years of literally sitting ON the front of a personal space heater in a room full of menopausal women.No worries about being a few months late—your experience is still valuable! The way you described that deep, bone-level cold is so relatable for a lot of people here. But uncertainty around whether it’s Raynaud’s or something else can be exhausting on its own. Has your doctor suggested any strategies or treatments that could possibly help? -Latoya (Team Member)
Unfortunately, possibly because (I'm arm chair dr. guessing) I don't have the markers, my various neuro drs through the yrs were more treating the symptoms and continuing to focus on the MS. Advice was full of "always wear socks", "wear thicker gloves", "layer, layer, layer", etc.
I felt like I was talking to a brick wall when I would try to tell them gloves would trap cold in -- 'make sure I put them on while inside' (I do, but since my fingers don't seem to generate heat..heat doesn't stay XP) Really its the same for socks as well.
Truthfully with the MS, I move so much better barefoot because I can feel the ground and any variations underfoot (even with the slight loss of sensation as things progress).
On the worst days, I'll drape a heating pad over my curled up feet with my hands resting on top or around a steaming coffee cup. I'm also able to take hot baths still (thankfully). They affect me worse than when I was a kid..but now its mostly that I become EXTREMELY fatigued and I lean on my walker more for a time. But its an acceptable trade in my mind 😉
