[ClaraTaylor]

Winter seems to have hit this household quickly and my little feet are frozen. No matter how thick my socks and shoes are I can't seem to get them warm let alone keep them warm.

My boyfriend has already started complaining about them (and this is when we're fully dressed I'll leave the rest to Scribs imagination!) and it's really painful.

Any suggestions to help?
Please?

I'm getting fed up with this pair of legs!

[Ratticis]

You need fire!

We got a couple of little oscolating electric type heaters that work pretty good

[guido]

Many people can't see the point or don't want to, but if you can do some exercise that will help with circulation, you'll see a big difference in leg and feet temperature. Number of active/passive bikes out there. Most cost a fortune and not worth it, but if you can pick up something 2nd hand or a cheaper brand, this should work well. When I can't do my exercise regime, temperature and fluid swelling are two noticeable effects. These go back to normal as soon as i go back to exercise.

[semirameris]

I found the best awnser was ugg boots, the real sheep skin ones. They're ugly and stupidly expensive i know, but i was given a pair and i havent had any cold feet problems since.

[ClaraTaylor]

Thanks all. Exercise is not a problem - I am an eternal fidget and forever on the move. Being an barely incomplete (at least it certainly feels like it when I hear about others limitations) I still strut around the house / office all day and do my best to keep active (though I will admit I have been failing to do the one mile wobbles I always used sincesince this kicked in )

Even when on the move my feet feel cold, but unfortunately I can't keep active in bed! I've two thick duvets (a thick pair of socks) and a quilt ... it's the extent that I can no longer move under the weight (oh - and the central heating on!) and my upper body is sticky with the heat.

Right. Time to go and make another mug of hot chocolate. Not sure if it warms me up but at least it tastes good!!

I'll have a look at getting some sheep to pop my feet in.

[Tetracyclone]

check https://www.electricblanket.net/p-13-moist-...or-mittens.aspx
and https://www.electricblanket.net/p-43-cozy-t...rest-stand.aspx

[guido]

Okay - next thing is down bootees - (link for example not for seller)

My sister gave me some similar ones a while back as her and mum used to concerned about the colour of my feet (blue and purple hues).

They're pretty good, though these days I don't get to wear them much as my gf has taken a bit of a liking to them for herself.

[gordonr]

Clara,

I am less mobile than you. Therefore my experience may not be relevant, however, for what it is worth:

Heat runs around the body with warm blood from the heart. Blood Pumps in arteries, away from the heart, but it only drains back passively in the veins. This works fine for the head, where the blood is pumped UP and then drains back DOWN, but it is ass-backwards for the legs and feet, where the blood is uselessly pumped DOWN, and then has to, with great difficulty, find its' way back up.

Moreover, in cold weather, your body conserves heat by reducing flow to the extremities, that is the feet. And that makes things worse.

The result of bad drainage and limited flow is obviously cold feet.

Now the solution.

If you raise your feet with a pillow under them when you are in bed, the cold blood will drain back down and be replaced faster with warm stuff from your heartl. So your feet will warm up.

Also if you take a break during the day, and lie down with your feet up above your heart, they will warm up.

The same goes for reduced swelling. So the bad effects of cold and swelling will be reduced overall and you will not have thick ankles at night.

Now the punch line:

If you ignore these factors, and go around for decades with cold swollen feet, you will eventually suffer real health issues related to circulation in your legs and feet. If on the other hand, you raise your feet for a rest during the day, and raise them at night before you go to sleep, you will have no such issues.

Which is better?

(Actually this is a great topic for all of you lurkers out there. If you want to join the club of people who are sci for twenty thirty forty or more years, you have to look after certain details. Circulation is one of them. So take the time to raise your feet. Please.)

Best Regards,

Gordon

[Trinity]

I swear by microwave wheat packs, they keep me nice and toasty and don't get so hot as to burn you (as long as you don't zap them to death!)
Just realised on this site they do microwave slippers and foot warmers. Mmmmmm nice!

[greybeard]

semirameris, on Nov 9 2009, 07:30 PM, said:

I found the best awnser was ugg boots, the real sheep skin ones. They're ugly and stupidly expensive i know, but i was given a pair and i havent had any cold feet problems since.

I second that.

I bought some last winter. Bliss. The sheepskin is a good 1/2" thick, and very dense, - but they are expensive.
Just watch out if you get black ones as the dye comes off on to your legs and feet!

[Ches]

I use leg warmers,.. thick 80's ones.. hahaha!

[greybeard]

Ches, on Nov 9 2009, 11:22 PM, said:

I use leg warmers,.. thick 80's ones.. hahaha!

How did you manage to keep them for so long without moths getting at them?

[qbounce]

Here I thought this was a thread about our fears in doing things.
You mean, cold feet literally!

[Wicket]

Take vitamin B3 (Niacin) to jump start circulation. Taken regularly it will help along with a regular B complex.
Mind you don't take too much at once; it causes a a bit of a flush and slight itching which is normal but if taken too much at once you'll feel like you're tripping out.

[twisted_ophelia]

semirameris, on Nov 9 2009, 03:30 PM, said:

I found the best awnser was ugg boots, the real sheep skin ones. They're ugly and stupidly expensive i know, but i was given a pair and i havent had any cold feet problems since.

I agree! I wear Ugg boots in the winter and when I take them off, my foot don't feel as frozen to the touch as they did back before I had them. I don't have enough sensation in my feet to tell when they are cold. I can only tell by touching them and looking at them--when they look really blue-ish--but another thing is using those little heat packs in your boots (or socks). I wore those when I was skiing last winter and it helped. Just be careful if you don't have sensation that they're not burning you.

Ches, on Nov 9 2009, 07:22 PM, said:

I use leg warmers,.. thick 80's ones.. hahaha!

Hahahah, we are so twins, me too. Mine are pink and fluffy ballerina leg warmers. I love them.

[E-DOG]

Here's my suggestion for what it's worth.

Call E-dog!
I am a trained professional foot warmer. Schooled in the esoteric art of tantric extremity heat dispersion I can bring untold joy and inner peace to a woman through manipulation of her sweet lil' footsies. Giving careful attention to each and every toe, working my way up, up ,up towards the most sensitive parts, slowly releasing the chill within I can make a freezing foot feel faint and flutter from within.

Ladies, call me any time day or night, I'll steal a car and be there in a jiff.
For the men out there with cold feet and a curious nature, put yer socks back on. I'm flattered that you think I'm cute, but it ain't gonna happen.

E

[ClaraTaylor]

E-DOG, on Nov 10 2009, 07:21 AM, said:

Here's my suggestion for what it's worth.

Call E-dog!
I am a trained professional foot warmer. Schooled in the esoteric art of tantric extremity heat dispersion I can bring untold joy and inner peace to a woman through manipulation of her sweet lil' footsies. Giving careful attention to each and every toe, working my way up, up ,up towards the most sensitive parts, slowly releasing the chill within I can make a freezing foot feel faint and flutter from within.

Ladies, call me any time day or night, I'll steal a car and be there in a jiff.
For the men out there with cold feet and a curious nature, put yer socks back on. I'm flattered that you think I'm cute, but it ain't gonna happen.

E

If it weren't for the fact that the "most sensitive parts" is my left nipple and I am capable of leaping a full foot off the bed should anyone go near it I'd be on the phone now!

Thanks for everyone's suggestions - I'll be off to hunt down leg warmers and boots this weekend.

[greybeard]

ClaraTaylor, on Nov 10 2009, 08:00 AM, said:

Thanks for everyone's suggestions - I'll be off to hunt down leg warmers and boots this weekend.

Take the weight off your wheels. HERE'S a link to get them online.

[nomis]

Like E-Dog, I'm an expert in feet. I've had feet all my life and my parents had them, too. After the obvious like wearing warm footwear, etc, then I'd agree with gordonr regarding raising your feet and doing it now to save yourself bigger problems later. Also, physical exercise is important. Use it specifically to get your whole body and feet warm and also for maintaining good condition.

But, let's face it. If you're spinal injured then there's a reasonable chance you won't have such efficient circulation to your extremities. Cold feet in a cold climate are going to be an issue. It's what we do about it to minimise damage that counts. I've brought this up with several doctors and quite frankly I get no useful info from them other than the obvious.

Do your best and when you find the answer let us all know.

[chickadee]

nomis, on Nov 10 2009, 04:59 AM, said:

Do your best and when you find the answer let us all know.

NO DOUBT.

Thankfully, for some reason we've had unreal gorgeous weather just recently (and when I say that, I mean unreal high temps in the upper 50s), but we did get our first round of snow on Oct 8, which is especially cruel for a place that has snow sometimes going into the first bit of May.

So.

My legs were never warm before the SCI junk, but it's even moreso now. And I have to be careful about warming them back up too, I found out - my nerve endings will freak out if warmed too quickly (ditto for the opposite, but that won't be happening much around here). Plus, as insult to injury per se, my braces make my feet even colder - they seem to suck the warm right out! My good luck, however, is that I am a knitter, and have knitted socks that fit above my calves (and can do the math for the one big one, and one shrinking one). Maybe you can find a good friend (or yourself) who has the skills necessary to knit up some toasty alpaca yarn socks? If it gets especially too cold, I will wear my knee-high knitted wool socks, plus a pair of thin bootie socks in my shoes. I think the key for me is once they're warm, I do my best to keep them that way!

[LuckyinKentucky]

I use under armour or thermal underwear all through winter... it helps a bit.

[Scribbler]

gordonr, on Nov 9 2009, 09:34 PM, said:

If you raise your feet with a pillow under them when you are in bed, the cold blood will drain back down and be replaced faster with warm stuff from your heartl. So your feet will warm up.

Also if you take a break during the day, and lie down with your feet up above your heart, they will warm up.

The same goes for reduced swelling. So the bad effects of cold and swelling will be reduced overall and you will not have thick ankles at night.

Now the punch line:

If you ignore these factors, and go around for decades with cold swollen feet, you will eventually suffer real health issues related to circulation in your legs and feet. If on the other hand, you raise your feet for a rest during the day, and raise them at night before you go to sleep, you will have no such issues.

Which is better?

(Actually this is a great topic for all of you lurkers out there. If you want to join the club of people who are sci for twenty thirty forty or more years, you have to look after certain details. Circulation is one of them. So take the time to raise your feet. Please.)

Best Regards,

Gordon

Gordon,

If you want to spend a lot of your day sitting with your feet up, then fine.... I don't have time for that; life's too short, and I'd rather be mobile in my chair than laid on a couch or bed for 2 hours a day.

My wheelchair is my legs....... If your confined to a wheelchair then just face facts.. You're more mobile in it than out of it, but that's just my opinion.

I have cold feet, and just one swollen leg, which doesn't go down over night, so I cant see the point of sitting with my feet up... If I do put my feet up, it puts more pressure on my bum; I know, as I have full sensation.

I look at it this way..... If I've coped ok for 50 years, then I must be doing something right.

Maybe Trin will lend me her wheatbag.... or shall I just stick my feet in the Microwave Trin......

[ClaraTaylor]

Scared myself today.

Pulled off my socks and my toes were dark blue. It's taken over half an hour to get any proper (i.e. not blue!) colour into my big toe (right hand for anyone interested) and they still feel cold to touch only minutes after taking them off the hot water bottle.

The rest of my feet were white.

Today I've been up and about like any normal person - the chair didn't make it out of the car as it's been easier to strut my sticks (barely incomplete remember) and walk.
Pain level - pretty good to be honest with you! I've been more active physically today than I have all week (out in the workshop - fun times!) and I'd been in the house for three hours (i.e. warm) when I noticed it. The pins and needles weren't out of control, I don't even know if I had spasms today. (Don't worry - Pins and needles are now making up for it).

Where are my spider senses for things like this?

I DO NOT LIKE THIS!!!

[Tetracyclone]

Does the term "fear of God" mean anything to you?

[ClaraTaylor]

Pwuff, on Dec 16 2009, 09:58 PM, said:

Does the term "fear of God" mean anything to you?

Damn it. I knew not believing in God would get me into trouble.
You think he's punishing me for not believing by freezing my toes?

[greybeard]

Clara, I rather suspect Pwuff is suggesting that this is something that needs to be taken seriously. (She will correct me if I'm wrong.) Dark blue isn't too far removed from black!

Do you have a history of poor circulation in your feet? Chilblains etc?

[Tetracyclone]

greybeard, on Dec 16 2009, 06:10 PM, said:

Clara, I rather suspect Pwuff is suggesting that this is something that needs to be taken seriously. (She will correct me if I'm wrong.) Dark blue isn't too far removed from black!

Do you have a history of poor circulation in your feet? Chilblains etc?

right again.

[ClaraTaylor]

greybeard, on Dec 16 2009, 11:10 PM, said:

Clara, I rather suspect Pwuff is suggesting that this is something that needs to be taken seriously. (She will correct me if I'm wrong.) Dark blue isn't too far removed from black!

Do you have a history of poor circulation in your feet? Chilblains etc?

Thank you.

My circulation has always been fine - and when I do the capillery test with warm feet they react as they should (the whole squeezing your nail and releasing to watch the blood flow). Even when I'd spend all day in cold water as a sailing instructor I never had a problem. Chilblains have also been absent in my life. For the first four years of living with a cripple status I've not had anything like this before. Cold feet occassionally yes but never like this.

I do not intend to make it appear as though I am just playing silly buggers at this. Unfortunately I am not very good at expressing my thoughts especially when I know I should be grateful because at least I can still do so much. But yes, I realise that this is serious. The first aid training I have alone has taught me enough to start the worrying.

I have the thick socks (not tight), the heating on, I am keeping my legs raised as much as I can, I have increased the amount of exercise I'm doing, stopped drinking caffeine (you never know it might do something) and a friend who has Raynaulds disese (aka similarly cold pinkies) has suggested that I add chillies to my diet. I think she will be reviewing my diet as perhaps I am not doing everything I could to keep this finely tuned machine going. She's good like that.

The doctor just wants to keep an eye on it at the moment. It is my first winter since the "symptoms" have really started to have an effect and it might just be that I am not so good at looking after myself in the cold weather especially with the now reduced mobility doing it's best to kick my kerb hopping abilities.

I guess I'm still looking for that "one hit cure" that will take everything away and let me live my life.

[greybeard]

Glad you are taking it seriously. I've just looked up http://www.patient.co.uk/health/Raynaud%27...ld-Hands%29.htm to have a read about your friend's problem. It sounds very similar to the symptoms you described. Happily, it doesn't sound serious and the effects seem to be short-lived.

I must say, I do like the idea of a hot curry every other day. What a wonderful treatment!!