Cold feet
 

I keep reading the PN causes burning feet, which do I get particularly if I stand/walk too much. But my main issue is freezing cold feet. I wake up in the morning and my feet are freezing (as well as painful), is this usual in PN?

Nothing I do seems to make this freezing feeling go away.

I'm sure others will be along to answer too. My feet get very cold, yet I can't say freezing. Three years ago when I was working at a convience/gas station and on my feet for my entire shift, my feet burned. In the last 2 years, they rarely burn, they ache, sometimes are numb, and they both have a certain area that swells.

Now Kev has diabetic neuropathy and his feet are always cold, ice cold to the touch. He always says he thinks it is caused by poor circulation. So, I would imagine, you will get many answers.

Hey Lupin,
Having PN is like trying to raise juvenile delinquents, they require so much time and attention and you don't know what they will do next. You can try warm foot baths with epson salts, foot cremes and what ever you do to remendy the situation rest assured they will cause you trouble in a different way.:winky:

Lupin...
 

The only thing I have found that warms up my cold, cold feet are a pair of slippers called "Cosy Soles". The website www.footsmart.com has them on sale right now. http://www.footsmart.com/Product.asp...%22&src=FSpaid. You warm them up in the microwave and then wear them. They really work well for me. Good Luck.

Ann

Your feet feel cold inside, but...
 

aren't outside..to touch. or just the opposite. Finding the just right things to do is a matter of trial and error. AND It's not your imagination....

Weird or incorrect temp sensations are syptoms of all sorts of PN's. Gel warming paks or the rice or barley packets are good to use as they are a gentle heat, not one that can burn. Part of this is explained under a stickie I'd posted a while ago...page 3 I believe about skin. It's under diabetic neuropathy, but it's good in explaining that those malfunctiong nerves aren't telling your vascular and llymph systems what to do correctly. Or, simply telling the other systems what the totally wrong thing IS rather that what it really SHOULD be.

What to do? The Cosy Soles are one approach...tho I wouldn't heat them so long for starters...sometimes Microwaving stuff can get far hotter than our damaged nerves and skin can really tell - get burned that way. I use a 'celery storage' Tupperware type container and fill it 1/2 way w/ tepid water and soak. I'd found that hot water, was well, just too hot! Another thing I do on occasion is blow my hair-dryer over the cold area..on a low speed, medium temp. That seems to take the 'chill off'. Gentle massaging the bothered areas can help too, just gets things moving...but sometimes, the 'rubbing' is as bad as the problem...Try it and see?

My hands get that way too, for that I've a pair of finger-less 'mittens'. I can wear them and type and stuff and they keep my wrists, palms and knuckles covered but the fingers can do their thing for most 'dry' stuff. Most diabetic socks I've found to be totally useless [and expensive], but one kind "Medi-Peds' I've found in the pharmacy part of places like Walmart-are reasonable and don't seem to be too tight even when the ankles swell. I've not seen/found them on-line yet tho.

Hope this all helps. I know that strange 'pain' is worse than getting real frostbite. I've been close a few times and there is NO comparison.

Hang in there...someone else probably has even better things to try! - j

Hi Lupin
 

I too share the pain from extremely cold toes and feet and occasionally w/ burning simultaneously but the cold is by far much worse for me. Many times my toes and feet are cold to the touch, other times they are at normal body temperature but my brain still registers the dysthesia as cold. I'm fortunate in that I've had several Doppler ultrasounds done and I know my arterial circulation from my thighs to the great toe is good. However, I'm sure that my microvascular circulation has suffered from the PN.

What works much of the time for me is an electric mattress pad that my wife bought a few months ago - just like an electric blanket but on the bottom. It has individual controls so I don't disturb her. I turn the pad on my side ~15-20min before I come to bed at which point the foot of the bed is comfortably warm. My feet and toes slowly warm up and I can get some rest.

Some days I've found that putting my feet down on a rug that's been warmed by the sun can sometimes give me some relief too, albeit briefly. I don't know if this will help you but it might be a worth a try.
I do hope you find some relief from the pain.
Alkymst

hanging in there without my brain
 

Thanks for all the suggestions. I will certainly try them. I am struggling a bit with the side effects of Lyrica, I am just over two weeks and now up to 100mg three times a day and my brain is a complete mess, can’t remember things from one minute to the next and my typing skills (which were never that great) have abandoned me LoL. I am sticking with it because I now I am up to the higher dose having notice a decrease in pain I hope it continues! I have Tramadol to take as and when required. I never thought I would be in a position of having to take drugs on a regular basis Oh well………
Lupin

cold feet
 

My PN in the feet used to cause them to be very cold and also burn at the same time. I didn't know whether to use heat or cold packs on them. My arthritis doc wrote an RX for some Nitro-bid cream. I think it is the same medication heart patients use to increse circulation to the heart when they have angina pain. This cream comes in a tube and needs to be applied very sparenly to the top of the feet about once a day (for me). One needs to use a glove when applying it. If you apply too much at a time, you can get a bad headache. I used a dab, on each foot, about the size of half a pea or less. I did this for several months and my feet mainly just burn now. I sleep with an ice pack everynight by my feet. I can take either hot or cold, but not both. Some people probably shoudn't try it b/c of side effects that might be heart related, but using it for a time did help with cold feet. I guess your doc shold decide as the doc has to write the RX. The idea here is to increase the circulation to the feet. I have good pulses in my feet, but the nitro-bid did help some. Just a thought.

Another question
 

Do any of you experience feet that feel as if they are freezing and yet they sweat really badly? If I enclose them in a shoe, they sweat that way. This never happened before the PN. It's driving me nuts. It's ruining shoes and creating an odor. I don't know how to deal with it. I've never worn out a pair of shoes in my life. I've got one of those expensive shoe sizes too. Extremely narrow and I have to pay big bucks for shoes.

Billye

To Billye
 

Yes I get that......it funny feeling because it is so bizarre that my feet are freezing cold but sweat like they are hot. I am wearing thick cotton socks (and I mean thick) and this adsorbs the sweat (LoL)!!

Lupin, may I say that ....
 

you are very LUCKY that your feet are SWEATING? Mine had stopped-for over 3 years...COMPLETELY until a short while ago! At least one part of your system's working! Look on that bright side, I admit it's hard, but let me tell you that when you DON't Sweat, you really have no CLUE at all as to where you are or aren't.
As for patience? Well My onset was almost 4 years ago, and I've received agressive treatments and am lucky, my feet are starting to SWEAT! Silly but true, that such a 'small' issue could be an indicator of health? Nerves die by inches per hour, grow/re-grow 1/4 inches per month. Patience here is definitely not only needed, but REQUIRED?

:hug: for you and your journey...let it be an enlightening one, not one of despair. Keep pushing, plugging and persisting...you WILL get there...whereever it's supposed to be. Good thoughts till later - j

Yes Yes i have feet that frezze and sweat and now it's my hands :( My nuero told me to put gloves like some of us years ago wore,you know those little white cotton gloves.:) So i say ok go home a put white socks on my hands..I just got to the point where i can put anything on my feet:eek: But oh boy your hands they really hurt,i keep my fingers apart to stop the pain i look like i have claws..Any body have it in their hands.:rolleyes: My mom before she passed away feet were ice cold but she said she couldn't feel it.This is for everybody:grouphug: Sue

Another 2 cents
 

Billye,
I get the same sensations too w/ the extremely cold toes and feet but sweating at the same time - sometimes change socks 2 or 2 times a day and this after using baby powder or cornstarch to keep my feet dry. I can sympathize too w/ your shoe problems, my feet are like canal boats, 13A - very difficult to find and expensive when I can.

I'm still looking for a solution. Hope you can get some real relief.
Alkymst

"Crocs"
 

have you tried "Crocs" they are very light weight and breathable and are also a very wide fitting, I would like to try then but I have very small and narrow feet so they are not for me. Just at thought
Lupin

more on cold feet
 

Well, I'm new to all this - still in denial; and I have Kaiser and have been told by my Neur. "we've done all the tests" and we're at the limits of technology".
I know that's not the case after reading Dr. Latov's book.

Sitting with my feet on a heating pad on low is so far the only thing that helps, and sitting out in the sun last week in our first day of warm(80) weather was great.

But this really sucks, I've only had this for 6 months - I really feel for you all that have been suffering a longer! I'm determined to find the cause!

I wear the white cotton gloves as well,for 2 reasons 1. cold hands they feel like sweat as well but people say they are very dry..2. my hands hurt and it seems to stop people from shaking my hands.Polyneuropathies are just odd,my mom feet first burned than got numb turned ice cold but she couldn't feel the cold,we could they where like ice,she couldn't stand the touch of sheets and those cold feet would hang out..If you have Diabetes please do not put anything to hot on your feet you may not feel you are causing a burn..I like the hair dra:) idea very much Thank you;) Everybody you take care..Sue

Lupin, try wearing down booties to bed, or whenever you are resting. They work wonders for me. It takes about 30-60 minutes for them to warm up, then they feel nece and toasty. You can google them and find places to order them from -- usually camping supply places.

My toes feel as if they are cold, but when I touch them they do not feel cold. I think the nubness gives the impression that the toes are cold.

I go to bed wearing the socks I wore during the day and that helps quite a bit. The toes also feel better when I am walking.

When driving, my right toes feels reasonably OK, butthe left toes feel uncomfotrable.

I used to have that burning, numb thing with my feet to but it doesn't happen anymore. That was when I drank a little too much during a rough time in my life. I don't ever drink now and that whole foot thing has gone away. BUT I do have freezing, cold feet quite often. I have a Booty at my desk that heats up and vibrates and it really helps. You put both feet in at once it is fleece lined. Otherwise I do wear 2 or sometimes 3 pairs of socks at once. I have a heating pad between the blankets at the foot of my bed and a small space heater that I aim right at my feet. Only problem with that is It feels SOOO good to have warm feet it knocks me out like a light. I'll be laying there talking on the phone and my bf will say "You sound drunk." :eek: http://twinszone.net/forum/images/sm...onthefloor.gif "Uh, your feet must be warming up." http://twinszone.net/forum/images/sm...onthefloor.gif AND I do. I start slurring my speech then all of a sudden I am asleep. http://twinszone.net/forum/images/sm...onthefloor.gif So you KNOW they must have been cold.

Anyway, besides that. I TRY to massage my feet everyday a few times with a thick, moisturizing cream, like Cocoa Butter, and then put my socks right on then either shoes or into the Booty. Here is a pic of the Booty. http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/1592/bootiesk8.jpg This is my third one in 2 years, I just love it but I keep forgetting to turn it off so it burns out. You can take out the lining and wash it. It only costs about $20. :winky:

Looking for massager
 

I am diabetic and have the same feet problems as you. I saw your picture of the massager and started looking for it, but could not find it. Do you happen to know who sells it and/or the web site it is sold on? Thanks.

Are you talking to me??
The Booty???

Yes. I meant foot warmer (booty). I don't know why I said massager. Sorry.

I'm sure they are still made. This one I have I got in December. Let me take a look around for you and I'll post a link or links where you can order one, ok?

Gee fm, http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/im...onsb/crazy.gif I am having a bit of trouble locating it BUT I have a friend who bought one too, he may still have the link. I'll get back to you when I get it, ok? :wink:

I have my little feet in mine right now and boy does it feel good. My feet were SO cold they hurt. It's taking a long time for them to get warm and I have both the heat on and vibrator on high. I shouldn't let it get this bad. I probably will just hop in the shower soon, that'll heat them up quick.

OK, found one. Not the one I have but this one may be a whole lot nicer and doesn't cost much more, here's the link:

http://www.sharperimage.com/us/en/ca...uct/sku__ZN028

Hon. Watch the vibrator.

My podiatrist used a vibrating tool on my feet and that night was the worse case of neuropathy I ever had in my whole life, with the pins and needles.

I will never let anyone with a vibrator near my feet again!!!!!!

Melody

Yes, I agree. I can only have this one on LOW for a short time. My Pod told me if it hurts, turn it off. But usually it feels good for a while, that's enough. Gee ML, you must have it bad then, I'm sorry. :(

Thanks for you efforts. I am going to buy one right now.

Everytime I come into this thread it REMINDS me it's down there and MY FEET ARE COLD RIGHT NOW!! :wink: ::REACHES FOR ON SWITCH:: :D

I'm sure you'll be real happy with it, especially during the winter.

Everybody With Cold Feet, Click On This Link!!!
 

When Alan and I went to our neuropathy support group meeting the other night, they gave out free Foot Huggers socks for us to try.

You couldn't tear these away from me if you paid me.

I have a ceramic tile floor (that's always cold). I put on these socks and I never felt the floor.

So go and poke around and see if you want to get yourself some of these.

http://foothuggers.com/

I'm not diabetitic and have the cold feet. Actually before I had my inner ankle/foot pain I was always saying how cold my feet were. I have never got an answer but thought was circulation. I have feet warmers that last 8 hours. You put them on the bottom of your socks. They really do help but still its an uneasy feeling.

Transdermal L-Arginine foot cream
 

Hello there,
I just joined, and this is my first post (I will post later in the new member intro area). I recently tried a new product for my cold feet/circulation and wanted to share -- it's a relatively inexpensive foot cream, Healthi-Betic Transdermal L-Arginine Foot Cream. As per the label, it's made especially for diabetics -- but it works very well for me and I am definitely not diabetic. Actually, my family has an hereditary Ataxia (an unknown type of Spinocerebellar Ataxia), and the cold feet/neuropathy is unfortunately one of our unique symptoms. FYI - I order the foot cream on-line and 1 tube seems to last for approximately a month (when applied once daily). My cold feet act up mostly at bedtime, and so I apply and massage then.

You know, it's just my opinion but I think all the hype about all these "Cremas" that DO these different things is Just a load of garbage. I think it's JUST the fact that you are RUBBING is what is helping.

I rub my feet with moisturizing cream everyday and when they get cold I put on 3 pairs of socks. When I lay down with cold feet I have heating pad Under them and a space heater blowing on them and it USUALLY KNOCKS ME OUT. Right off to sleepyland I go. Warming my feet also helps with back pain and stomach aches, for me anyway.

Just think of all the abuse we give our Poor feet. When you are KIND to them they reward you. :D;) I remember a cream when I was growing up called "Happy Feet". :p I wonder if they still make it.

I have had cold feet my entire life, with the exception of when I was at the altar.......either I was swept off my feet and didn't feel them...or the man I married warmed my feet....heartwarming, hey?

Seriously, I have very achey feet, and very cold feet, to the point I am about to invent a heated shoe. That said, I do occassionally get burning feet...and burning fingers, and burning around the ribs....mostly, I get numb legs from the hip down, especially from the knee down, numb enough that I can not walk on them. I also get numb useless hands some days (not carpal tunnel---been tested for that more times than I care to remember.)

OH Color---Welcome!!
You may be very helpful on the genetic testing thread---don't mind me, it is a thread I started, that fizzled and then somehow, via embryonic transplantation, got some life on a different thread---and is over due for delivery---so a new thread is born, and it involves hereditary conditions--check 'genetic testing' thread on this PN forum. You are the perfect person to contribute your knowledge to get that thread up and running....again, please, bear with my humor. (I am only funny on days when I have slept well the night before....and I slept like a log last night).

Hi new member,any way i use that as well after trying so many things.
i'm a Diabetic 2,my derm Dr. gave me a great cream,but when i ran out
it cost close to 3 hundred dollars,and insurance wouldn't pay,oh well.
Anyway please any of the diabetic's please be careful for the warm heated
slippers,I saw so may bad burns in er,and yes did it myself..I think the
cream is fine for us,but others give your Dr. a call or your Druggist. The
Druggist can get through to your Dr. usually before you can..Glad you
brough this up,we are having ice strom my feet are not burning are
cold..Last week it was 70 my feet were cold and burnt..

I found anything down slippers are light and i perfect anything down
on me works...My Mom who had neurorapathy in her 80's could never
feel her ice cold feet but we could, it's strange isn't it.. Hugs to all Sue

Sue

You are right on the heating and burning thingies. I once decided to smear myself with capsacian....felt nothing for a day and a half.....well, then it kicked in and I felt I was in an oven at 450 or broil for 48 hours! I don't like capsaicin...it feels just like my burning PN....foo on that. (Also never, ever put it next to your k-y gel.:eek:)

And yes, PNers, spinal cord injuries etc, do burn without notice.

I need something to keep my feet warm in 2 feet of snow....at home I use 2 pairs of gigantic socks...and a heating pad over that...but I don't sit still long enough to burn myself, plus my heating pad turns off automatically...that is a great idea...a pain because I will get cold, but great safety device.

If my feet get cold and I am NOT noticing it and all of a sudden I DO. I run some warm water in the tub then sit on the side and warm my feet SLOWLY in the warm water adding hotter at a trickle THEN dry my feet thoroughly and put a couple or three pairs of socks on that have been warmed on the radiator or in front of a space heater. I really believe that allowing your feet to remain cold for long periods of time damages the tissue and structures in your feet. I also believe that MOST of this Cold Feet Business is because we have smaller viens in our bodies. I had a skinny friend once in her 50's who had HUGE veins. We actually compared them and her's were almost double the size of mine PLUS she had Huge feet and they were Always warm. I have tiny veins, tiny feet and they are always cold so I think it has a lot to do with the size of your veins. The doctors want to make you believe you have some kind of Disease so they can sell you more drugs when it's actually just a structural anomalie. I know I've been this way my ENTIRE life, even as a young child my feet were always cold.

I think it's just better to warm your feet naturely with massage and heat. A nice moisturing CREAM, something THICK is really needed on your feet, like Cocoa Butter, which I have mentioned before, works really well and it's inexpensive. A HUGE jar at Walgreens is like $3. and it will last you a long time, mine usually 6 months if I use it daily.

I am in my 50's and had normal to huge veins until the PN hit....I can go from a normal sized vein to a teeny tiny vein in seconds....some vasospastic phenomenon. A nurse will tell me my veins are great and by the time she comes back with her IV tray....they have shrunk to thread size, the nurse is pale, and I get stuck 5 times and then anesthesia is called to put in the IV....(even if I hydrate). My thesis is all that blood pools in my butt or something.:D

Cold feet can be good---like for you in the dating scene, when your unemployed boyfriend wants to move in with you, OR for you parents, when your not so responsible son wants to borrow YOUR cell phone because his fell in the toilet. (yeah right) OR when you think about turning the cars keys over. Or when an in-law is planning to use the guest room-indefintely.

I tell my kids, listen to your cold feet.

People with sensory neuropathy have messed up signals from the feet to the brain...or from other parts of the body to the brain...the brain usually works, altho some days, it may seem we are not so smart.:p

Some days those signals say hot, burning, ouch!! Other days they say, cold, achey, groan.

I shivered thru my biopsy...the doc asked me if I was cold...'nope' nervous, 'nope' I said 'you just gave me a shot of epi and have autonomic neuropathy....voila---I shiver...no rhyme or reason...but I will hang my hat on the epi.'

I have this thing, cute winter socks and hats, and yes, I wear them indoors. A stylish little gnome!

Cold feet and hands
 

The unrelenting cold on my feet and now in my hands is the most difficult type of pain I have - I've found nothing gives me relief, meds, toe warmers, extra socks, mattress covers w/ built in heating pads, warm epsom salt soaks, etc etc. It's reached a point now where I can turn a heating pad on high but I feel no warmth on my feet yet I still have feeling in my feet so that's a good thing.
Only solution offered was mega doses of mexelitine, a class I antiarrythmic that the chief neuro of a diabetes program told me was successful w/a few of his patients who suffered from cold pain. My cardiologist and I opted out for other reasons.

Alkymst

Hi, just wanted to share what I found out about cold hands and feet.

In the stores around here, they sell this item called HOTHANDS hand warmers.

You open up the pack and you put it inside your gloves and it makes them nice and toasty for 10 hours. Here's what the package looks like (I haven't opened it up yet): It does say on the back, to be careful if you can't feel hot things. So I wouldn't put this directly on the skin, but on top of the socks?? well, why not??

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...t/hothands.jpg

So my thinking is: "if you can put them in your gloves, why not just slip them on top of your socks, put on a loose pair of shoes, (or even in the house, put them inside your slippers)??? Around here, they cost 50 cents a pack, and each pack containes two separate hand warmers. I can't wait to try them out.

Worth a try, right??

Melody