Jeri,

What's the FM stand for in one of your posts? Also, why do you have to watch your glucose levels? By the way, I'm also from MN...great place to be from when you have Raynauds too.

Ann

Hi Ann...I think maybe you were writing me. I'm from N. Mpls. What part do you hail from? FM is short for Fibromyalgia. Another wonderful immune disorder to add to the rest. By the way, I also have IBS, but never knew it was related to all this stuff. Hope you are staying warm andd not going broke doing it!!!

I'm about 200 mi. Northwest of you. My fingers have been turning white (Raynauds) inside my house these days, but it's been colder here the last 2 days than where you are. I watch the weather & traffic on WCCO cause I have a daughter down there. Do you have to watch your glucose levels for the FM? My Dr. asked if anyone had ever dx me with FM, but I never asked him why. Ann

Hi gals, I'm sorry, I was neglecteing this board for a couple of days. Trying to pay attention to rest-as-a-priority.
I have reynauds, too, since I was little and no one thought anything about it. I was reaised in MI and I always told people that it was 'cause I must have gotten frostbite as a kid. I didn't know this was linked, either, until rheumatologist pinpointed some things. I also got a really neat brochure from aarda.org on autoimmune diseases. I was shocked how many things are autoimmune and we don't even realize it.
Ref glucose levels- I do have to watch mine, but that's one area that is under stict control by diet. So far- even with the prednisone, I have been in the good range. Of course, my internist frowns over the prednisone and my rheumatologist stands firm on the need for the prednisone right now- they can fight it out. he recommended her, so I just laugh.
When your hands blanche out with the reynauds, don't you find that it's dangerous to handle knives, etc in the kitchen cause you also lose most of the feeling (except pain from the cold)? Tell me what you know about it, cause I'm still clueless.

I hate to refer you to a web site, but I got some pretty easy to understand info from the Readers' Digest health site. I don't have the address anymore-it came up on a googles.com search. There's a home remedy that sounded interesting, but I haven't tried it yet. There are 2 kinds, primary & secondary. Primary has no known cause and is the most common. Secondary may develop as the result of other diseases such as lupus, scleroderma, RA, or carpal tunnel (diseases that damage the arteries) Other factors that may lead to it can include vibration from powaer tools, smoking, or frostbite. As usual, women are more likely to get it. Hands, feet, and nose can be affected. People who have all their fingers affected, rather than just one or two, probably have primary. Stress & cold are triggers. Stay away from cold or decongestant meds that have pseudoephedrine in them. My Dr. prescribed Adalat for it, but I haven't tried it yet(I'm the chicken, remember). Meds they usually prescribe are calcium channel blockers.

Now, after that research paper, it's time to rest. Take care, Ann

thanks, ann, I'll do some research on it. Dr. added fibromyalgia to the list of diagnosis this week. "bring 'em on!" haha
jeri

Do you ever think they don't know for sure, so they include everything just to be sure they have their bases covered? I go to mine tomorrow, hoping to negotiate him down on the meds before I start anymore.

Do any of you experience symptoms of being real hot or normal one day & then cold the next? I don't think it's fever, but yesterday I did start taking my temperature.

Also, do any of you have a burning pain behind your knees or in your calves? Dr. said it could be fluid build up.

Thanks, Ann