Raynaud's Syndrome

It's happening to me, which is not unexpected. Lupus patients sometimes get Raynaud's Syndrome as a secondary complication. Dad had it, so that's why I recognized it immediately when it happened to me the first time last week. I'm just amazed at how quickly it happened. All of a sudden I'm diagnosed with lupus and it's like my body took that as permission to go a little haywire.

The Raynaud's has happened about three more times now, and it's really quite weird. Whichever fingers are affected (it's been different every time so far) lose all feeling, and turn completely white. And it happens in almost an instant. Then when the fingers finally warm up again, they hurt with the "pins and needles" feeling. And they turn spotty blue before the pink finally comes back. It's kind of weirdly fascinating to watch it happen. The good news is that (from what I can tell online), mine is a mild case so far.

I am not looking forward to winter. My fingers already had a tendency to crack and split open in the past, and I'm sure it's going to be worse this winter. I am looking at some portable electric blankets to buy, and also some heated gloves. Hopefully I can minimize the outbreaks as much as possible.