Cold Water Problems?

[cutlass]

Raynaud's (or Reynaud's) phenomenon typically involves the digits, fingers and toes. While it can be a primary disorder, the usual procedure is to first exclude that it's heralding the presence of another disorder, especially an autoimmune one; e.g. systemic scleroderma, sys. lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, more. Sounds simple but autoimmune disorders sometimes have widespread, even paradoxial, signs/symptoms and can then be quite difficult diagnose and manage.

It sounds strange to report that "...it wasn't cold out of the water...". Has this problem happened before? If not, then are her fins well fitted?

The following are more general health-related questions off the top of my head. These are just to start the thought gears grinding. Don't respond to any or all of them according to your choice since they undoubtedly touch personal issues and 1) this is a public forum and 2) there's absolutely no intention here to establish a patient relationship.

Were other parts of her body also having problems, such as her fingers, ears, tip of her nose? Along with redness, were other skin discolorations or complaints noticed, especially not long after the booties came off? Were the feet both cold to the touch? Tingling or numbness? Does she have other health complaints; e.g. joint pain, digestive problems or diarrhea, skin problems such as rashes or areas of thickening, dry brittle hair, unexplainable fatigue or lethargy, varicose veins or other venous problems, limb puffiness or swellings, atherosclerosis, problems with other organs such as the kidneys. Is she using vasoconstrictive medications such as decongestants. Smoking or caffeine junkie? Diabetes? Undergoing hormone therapies or pregnant?

 

[Soakedlontra]

There are some similarities between what your friend has experienced and what I have been experiencing in the last couple of weeks. I am not sure whether we have the same problem or not.

First of all I noticed that the water temperature have been dropping from about 50/52F to 48F.

I wear a semi-dry Scubapro Nova Scotia suit, neoprene socks and boots and neoprene gloves. Far more water gets into my feet and hands than in my body.

My dives have been in shallow water with max depth at 56Ft.

After each dive I feel the tips of my fingers and toes rather cold and numb. If I move my feet, rub them and wrapped them in warm woolly socks the numbness eventually goes away. With my fingers is a different story. After warming up my hands the numbness goes away like in my feet but later after sleeping in bed at night I wake up feeling my fingers numbed again and they do tickle. I shake my hands several times and eventually these sensations go away....???!!!!

I go back diving and the same story happens again.

In the past I had problems with my hands getting really numb and having pins and needles after waking up in the morning, especially after doing heavy physical work, like working with horses, and drawing/painting for long periods of time energetically. As soon as I stopped using my hands in that way the numbness and pins-needles disappeared.

I have been ignoring this mild problem for years but now I think it's time to figure out what's going on and if diving will make the condition worse!

PS Another thing that I have noticed lately are a couple of bony lumps in my left hand.