I’d suffered with Reynaud’s Syndrome for years before I was diagnosed with cancer. My hands were very susceptible to cold and my fingers and hands would turn white as my body struggled to get enough blood flow going to them.
One of the potential side effects of the chemo that I developed is neuropathy. Most people get in their hands, feet or both. Mine mainly manifested in my hands. I have lost quite a bit of feeling in my fingers. I tell people it’s like touching things through lace; I can feel things but not in fine detail like I once was able to. I regularly pick up very hot pots and pans barehanded without thinking about it, much to my family’s dismay!
While I can tolerate much higher temperatures touching my hands, the opposite is true of cold. Because of the combination of the Reynaud’s and the neuropathy, I have an extremely low tolerance for cold in my hands. I can be running outside in shorts and a tank top but need to wear gloves because my hands are so cold. Not only do my hands get super cold, but they HURT because of the cold.
I’ve tried to describe how the cold feels but have never been able to. It’s a stabbing pain but that was the best I could do. I was today years old when I realized how to describe it. When they get cold, my hands feel like your body does when you step into a scalding shower - spikes of heat assault you. That’s what my hands feel like, however, unlike the shower where you just step away from the stream, I can’t get away from the sensation until I can warm up my hands.
That’s it, my neuropathy in a nutshell. It’s a nuisance, yes, but I’m glad that it’s only in my hands. And, I’m so thankful for these past ten years of health!
