Circulation Issues

[Barb]

Have any of the 'older' members on the site noticed that as you got older the circulation in your legs got worse? I honestly don't know what is going on with Carters legs but no matter how warm we keep them, his feet are purple this winter. He has weird bruising (or at least that is what it looks like) on the back of his calves. The sore he has on his ankle (that has been there almost a year now) is scared black. He has a clinic appointment the third week of this month but I am curious if this is just a part of getting older and using his chair much more than when he was younger. I have been making him get out of his wheelchair and transfer to the recliners when watching TV and such and we are stretching alot as well trying to get the blood flowing. He has done a lot less weight bearing this year.

[angel]

Mine do the same thing. I have posted on this very thing somewhere on this board. No matter what i do in the winter time and sometimes during the summer they turn purple and splotchy. Sometimes purple with white splotches sometimes purple with red splotches. It is a coin toss really. I don't know why or what causes it or determines what color they will be. When i get out of bed every morning they look like perfectly normal (at least the color anyway) feet. About 5 minutes later they start turning odd colors.

Angel

[Gymp]

Hi Barb,When the weather turns colder,starting late fall and through winter I have red to purple hands and that's when I'm indoors.My feet are of normal colour during winter though.I've had this during the cold months for at least 30 years if not longer.The hands also get really dry and scaly during this time.It doesn't bother me physically at all but alot of people comment at how red they get and ask if they're cold,that bothers me.

I've also got some old scars that are completely healed over and still have a blackish hue to them,I figured that was just some dried blood that the skin had grown over,I've had these too for years.

I have noticed that I'm not as tolerant to the cold as when I was younger,my fingers and toes numb up much quicker when outside during winter.

Gymp

[dahliafaolan]

I have the problem of scaling on my hands in the winter as well. But mine only happens in the space between my fingers. But a good cream lotion usually takes care of that. What really worries my mom is how cold I get in the winter. I'll be perfectly comfortable with the temperature inside or outside, but my hands and feet are always cold. She always teases that I'm dead. The sad thing is that we did go to a funeral one time and my mom touched the body to say goodbye. After we found our seats in the pew, we held hands and she hissed at me that the body was warmer than my hands. lol

[Barb]

Thanks for all the replies. It makes me feel better to know it is not unusual. The splotchy colors are funny as it can be red, white or purple on all given day. I will post what the doctors say. Like I have said in other spots on the forum, this is the first year any of us have lived outside of the desert and it is a whole new ballgame in so many ways!

[rachiebaby]

sometimes my feet turn a little different colors but they are almost always constantly ice cold

[Barb]

His feet are getting to be the bane of our existence! *insert dramatic whine*

In March we were swimming and he even though his feet were protected he sliced a huge part of skin off. That healed, all well. Then yesterday morning he comes in and another toe is sliced to where the skin UNDER the nailbed was removed. He had no idea it even happened. I am thinking he caught in on his chair foot plate transferring out of bed. So, we go the dr and have that repaired but now he has a few weeks before he can go swimming. He is totally bummed because all the outdoor pools opened up this weekend.

:scream:

[XoBLoNDiE85]

Aaaaaaah poor Carter! Thats no fun....lets hope the next few weeks fly by!!!! =)

[angel]

My mom used to want me to wear shoes all the time because of that same issue.

Angel

[tanya]

we have also noted that addison's leg are almost a pale color with some areas of coldness on them. when he was little(three to four) my dad always commented on how cool he felt even in the summer months. during the middle of the warm months in Iowa the child sleeps with a down comforter and quilt. He has no idea that the rest of his body is sweating he only knows that hi legs and feet are frozen I have tried everything double socks and all. have any suggestions.:confused:

[cadon's mum]

I was going to ask everybody that same question! cadon's hands and feet are always cold! His feet are always blue and blotchy. does anybody know why?

[Theresa]

I read on another post that people were using TENS units to increase blood flow, circulation, etc. Flynn's feet are always purplish.

[tanya]

do you know if the TENS unit worked for these people or not please let me know

[Theresa]

From what I recall it did, I remember someone saying that toenails began to grow too. I don't think we have ever had to trim flynn's toenails.

[bcain]

Sarah has cold lower extremities also. I massage them lightly whenever I can. I was showed by a friend who's a PT and massage therapist. She has me massage upward toward her knee. Starting at the top of her foot. For my dd, I also do the outer side of her foot, that's where her numbness is most likely for her, as SB of S1-3. Unsure if it helped, or if it was just growing that way. But she began to get better movement of her feet and toes very slowly. It's much harder to massage her now she 18 mos. She isn't still long.

My dd toenails grow slower that her fingernails. Her toenails on the great toes are a strange shape. I try to keep them trimmed.

[Dodger67]

My toenails are so brittle that just putting on socks is usually enough to keep them short! There are always a few "crumbs" of toenail in my socks when I undress. Only the big toes need an occasional trim.
My feet randomly vary from cold and blue to pink and warm. They never sweat! I have a pair of cheap sneakers about 5 years old that still smell of plastic and fabric - no foot pong!

[Barb]

C's feet sweat, BIG TIME! They may be freezing but he still gets that gross foot smell.

[Sheena51985]

I have the same problem lol..I could be wearing 2 pairs of socks and my legs from the knee down are always cold lol

[Gymp]

Yeah,my feet never sweat either.I've never given toenails any thought but now thinking about it they don't grow nearly as fast as my fingernails.My fingernails need a trim every 3 weeks or so while my toenails get it every 2 to 3 months I've only got 7 toenails to trim,the other 3 have long since worn away from walking on my toes because they curl downwards.My toenails are really brittle too.

Gymp