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John G: Raynaud's?

Even in the slightest cold weather I lose the ability to use my hands and it has made it very difficult to function.

I am a heavy equipment mechanic by trade and come in contact with cold steel on a daily basis. I thought the cold steel was the problem but it is not. If I walk out to the mailbox across the front lawn for just a few seconds, my hands turn a greenish white color and become numb.

The cold only affects my hands and feet. Even in the slightest cold weather I lose the ability to use my hands and it has made it very difficult to function.

I am forty-five and this has been getting worse as the years go by. My doctor tells me to keep warm while I wonder if something else is wrong and he does not tell me.

I have learned to live with this and thought I was the only person with this problem. Even with gloves on I cannot stay out in the cold for long. I am in very good shape otherwise. I exercise daily, do not smoke and have a good diet. Other than keeping warm as the doctor told me to do, which is impossible at my job, I do not know what else to do.

When we experience snow storms I have to work outside. When there are breakdowns of the equipment I have to work outside. My boss thinks I am making excuses. It is hard to convince people who do not have this problem that it is real and has an effect on people.

Thank you for this web site. It is of great value.

To Contact the Author

ISN Story Editor: Judith Thompson Devlin

Judith Thompson Devlin is the ISN Story Editor for this story. She is also lead editor of the ISN's wonderful Voices of Scleroderma book series!

ISN Artist: Sherrill Knaggs (In Loving Memory)

Sherrill Knaggs, ISN Artist, created the digital photo to illustrate the story on this page. Sherrill lived in New Zealand. Her story was featured in ISN's book, Voices of Scleroderma Volume 2.

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