Do You Have Psoriatic Arthritis And Raynaud's Disease?

Have you got any unexplained illiness?

I have PsA and Reynaud's. Like so many others, I also had the "It's all in your head, you must be depressed, it's because you need to lose weight, etc." list of non-diagnostic medical opinions. I recall getting frostbite in my hands as a 10 y/o and then always afterward having my hands turn weird colors when cold, orange across the metacarpals, blue to white on fingers and sometimes purple. And I would get what I called 'pressure hives' from seams in gloves. CRPs at work? Now when I must have contrast dye for CTs or MRIs, it causes the most horrific crushing pain in hands and feet that is near unbearable, so much so that I can't refrain from an audible crying out much as I tell myself I won't do it this time. NO radiologist, tech, or RN in any hospital where this happened has ever seen this weird phenomenon. The first time it happened, they called in the code team to stand by.

Whether this is related to Reynaud's, well-controlled and resolving T2DM, or some vein abnormality, I don't know. I did see a vein specialist who assured me (with that tone and body language that we've all probably experienced) that my veins were fine. This despite the weirdness history and the fact that nobody now can access any vein for lab or IVs anymore. It came on gradually as I had some of these tests and dyes previously without a problem. The last time the nurse who was with me in Radiology suggested I flap my hands, arms, and legs to enhance circulation, hoping that getting it going faster might hasten the pain resolving and, indeed, it did speed up eventual relief. I am always down for two or three days after a bout of such excruciating pain but that time it was about half that. Sadly, I must have another MRI with contrast in April before seeing the neurosurgeon again. Originally this appointment was just for evaluation of a known benign(?) brain tumor but now will also address the results of cervical spine MRI just done (without contrast) that revealed how bad is my neck and do we schedule surgery.

So, Reynaud's and PsA are not companionable diagnoses. Having joint and circulatory issues in the same area is, forgive it, a pain in the joints and another part of one's anatomy. 😉!

Need to clarify about venous access...meaning in my hands they can't.

OMG, I just re-read my line about NOBODY being able to get venous access...should clear up that error. I meant to say that nobody can easily and most often, the first and second person who tries can't either. The most unsuccessful attempts by multiple people was 21 the day I went septic. I had the PICC line then inserted. Anytime someone needs to draw blood or start an IV, they have problems. One tech at a local independent lab always gets it first time on the one good antecubital vein left, "Fred." Rarely, an ER nurse can. I did also have to have that sort catheter access into the heart for nutrition at the same time I had IVs in two other sites (septic shock and long recovery). I'm just a really challenging patient sometimes. I feel kinda sorry for the staff and really sorry for me when it happens. 😉. As far as why the radiology contrast causes that pain, no answers yet. Nobody around when it happens has ever seen it before, except my local hospital crew who've done the tests more than once. None of the radiologists here, in Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, or Lansing where I've been seen know what causes this.