BLACK TOES???

Hey i know ive mentioned this in some of my other posts but i thought id post again to see if anyone has any information.

Has anyone ever seen someones toes turn bluish black ?

Ive been dealing with this big medical mystery since October.
One day i woke up and my feet were super super super red and itchy. I went to the doctor and he gave me this cortisone cream to put on it to see if it helped thinking it was a skin condition.
A week later nothing improved and my toes turned bluish black.
I went back to the doctor again and diagnosed me with something called Raynauds Disease. Raynauds is caused by cold weather. THe arteries in your feet shut down to send more blood up near your vital organs. however with raynauds its supposed to last for about an hour tops and when you warm the area it should go back to normal pigment.
THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN.
My feet continued to stay permanently black and are freezing to touch with your hand. I went back and he freaked out and sent me to two different specialists.
They sent me for honestly about 50 blood tests. Everything from diabetes to lupus etc etc etc. ONe of my blood tests came back a bit high for something called ANA so they sent me back for about 20 more. Nothing came back from that.
SOOOOOOOOO...............
The specialist prescribed some medication that is usually for chest pain to dilate the blood vessels in my feet. Ive took these pills for 48 days now and still black toes. No change what so ever.
He also sent me for an ultrasound and doppler to look at the arteries in my legs and arms and surrounding my heart. IT was an hour and a half test. I got a call the other day saying that something came back weird and they want to send me for some more tests on april 21st.
I have been doing tons and tons and tons of research. Im a physio assistant so ive been asking doctors and physios and stuff if they have any clue and i cant seem to come up with much from my research . does anyone have any idea or has anyone heard of anything like this before? I kind of am looking for different avenues to continue my research in.

Thanks

Hope this helps some!

Episodic vasospasm (constriction of small arteries) of the digits. It is characterized by digital blanching, cyanosis(blue), a feeling of numbness or dulled sensory response and rubor (red) after cold exposure and rewarming. It can also be induced by anxiety or stress. This condition is primarily confined to the fingers and toes but can affect areas of the body such as your nose, cheeks, ears and even tongue.

Primary Raynaud's phenomenon is also called Raynaud's disease. Criteria for Raynaud's disease include episodic digital ischemia (sequence of color changes in the skin in response to cold or stress), a numb, prickly feeling or stinging pain upon warming or relief of stress, absence of arterial occlusion, bilateral distribution, absence of symptoms or signs of other diseases that also cause Raynaud's phenomenon, and duration of symptoms for 2 years or longer. Most people with Raynaud's disease develop symptoms before they reach 40 years of age. It can occur in young children. Raynaud's disease affects women three to five times more frequently than men. The prevalence is lower in warm climates than in cold climates.

Etiology - The mechanisms postulated to cause Raynaud's phenomenon include increased sympathetic nervous system activity, heightened digital vascular reactivity to vasoconstrictive stimuli, circulating vasoactive hormones, and decreased intravascular pressure. The sympathetic nervous system mediates the digital vasoconstrictive response to cold exposure and emotional stress but has been discounted as a primary mechanism. Some investigators have suggested that increased sensitivity, increased numbers of postsynaptic alpha2-adrenergic receptors, or both enhance the vasoconstrictive reactivity to sympathetic stimulation. In some cases of Raynaud's phenomenon, endogenous vasoactive substances (e.g., angiotensin II, serotonin, and thromboxane A2) and exogenous vasoconstrictors (e.g., ergot alkaloids and sympathomimetic drugs) may cause digital vasospasm. Many patients with Raynaud's phenomenon have hyperhidrosis (sweaty palms).

Diagnosis - Temperatures of the digits can be measured as low as 90 degress Farenheit. Noninvasive vascular tests that are occasionally used to evaluate patients with Raynaud's disease include digital pulse volume recordings and measurement of digital systolic blood pressure and digital blood flow. Nailfold capillary microscopy is normal in patients with Raynaud's disease, whereas deformed capillary loops and avascular areas are present in patients with connective tissue disorders or other causes of digital
vascular occlusion.

Determinations of the erythrocyte sedimentation rate and titers of antinuclear antibody, rheumatoid factor, cryoglobulins, and cold agglutins are useful to exclude specific secondary causes of Raynaud's phenomenon. Angiography is not necessary to diagnose Raynaud's phenomenon but may be indicated in patients with persistent digital ischemia secondary to atherosclerosis, thromboembolism, or thromboangiitis obliterans to identify a cause that may be treated effectively with a revascularization procedure.

Past medical history is most important in making the diagnosis of Raynaud's disorder.

Differential Diagnosis - Raynaud's phenomenon should be distinguished from acrocyanosis, a condition in which there is persistent bluish discoloration of the hands or feet. Like Raynaud's phenomenon, cyanotic discoloration intensifies during cold exposure, and rubor may appear with rewarming. Acrocyanosis affects both men and women, and the age at onset is usually between 20 and 45 years. The prognosis of patients with idiopathic acrocyanosis is good, and loss of digital tissue is uncommon. Patients should avoid cold exposure and dress warmly. Pharmacologic intervention usually is not necessary. Alpha-adrenergic blocking agents and calcium channel blockers may be effective in some patients with acrocyanosis.

Treatment (including "State-of-the-Art" Micro ETS) - Patients with Raynaud's phenomenon should avoid unnecessary cold exposure and wear warm clothing. In addition to the hands and feet, the trunk and head should be kept warm to avoid reflex vasoconstriction. Clinical Results -Patient's Fingers Saved (Patient Story) Pharmacologic intervention is indicated in patients who do not respond satisfactorily to conservative measures. Calcium channel blockers, such as nifedipine, and sympathetic nervous system inhibitors, such as prazosin and its longer-acting analogues, can be used to treat Raynaud's in some individuals. Oral vasodilator prostaglandins are currently under investigation. Surgical sympathectomy up until recently, has rarely been advocated due to the extreme invasivenous of most surgeon's techniques.

Today, patients afflicted with Raynaud's disorder have available to them a revolutionary approach to treat their affliction. Dr. David H. Nielson offers patients a minimally invasive technique he calls "Micro Single Incision ETS" (endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy) through a single 1/12th inch axillary incision. This affords patients with Raynaud's a much less invasive approach in treating their disorder. Upon completion of bilateral Micro ETS of T2 and T3, patients awaken in the operating room with warm and dry fingers and hands.

* information gathered in part from "1998, Scientific American Inc."

Stages of Raynauds

Blanching represents the ischemic (lack of adequate blood flow) phase of the phenomenon, caused by digital artery vasospasm.

Cyanosis results from deoxygenated blood in capillaries and venules (small veins).

Hyperemic phase, upon rewarming and resolution of the digital vasospasm, the digits appear red.

Raynaud's can be a primary or secondary disorder.

Thanks Profits
but they dont think its Raynauds because the blood tests that came back for raynauds were okay.
They are looking more into peripheral artery diseases now

Hey prof just wanted to thank you a bunch
I went for my ultrasound results today and i found out some pretty good news
turns out it is raynauds but a severe case of it. The specialist says its probably top three worst ones hes seen. He said that it should resolve once it warms up a bit here but hes gonna monitor it. He also took me off al lthe dumb pills they had me one and was super helpful with stuff. My ultrasound said that all my arteries are EXCELLENT. the doctor said that there is ZERO sign of plaque build up on any vessel walls and that i am in great shape.

thanks a bunch thoug
ive been worrying about htis problem since october so today was a huge relief for me. I thought maybe i had some heart defect or something hehe.

Thanks

I take it your not so sexy in open toe shoes then,lmao, sorry i couldnt resist, best of luck with ur dirty feet,lol, i mean black toes,

i wanna lick them LOL:dead: