Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Raynaud's Disease

  • Definition
    Raynaud's disease is a condition that causes some areas of your body — such as your fingers, toes, tip of your nose and your ears — to feel numb and cool in response to cold temperatures or stress. In Raynaud's disease, arteries that supply blood to your skin narrow, limiting blood circulation to affected areas.
    Women are more likely to have Raynaud's disease. It's also more common in people who live in colder climates.
    Treatment of Raynaud's disease depends on its severity and the presence of associated conditions. For most people, Raynaud's disease is more a nuisance than a disability.

  • Causes
    Doctors don't completely understand the cause of Raynaud's attacks, but blood vessels in the hands and feet appear to overreact to cold temperatures or stress:
    Cold temperatures. When your body is exposed to cold temperatures, your extremities lose heat. Your body slows down blood supply to your fingers and toes to preserve your body's core temperature. Your body specifically reduces blood flow by narrowing the small arteries under the skin of your extremities. In people with Raynaud's, this normal response is exaggerated.
    Stress. Stress causes a similar reaction to cold in the body, and likewise the body's response may be exaggerated in people with Raynaud's.
    Blood vessels in spasmWith Raynaud's, arteries to your fingers and toes go into what's called vasospasm. This constricts the vessels dramatically and temporarily limits blood supply. Over time, these same small arteries may also thicken slightly, further limiting blood flow. The result is that affected skin turns a pale and dusky color due to the lack of blood flow to the area. Once the spasms subside and blood returns to the area, the tissue may turn red before returning to a normal color.
    Cold temperatures are most likely to provoke an attack. Exposure to cold can be as simple as putting your hands under a faucet of running cold water, taking something out of the freezer or exposure to cold air. For some people, exposure to cold temperatures isn't necessary. Emotional stress alone can cause an episode of Raynaud's.
    Some researchers are studying whether Raynaud's may be partly an inherited disorder.
    Primary vs. secondary Raynaud's Raynaud's occurs in two main types:
    Primary Raynaud's. This is Raynaud's without an underlying disease or associated medical problem that could provoke vasospasm. Also called Raynaud's disease, it's the most common form of the disorder.
    Secondary Raynaud's. Also called Raynaud's phenomenon, this form is caused by an underlying problem. Although secondary Raynaud's is less common than the primary form, it tends to be a more serious disorder. Signs and symptoms of secondary Raynaud's usually first appear at later ages — around 40 — than they do for people with the primary form of Raynaud's.
    Causes of secondary Raynaud's include:
    Scleroderma. Raynaud's phenomenon occurs in the majority of people who have scleroderma — a rare disease that leads to hardening and scarring of the skin. Scleroderma, a type of connective tissue disease, results in Raynaud's because the disease reduces blood flow to the extremities.
    Lupus. Raynaud's is also a common problem for people with lupus — an autoimmune disease that can affect many parts of your body, including your skin, joints, organs and blood vessels. An autoimmune disease is one in which your immune system attacks healthy tissue.
    Rheumatoid arthritis. Raynaud's may be an initial sign of rheumatoid arthritis — an inflammatory condition causing pain and stiffness in the joints, often including the hands and feet.
    Sjogren's syndrome. Raynaud's phenomenon can also occur in people who have Sjogren's syndrome — an autoimmune disorder that may accompany scleroderma, lupus or rheumatoid arthritis.
    Diseases of the arteries. Raynaud's phenomenon can be associated with various diseases that affect arteries, such as atherosclerosis, which is the gradual buildup of plaques in blood vessels that feed the heart (coronary arteries), or Buerger's disease, a disorder in which the blood vessels of the hands and feet become inflamed. Primary pulmonary hypertension, a type of high blood pressure that affects the arteries of the lungs, is frequently associated with Raynaud's.
    Carpal tunnel syndrome. The carpal tunnel is a narrow passageway in your wrist that protects a major nerve to your hand. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition in which pressure is put on this nerve, producing numbness and pain in the affected hand. The affected hand may become more susceptible to cold temperatures and episodes of Raynaud's.
    Repetitive trauma. Raynaud's can also be caused by repetitive trauma that damages nerves serving blood vessels in the hands and feet. Some people who type or play the piano vigorously or for long periods of time may be susceptible to Raynaud's. Workers who operate vibrating tools can develop a type of Raynaud's phenomenon called vibration-induced white finger.
    Smoking. Smoking constricts blood vessels and is a potential cause of Raynaud's.
    Injuries. Prior injuries to the hands or feet, such as wrist fracture, surgery or frostbite, can lead to Raynaud's phenomenon.
    Certain medications. Some drugs — including beta blockers, which are used to treat high blood pressure; migraine medications that contain ergotamine; medications containing estrogen; certain chemotherapy agents; and drugs that cause blood vessels to narrow, such as some over-the-counter cold medications — have been linked to Raynaud's.
    Chemical exposure. People exposed to vinyl chloride, such as those who work in the plastics industry, may develop an illness similar to scleroderma. Raynaud's can be a part of that illness.
    Other causes. Raynaud's has also been linked to thyroid gland disorders.

It's been a while.

Ok, so much has happpened since i have last been on here...

My birthday was shit. I had a HUGE party planned at one of my favorite restaraunts: Cracker Barrell. I invited over 50 people, and only 2 showed... Jeremy (naturally, he was my ride) and Emily. A few people had excuses, but i am mainly pissed at all the people who were like "yea im coming" but never showed or called to let me know. Then Emily, Jeremy and I went to Chick Fil A to see Trish, Rob and Brian. Brian mis-made a shake and gave it to Emily and I. (We had already shared a hot fudge almond sunday at CB) and we didnt finish it but it was a nice gesture. Well, when trish got off at 8, we rode with them back to the casey residence for trish to change and then we meet up with kellan at the theater and we all watched Madagascar 2. (My 2nd time seeing it and a sense of de ja vu since last year i watched a movie on my birthday that I had seen before too...) but the coolest part was that we had the theater to ourselves so we laughed louder and had more fun. =D

Well, then somehow or another I finally met James Ackerman. (the nerd) ok, this one is a bit interesting. My father's sperm (aka my biological half brother) was best friends with James's brother Ben for as long as I can remember. I have seen him a few times throughout the years, often confusing him and ben. well, the night i FINALLY meet him was possibly terrifying... actually, it was pretty damn terrifying in the end. At first it was ok. Emily and I got off work about the same time, and we had planned on meeting him at the dojo. Well, I watched them practice, and even witnessed James teaching (kinda funny =D) well afterward we went to the waffle house in PI (where the dojo is located). The we included in this was Emily, James, Steph (very cool) Steph's snake =D, and trish soon joined us... oh yea, Spencer too.. So we chilled out and ate and I watched Steph, Spence and James play some card game when my sister sent me a text message saying "Jalyn is in the hospital". I called her freaking out... apparently Jalyn had a siezure and cheryl, of course, was freaking out... now by this point, i was paying for my food, freaking out begging james to take me to the hospital. James already agreed to take me home. Well, in his attempts to calm me down, he ate soooooooooooooooo slooooooooooooooowly... til i threatened to choke him with his food, which by the time i resorted to that, he was finished. so we told everyone bye, and headed to Gtown Hospital. (i later felt bad, because i felt like a jerk, being our first formal meeting not just with James, but with Steph, also. Emily said they understood, it was a dleicate situation.) Well, I stayed in the hospital til damn near midnight with no result as to what was wrong with my baby girl, my heartbeat. Well, coincidently, earlier that day, a little boy named Michael came into work and gave everyone a little figurine he made out of sand and glitter, his family had a business at one point, and i happened to get praying hands. they sat with us in the ER and now are in Jalyn's room. After almost a week and a variety of tests, Jalyn was released with no diagnosis. Thank God!!

The day before Christmas Eve and Christmas Eve Night i stayed at grandmas. Actually, Cheryl, brandi, Ky and Jay all stayed too... and it was exciting watching the girls open presents... oh they loved it...

Well, New years eve, i got the opportunity to stay with Jeremy's family. and I took it. at first it was dramatic...

Jeremy had taken a shower and didnt tell me... so Byron invited me back to sit with him and Myleah... and i was looking at all their photos.. like from their wedding. well, she was talking about how shitty people were. esp her made of honor. The girl didnt talk to Myleah after the wedding and was too busy the day they left for SC. but texted her saying she was excited about seeing her spring break, and myleah told her no. She said there were only 2 people she trusted fully, Byron and her mom. She listed the people she didnt trust fully, naming jeremy, his dad and i first, and apparently jeremy walked in on that statement and left. She also listed very close family members... well, she meant with her whole life... and it was taken the wrong way and took 3 times for everything to get worked out... and Im glad it did... we all learned alot about each other that night and Im thankful for that much... maybe all the drama can be left behind...

But after that, we all went to walmart to get food for dinner, and a game... the one we picked was fun at first, but got boring very quickly. The food was ok... meaning that she fixed wings (don't eat meat) and some kind of salsa with velvetta cheese and tomatos with chiles. Now that was good. we listened to jimmy buffet and bob marley. when it got close to midnight, we turned the tv on to watch the ball drop, and byron and myleah got out the champange glasse and filled them with sparkling cidar =D i wore a little pink hat with a matching blower... when midnight came, we drank, kissed and popped little poppers... the ones with paper confetti inside. very cool. the first new years with NOBODY drunk =D

Well, also on new years eve... ham had been sneaking out the whole of christmas break except christmas eve and day... getting drunk and snorting pills... well, finally we got her to agree to rehab... that she was only there for 2 weeks. she refused to do anything, and they sent her home. well... Now, she has moved out and in with skylar... the bitch that caused all this shit.

They day she moved, brandi tried to visit, and they wouldnt let her passed the door. Then Cheryl tried, and they threatened to call the law, and she beat them to the punch. she explained about rehab and all, and just wanting to talk... Ham refuses to see anyone. Well, the cop brought her home to get her medicine so dad wouldnt cause trouble i guess, i dont know really why... well, i emailed her trying to bribe her outta there.. shes 17 so we cant touch her... well, i tried to get her to move outta there... anywhere but there and the phone she would get... she refuses and she has even chopped her hair off...

then she wants mom and dad to sign a paper saying she can transfer schools. they refuse as long as she lives there. they dont mind her not being home, but there is a big no no. But i doubt they will if she moves to anywhere they want her too because the moment they agree, i know she will be right back there with them evil people. And i know they are setting her up and i guarentee they will pay IF any harm is done to her...

And somewhere in this mess, I got a car. A 96 nissan sentra SXE... yay me... and then i got my first flat with it just this past sunday on my way to the grocery store to get dinner... just to find out my jack doesnt have a handle and i dont have a wrench thing for my wheels. lol fun times, fun time...

And my wedding date has been moved up thank God, and I want it to stay... will give me enough time to plan it all out... April 17, 2010... Jason doesnt like it because it was his wedding date... well obvisouly not the 2010 part... but he is my wedding coordinator... With Tabby still being my Made of Honor... though my bridesmaids have changed somewhat... I had 2 lined up that have been fired... but they will come with due time...

And tonight, jeremy will be here and I will be entertained... taken away and distracted from all this pain...

OH! Speaking of pain, My best friend, my sister has Raynaud's disease... not sure what it is but i am going to research it as soon as i am done here...

but the second mentioning of pain... i have finished twilight and new moon and i have started on eclipse... i literally cannot put them down. i had to take a break from reading in the slight dark to type this up because im too lazy to turn a light on...

But i am going to research and will post more later....

PartyLite

Twilight (obsessed) =D