Frozen Feet !

[anna29]

Hi .
I do suffer from both poor circulation and neuropathy in my feet plus arthritis too.
Am finding this cold weather is playing havoc with getting them warmed up safetly.
Cant quite tell if water too warm/hot to soak them to just purely warm them up, am not allowed to plonk feet on hot water bottle or radiators either.
I am on meds for them , but am struggling to 'keep' them warm these days.
Anyone else have this and know of any great but safe ways to warm frozen cold feet up ?
I keep tucking them under my bum to sit on them , hoping my body heat will seep through and warm them up. It dosent always work though :roll:
Anna.x

 

[sooliz]

Oh me too, my feet and hands are always frozen.....I wear 2 pairs of socks and furry bootee slippers, and fingerless gloves when I'm typing.....can't wash up, cook, or do most other things with the gloves on though

 

[stuarty12]

My hands and feet have been very cold lately my hands seem that cold that i have no grip and tops of my fingers go numb. my feet are that cold it feels like im wearing wet socks

 

[iHs]

Something that might help Anna is for you to buy a pair of gel innersoles to go in yr shoes or slippers (eBay) and heat them up a bit on top of your radiator so that they are warm to touch.

You can also buy thermal furry socks (tog rating 4 or higher) and they keep feet nice and warm. Outdoor market sellers use them

 

[xyzzy]

Yep I wear two pairs socks, thick normal ones and then some excellent bright red thermal furry ones.

 

[WhitbyJet]

Try wearing a sock sandwich - a tip from my Swedish mother-in-law!!
I have 2 pairs of alpaca wool socks, wonderfully soft they are - you slip on one pair, then cover the feett in baking foil, slip the other sock over and you will have perfectly warm feet all day long, winter boots should always be a size bigger than you normally wear to allow more room for thicker socks and to let air circulate.

Its important to exercise feet and toes every day, you can do this whilst sitting down (I am curling and releasing my toes as I type), and give yourself a healing spa treatment, people spend a great deal of money going for this kind of treatment abroad, you can do it at home, its almost free.

Take two bowls, eg washing up bowls or similar; fill one with warm water (USE A BATH THERMOMETER TO CHECK THE TEMPERATURE SO THAT YOU DONT BURN but it needs to be quite warm!!) and the other with cold water.Place the bowls next to each other. Sit in a comfortable position and soak your feet first in cold water for 2 minutes; next, put your feet in the bowl of warm water for not more than one minute. Again soak your feet in cold water for 2 minutes. Keep repeating the pattern for 20 minutes. Alternating between cold water and hot water soak will help improve the blood circulation to your feet.

Massage your feet every day before going to bed. Warm a little sesame oil or olive oil or use body butter and massage your feet with the warmed oil/body butter. Use your thumbs and heel of your palm to apply pressure on the feet especially on the soles and the ankles. Wear cotton socks to bed after the massage.

All the best
Judith

 

[Grazer]

Buy a nice furry doggy to lay across your feet? AAAh! :angel:

 

[anna29]

Hi All...
What a relief .... !
So its NOT just me then!!!!
Stuarty12 The description of its like having wet damp freezing socks on ALL the time rings so TRUE . . . :wink:
Grazer I have 2 gorgeous live yorkies doggys but they ' wont ' let me plonk my feet on them .
I usually use my hubbys legs to warm them up on !!! :lol:
Judith the warm soaking my feet in warmed water then cold makes my feet sizzle in sensation -
should it be like this???? It makes me catch my breath as its bit painful . Felt like a current was whooshing through them !!!!
Where do I buy the gel insoles from ?? had wondered about trying a deep heat gel on them ? Like the ones you put on a sore back .
Yes it IS that cold at times its PAINFUL...
Judith the sock sandwhich is like insulating them isnt it? Alpaca wool ? I hadnt heard of this before.
Blimey learn something everyday on here from you wonderful guys n gals... x

 

[springer11]

i suffer from cold feet
not too cold during the day
i put them in the gas oven before i go to bed
no prob for the night

 

[WhitbyJet]

Anna - yes it is a shock to quickly swtich from very warm water to cold and back again, its a good sign that you get this sizzling sensation, it shows that the circulation is happening. But please ALWAYS MAKE SURE YOU USE A BATH THERMOMETER to make sure you dont burn yourself. These hot/cold baths boost circulation.

Re socks, I once had a slow healing ulcer, was the bad old days of poorly controlled diabetes, it healed up eventually, but since then I have been very, very, VERY careful where my trotters are concerned.
Softest of socks are a must, and I use Body Shops Body Butters to massage at night. Socks you can buy from here http://perilla.co.uk/collections/women-socks/everyday, the country socks are looped inside, they are really quite unique and I have never seen them anywhere else before.

The foil, yes, it provides excellent insulation, the sock sandwich, in Scandinavian countries and Canada they know a thing or two about keeping warm in sub zero temperatures, coats, ski suits, gloves, hats often have a very thin layer of foil or silver sewn in between the lining and the outer shell of the garment. Always buy winter clothes and boots a size bigger than you normally wear, this allows for loose layers to be worn underneath, the air between the loose layers becomes trapped and its this that keeps you warm. Try out the sandwich sock, nobody will be able to tell, a thin pair of socks, then cover totally in foil, slip over another pair of socks and then pujt on your boots or slippers and you will see your feet will be warm all the time.

Let me know how you get on

 

[Ann19]

Me too!!!

I have had cold feet for as long as I can remember, not just since diagnosis. I wear a pair of thick fluffy thermal socks all the time and then a pair of fluffy bootie slippers. They've been toastie since I've done this as long as I'm indoors. Will have to try the foil layer next time I go out. Hubby objects when I try to warm them on him :lol:

I've got to go to hospital in April to have a 'Dopler test' done on my feet as the nurse had trouble finding the pulses in my feet in Dec and I couldn't feel the tuning fork. I have nerve damage to my feet because of back problems. Anyone had this test done?

Ann

 

[noblehead]

Sounds awful Anna, has your Podiatrist not recommended any products that might help?

 

[viertig]

Cold feet in bed ?...Smear thinly the soles of your feet with Vick...cover with training socks (ankle socks) and your feet will stay warm all night

 

[Sirzy]

Me too!! Always had cold hands and feet, not just since finding out about my db!

So is bad circulation a sign of neuropathy starting, or is it just one of those things?

I plan on getting a pooch in the summer and intend to train him as my own personal hot water bottle! :lol:

 

[CollieBoy]

Buy a nice furry Collie to lay across your feet? BAAAh! :lol: :angel:

Edited for accuracy?

 

[Mothman]

Hi all,

tried the foil on my feet today as i was to be working out in the snow and ime afraid it didnt work for me. Used 3 pairs of socks, foil over the 1st pair followed by 2 more pairs. The outer pair was of the type used by Brit armed forces, waterproof yet breatheable and i was just as cold as yesterday which was horrible.
So, it dosnt always work.

Andy

 

[Delphinum]

My feet are incredibly cold all the time but particularly in this weather. I think the pins and needles in my feet are due to the cold more than neuropathy. Unfortunately, my dog won't let me put my feet on her - and she is a collie! - but she does like snuggling when we sleep, so at least my hands are warm!
I use a well wrapped hot water bottle for my feet - knitted my own warmer cover in thick Rowan wool - and leave my socks on the radiator in the morning before I put them on. I find that warm feet stay warm whereas if they start off cold, it's sooo hard to get the heat in them.

 

[starlight1]

my sister gave me the perfect gift for xmas, an lovely cosy foot warmer. I slip my feet into it and in minutes my feet are toasty warm. O nly thing is you can only use it indoors, but it is great for warming my tootsies while sat watching t.v.

 

[iHs]

Haven't tried using Vick but will get some as it will probably work.

Moonboots are also a really good way for keeping feet warm. The foam type ones are ideal. Ive worn them ploughing through v ery thick snow and ice when sking in the French alps. Hands were freezing but feet were lovely and warm

 

[anna29]

Hi all. Update since my last post .
Have now got a cosy feet catalogue, am going to order some diabetic friendly seamlesss thermal socks this week.
[hope these will help?]
The podiatry team tell me to keep 4weekly appointments with them and keep my GP updated .
My GP has me in every 4 months and checks my feet, pulses, skin, etc... Makes sure I have cream in supply too.
Plus I pay myself to be treated 6-8 weekly by a fantastic chiropodist I have found, he always does my toots thoroughly !
Have a care team vist me now 3-4 times weekly they bathe my feet and rub / massage lower legs n feet with an emollient cream my GP prescribes.
This cold spell has made them more painful and so uncomfortably bearable last few weeks.
Yesterday was bad with them and they drove me mad last nite in bed too... :x
Am taking more painrelief for them lately , the cold weather HAS made them much worse .
However when it comes to footwear I always pay more for the better footware , when it come s to my toots
only the 'best' will do....
Have to treat them to the best as they uphold and sustain me all my life ! I hope!!! :lol:
Anna.x