New Symptom: Itchy Hands When Cold, Is This Pots?

[abbyw]

Hi,

So winter has just hit where I live and it has happened twice in the last 3 days, that when I go out into the cold, my hands get very itchy. It is an extremely uncomfortable itchy too. In a few places, it almost looks like a red blotch with a white center. Almost like hives, but it is not clear. (It is normal for hands to get red when they are cold, but I have never had the itching before. ) Does this have something to do with the POTS? If so, does it help give me a clue as to the source of the POTs - like is it autoimmune or something, or is it just another symptom?

Thanks!

Abby

[E Soskis]

I have 2 thoughts: 1. Sometimes, the cold will cause a release of histamine which will stimulate the itching - usually to whatever part is exposed to the cold - 2. I have raynaud's from my autoimmune dysautonomia - when my hands are exposed to the cold, some of my fingers will turn bright red then turn a blanched white - losing all circulation in them - it does not necessarily itch but, it feels funny - this year, I've had it in my toes as well.....

[sue1234]

I have that when I get hot. I also get that when I've been standing longer than my time limit(usually 10 minutes). My whole upper body begins itching.

[peregrine]

Itching is my most reliable indicator of blood pooling, but otherwise I don't tend to itch. I have some probable autonomic neuropathy (QSART but no biopsy), which might lead to the sensation; otherwise, not sure. Do you pool when it's cold?

[abbyw]

Never noticed pooling anywhere before. This was while I was outside, my hands and toes started to itch. It stayed that way for about a half an hour or so after I came inside.

[k&ajsmom]

Hi abbyw,

Im new here and still have a lot to learn on whats related to my POTS and what is just quirks lol but SInce I was little anytime I am exposed to the cold I get red welts and very,very itchy especially on my hands, feet and legs. Ive always wondered what caused this reaction. As soon as I get warm (warm as I get anyways since I am always cold) they go away. Thought I was the only one lol Ive always suspected some kinda of histamine reaction like mentioned above.

[blueroses79]

I also have the opposite: when my hands are hot--particularly if I'm holding a hot cup of coffee--they'll go *very* red (and puffy) and itch. I also assumed it was from pooling, but not totally sure there aren't histamines involved too.

[cberau]

Mine get itchy either too hot or too cold. I also have Raynaud's and pompholyx (dyshydriotic eczema) from my palmar and plantar hyperhidrosis. It usually starts as very little red/brown vesicles, then the skin breaks down and just stays in all different forms of nasty for a while after a breakout. Cold in chicago definitely does it to me, and so does the very dry summer here in arizona (so I'm thinking maybe just dryness). The dryness doesn't make sense as I use lotion on my hands and feet, and it doesn't happen anywhere else. My worst breakout ever was in Dubai while I was working there, 115 degress F and 98% humidity, all three layers of skin on the soles of my feet broke down and fell off and I had bare muscle and ligaments showing. It was quite painful.

[andybonse]

Every summer I get this, my hands start itching and its like little white lumps and then it turns into red rash on hands and then I start getting dry skin. Weird.

[Chaos]

Here's a link to an interesting study discussing hand symptoms and their relationships to fibromyalgia and ME/CFS (which has a lot of the same autonomic symptoms as POTS).

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23691965#

If you want an easier to read synopsis of the article and what it may mean this is a good link

http://www.cortjohnson.org/blog/2013/06/19/hands-up-a-key-to-the-fatigue-sleep-pain-in-fibromyalgia-found/