October 1, 2013

Reynauds and Riding Update, Year 3

This is my third annual Reynauds gear post.  Crazy!  Lots of you have told me you also have Reynauds, so I try to do these posts a couple times a year so we can share what works for us.

Beginning of a Reynauds circulation loss
I, like many other women, started showing symptoms of Reynauds syndrome in my early 20's.  Mine is not associated with an underlying illness, and is just an annoying ability to completely lose circulation in my fingers and toes within minutes when it's below 50F, when there's pressure on my extremities, or both.

If I let it go too far, I pass out when circulation returns - like when I have my feet in my stirrups for an hour lesson in the cold and then get off my horse.  I have thrown my reins at the nearest person just before passing out in the barn aisle before.  It's more scary for those around me than for me, at this point.

Unlike previous years, (see 2011-2012 and 2012-2013), I don't have any major purchases planned.  My Horze WinterRider jacket held up well, my Tuffrider insulated tall boots are awesome for chores and riding both and still look new, and I scored a nearly new pair of Irideon winter tights for $10 on Facebook recently.

Those things combined with the usual UnderArmor, SSG 10 Belows, Back on Track ceramic glove liners, Wigwam ski socks and disposable hand/insole warmers will get the job done, along with red wine, which is a vasodilator and improves circulation.  Yes, I sometimes drink a small glass before my rides when it's unusually cold, and it does help.   Judge away! ;-)

So the only things left on the anti-Reynauds wish list are these outlandishly expensive items that aren't actually on my wish list, because they are way too expensive for me to ever seriously consider purchasing unless I win the lottery (They're in the same category with moving somewhere warm for the winter...)

Lithium ion battery-powered carbon fiber heater gloves ($400)
Lithium ion battery-powered heated softshell jacket...I would live in you.... ($179)

ETA: I just found out the jacket (available here for pre-order on Amazon) has a built-in USB cell phone charger, (if you'd like to drain the batteries that much faster, of course).  Very cool!

Lithium ion battery-powered (seeing a trend here?) heated socks ($199).  Not sure how long that cable goes, but hopefully it would work with tall boots.

10 comments:

  1. Girl no judgement here just wishing I could drink a glass of wine before riding or a beer I do prefer beer.

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    1. Jealous! I can't drink beer anymore as of last year when I found out I had a gluten intolerance, I was totally a beer girl too!

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  2. I have a friend who's an instructor who bought the heated vest-jacket. She swears by it.
    We are convinced our daughter has Reynaud's but any doctors that she brings it up with dismiss it. She has had circulatory problems since she was 13 or 14 but unlike you, she hasn't become proactive about it. Maybe I will send her a link to this post ;D

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    1. I'm glad to hear that. Of all the things on that list, that might be the one I end up saving my pennies for. Of course, ideally I would be able to afford my horse without doing stalls on Sundays, which would also negate the need for a heated jacket so...

      I've never been officially diagnosed because I haven't been to a GP in years. Bad, I know. Things like gluten intolerance and primary Reynauds (not the kind associated with an illness) are sometimes better just dealt with than officailly diagnosed, in my opinion.

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  3. Ooo. I might have to get that heated jacket for someone as a gift. Where is it available?

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    1. It's not *yet* available, but is available for pre-order on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Bosch-PSJ120L-12-Volt-Lithium-Ion-Softshell/dp/B00E1RWH72/ref=pd_sbs_auto_8

      The price is fairly reasonable on that compared to the other two, if you get it let me know what you thought of it, I'm very curious about it.

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  4. What about back on Track products? I know you mention them but have you tried them?

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    1. I have had the BoT knee brace and BoT ceramic glove lines for a year now. My knee brace helps keep cool/wet weather related aches from occurring in my knee that got kicked several years ago. The glove liners are okay - they require that my hands produce enough heat to reflect back, which they typically don't, but they work really well if I run my hands under hot water then immediately put my hands back in them every hour or so at the barn. I don't think they're as effective as battery heated or disposable heat-generating items, but they are quite nice.

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    2. I appreciate the description -- I do long trail rides all winter and get very cold (though not Raynaud's cold) and have been curious about those liners!

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    3. I'm glad you found it helpful! I live and die by online reviews, I totally understand. I have tried the SSG silk liners (okay), and the BoT ceramic liners (see above). The only ones I haven't tried are the SSG ceramics.

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