My feet turn bluish (once dark purple) when sitting and back to normal when walking?

Hi. My feet turn bluish (once dark purple) when sitting and back to normal when walking. Look normal in the morning and start getting red and swollen toes when standing. Compression socks help with the blue color but not the redness of toes. On and off pain and burning spots on top of toes – best guess that skin is sensitive to pressure from other toes and shoes. Mild pins and needles on and off. Toe and foot cramps. When put feet up, feet turn bright red. Also freezing cold spots on random spots on legs. Hands turn red when down, turn normal color when up. Vascular doctor said not Raynaud’s after US exam – recommended the socks. Fingers getting very cold and hard to warm up. Painful even. Sometimes it hurts to type. Carpal tunnel? I have low blood pressure and have always been easily cold. Dad has varicose veins. Mom has MS. I also get dizzy after exercising, but have been very sedentary due to work and school. This is scaring me and I don’t know which doctor to see. Have a follow-up with vascular doctor for US for veins and a neurologist, but this is getting worse every day.

Age: 44
Female
Medications: herbs and vitamins
Yes
General Information: I have anxiety and some depression. High functioning but many years of high stress.

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Dr. Deepak Patel

Hello. It does look a lot like a Peripheral Vascular Disease like Raynaud’s but if ruled out you need to look at other possibilities. Probably a rare type of condition or mix of conditions and as such difficult to diagnose You should consider different possibilities: Acrocyanosis, Erythromelalgia and CREST syndrome. May be related to some form of auto immune disease. A Vascular Surgeon and Neurologist are the specialists you need to consult. Regards.

Original Poster
Original Poster
10:57 pm

Well, could the doctor be wrong about ruling out Raynaud’s? My primary said it was Raynaud’s. It was the vascular NP who did US for arteries (looking for potential clots) who said no. Supposedly by warming up my toes and there being no major difference it ruled out Raynaud’s. But I have read that if I the body is otherwise warm this test might not work. Who is right? Would the freezing sensations randomly coming and going on anywhere on my legs be also Raynaud’s?

Dr. Javez Ernesto
12:30 pm

Specialists are the authorities on these matters. If in doubt you can speak with your Specialist and request additional tests to confirm.

Dr.Honey Arora
7:32 am

Hi.
Thanks for the query..

It looks like Vascular or blood vessel related.

When you stand and walk the musculature system helps blood flow back thru the venous network but when you sit the blood pools in the feet letting it turn the colour of venous blood when it pools.

You can get a blood flow test done by a Vascular surgeon..

Doing regular exercise and compression stockings can be advised.

Hope this helps..

Regards.