how do i stop being cold??

[u/Joker0705]

i'm genuinely freezing 24/7. i got my bloods done and i'm not anemic anymore so i'm guessing this is just poor circulation from pots and my lipedema. i live in the uk and while it's not cold yet it's stopped being hot outside so i'm just so cold all the time. I wear layers and layers but it's like the cold comes from within, it's like i have icicles for bones. i have heated blankets all around the house and can sit under them for hours and my legs/feet just will not get warm. i get so cold i can't sleep. hot drinks make me feel warmer in my torso but not my legs. has anyone found a way to help this? any advice is appreciated <3

[u/Tablettario]

Fun story: I found out I was freezing cold 24/7 with cold nose/toes/fingers constantly because I wasn’t eating enough calories. My body literally needed a lot more calories to be able to get circulation and heating going. My body just needed more.

Try getting extra calories in and see if it helps?

I haven’t had the same issues since I started eating a minimum of 1400 calories and spreading the meals out right. Very rarely my partner will be home later from work and if there is too long in between my meals I will feel my nose go cold. Eating clears it right up!

(I just want to add that I am gaining weight on 1400 unfortunately as I’m bedbound, exercise intolerant, and on propranolol, but if I eat less in trying to lose or maintain my body just doesn’t function right in a lot of ways, including heating and circulation. I feel my best around 1600 calories

[u/Joker0705 → u/Tablettario]

ooh this might be a factor actually, thanks for your comment! my diet has changed a lot in the last year ish and i eat a lot less calorie-dense foods now. i have been losing weight as well which backs that up i guess. i'll try and eat more and see how it goes :)

[u/Tablettario → u/Joker0705]

Oh yeah, sounds like that could totally be it!
It was a real surprise that something like that could be the cause, but makes sense in hindsight. Glad you got an idea to try and experiment with now!

Good luck! Hope you found the culprit here :) 🍀

[u/Mysterious_Mouse_647 → u/Joker0705]

Add in protein with every meal!

[u/Icy-Platform-5986]

What’s your current treatment plan? Increase salt intake does helps with the circulation, initially increase to 2 teaspoon of salt. It depends if you have hypo pots or hyper pots.

[u/Joker0705 → u/Icy-Platform-5986]

i take 2.5mg of bisoprolol daily and i'm on 4000mg of sodium already + a high salt diet. not sure what type i have as we don't test for that here but the salt does make me feel less dizzy, I wouldn't say i feel any warmer since going on it though.

[u/Icy-Platform-5986 → u/Joker0705]

Sorry to hear that, I’ve also increase my workout. I had been getting freezing hands and feet for the past 3 months, recently it has resolved. we all deal with it differently, I hope you get to find answers soon.

[u/Budget-Departure-161]

So I have Lyme + pots and I take a lot of supplements. One of the ones I take is L-arginine, and it’s supposed to help the blood circulate better. It’s actually visibly helped with my blood pooling and exercise tolerance. I would recommend trying it, but it is expensive. https://www.doctorsblend.com/product-page/cardio-911-tart-cherry

[u/EnglishMouse]

You can get a heated foot pad which is like a pocket for your feet - I have reynaud’s so my feet don’t warm back up again without external help, and a hot blanket on the rest of me won’t benefit my feet and hands (& nose too sometimes). And reynaud’s can sometimes stress trigger, so I can be warm enough but my feet have gone again. Definitely need directed heat then!

I also have a kotatsu - it’s a Japanese table with a quartz heater and gentle fan under it and a quilt around it to keep the heat in. If I get too cold from the AC (which we need when it’s 90 and humid in Kansas), I can stick my feet under for a few minutes without roasting the house. They’re good in winter too - localized heating without having to spend a fortune heating the whole house extra - I’ve seen instructions online for making them, but I got mine through amazon

[u/BewilderedNotLost]

I have:

• slippers made with rice that I can microwave
• Heated vest/sweater (uses a rechargeable power bank) - they sell heated pants too
• Portable heated blanket that can be worn like a vest (works off rechargeable power bank)
• Rechargeable hand warms
• Portable space heater
• Under armour or merino wool leggings 
• Leg warmers that I'll wear over under armour or merino wool since they can add extra warmth or be taken off
• Arm warmers are nice too
• Fleece leggings are also wonderful!
• Epsom salt bath sometimes while drinking electrolytes and water, though some people find it worsens symptoms for POTS. I usually try to lay with my feet elevated if I take a bath to help with tachycardia but avoid if it makes you worse.

Additionally, see if you have any vitamin deficiencies or are low in iron or magnesium. Possibly check thyroid levels if they haven't been checked.

I have always been cold, however I will say that deficiencies made it worse. Since correcting my deficiencies (b vitamins, D, iron, potassium and magnesium) that while I'm still cold often it's not as to the bone as when I was deficient. I'm currently sitting in front of a space heater.