fingernail changes

[Tammie]

This is not terribly important, but something I have wondered about....

Supposedly a lot of health issues often show up in fingernail changes (texture, color, etc), and I was wondering if anyone else has noticed any changes in their fingernails since getting sick.

Mine have definitely changed

.....there are pronounced vertical ridges, reddish purple coloring directly above the moons, another thin stripe of reddish color at the tops of the nail beds, little weird bumps under several nails (almost like someone is trying to poke a tiny needle upwards through the nail), and the color of the non-reddish part is much paler than it used to be.....I also think that the moons themselves have shrunk, but to be honest I didn't pay that much attention to them before, so I could be wrong about that

.....oh and nail polish will not stick on them anymore (not that it matters because I am too shaky to paint my nails anymore and I don't really care that much about them anyway.....but it is one more thing that has changed)

 

[Otis]

Tammie,

I too have the ridges (for many years) and the reddish coloring just as you describe (just noticed it this week).

I've seen the ridges frequently associated with ME/CFS, without explanation, and I haven't found the reddish coloring described as we have it anywhere.

So that didn't add much except 'me too'.
Otis

 

[Jenny]

Hi Tammie

You might like to have a look at the discussion on this thread:


http://www.forums.aboutmecfs.org/showthread.php?3208-Ridge-on-toenails

Jenny

 

[ixchelkali]

I have developed vertical ridges on my fingernails, too, along with having the "moons" disappear except on my thumbs, and the same pattern of darker red coloring that you describe. I have little pits in the nails rather than bumps. Interesting to learn that others have noticed this, too.

According to the Mayo clinic, the vertical ridges are a normal part of aging and nothing to worry about (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/nails/AN00591), but I seem to remember that years ago Adele Davis talked about them in relation to a vitamin deficiency. I haven't been able to find anything about that recently, though.

 

[lansbergen]

According to the Mayo clinic, the vertical ridges are a normal part of aging.

Maybe but mine have disappeared after many years being present. The cuticles are not righ yet. They still grow over the moons.

 

[kerrilyn]

I have the vertical ridges, reddish colouring, I only have moons on my thumbs. My mother's vertical ridges are a lot more pronounced than mine are, hers look like they can split. I thought that was a deficiency of some kind but can't remember what it is now.

I haven't used polish in years, can't tolerate the smell but also I can't stand to have it on my nails. It makes them feel funny, hypersensitive and like the thin coat of polish is 10" thick.

 

[Overstressed]

I have the vertical ridges too, and I'm sure it started when I got ill. I watched myself with a magnifying glass, and changes in my fingernails was one the symptoms. I had my lunula(half moon) disappearing too. Usually this is due to anemia. Anemia explains also why the colour of your nails is white, and not pink.

But thanxs to Gc-Maf, my nails are becoming nicely flat again, my skin looks more hydrated, not so dry, and my lunula doesn't disappear, it looks.

The pits in your nail is due to psiorasis, an autoimmune disorder. I had a few of them, very tiny though. It looks like we suffer from a variety of autoimmune disorders.

Take care,
OS.

 

[V99]

Should we be posting pictures? It is fashionable at the mo.

 

[caledonia]

I have the vertical ridges and no moons. They're a pale purple above where the moons would be. I can't remember if I ever had moons or not. Only my big toes have moons right now.

The vertical ridges are new since I got sick. I believe my naturopath said those were because of vitamin deficiency.

 

[V99]

I have no picture, but I did find this.

 

[V99]

Looked a bit more carefully and the same site has this.

Longitudinal ridging and / or longitudinal splitting
Ageing
Trauma
Lichen planus
Darier's disease
Onychomycosis
Psoriasis

 

[V99]

Don't look at the rest of that site, it gets real nasty!

 

[Tammie]

Hi Tammie

You might like to have a look at the discussion on this thread:


http://www.forums.aboutmecfs.org/showthread.php?3208-Ridge-on-toenails

Jenny

thanks - somehow I missed that one......the changes that people are talking about on there are different from waht I have, though

 

[Tammie]

According to the Mayo clinic, the vertical ridges are a normal part of aging and nothing to worry about (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/nails/AN00591), but I seem to remember that years ago Adele Davis talked about them in relation to a vitamin deficiency.

I would think that if this were just aging, it would be more gradual.....for me these changes, inc the ridges, have all happened very rapidly

also I have read both in the past - that they are nothing, and that they can indicate deficencies, and give how completely messed up my body is, the latter seems to make more sense.......also I wonder how old people generally are if they get the ridges from aging`

 

[Tammie]

Should we be posting pictures? It is fashionable at the mo.

LOL.....I don't know how well they would show up.....the bumps and the reddish color at the top are both hard to see

 

[Forbin]

I don't know about the relationship to aging. I've had these ridges on my fingernails since I was 12.

 

[V99]

I find that the colour change can be a really good indicator of when I am about to have a crash. About half an hour, to two hours before, my nails go purple. As these are easier to see than my own face, I find it can be helpful to check them so I can reduce the effects of a crash, i.e. eat something, lay down.

 

[ixchelkali]

I don't know about the relationship to aging. I've had these ridges on my fingernails since I was 12.

Well, remember that the Mayo Clinic also suggests CBT and graded exercise for CFS, so my confidence in them as a reliable source ain't what it used to be. :worried: I'm just sayin' that's what they say.

On the other hand, sometimes I think that ME/CFS is a kind of premature aging disease. I have several friends in their 80's who have more stamina and mental clarity than I do. So maybe nail ridges go along with that.

 

[tolduiwuzsic]

this looks like my nails! I think we should send in pics of our nails....at least we can compare

Looked a bit more carefully and the same site has this.

 

[Dainty]

I find that the colour change can be a really good indicator of when I am about to have a crash. About half an hour, to two hours before, my nails go purple. As these are easier to see than my own face, I find it can be helpful to check them so I can reduce the effects of a crash, i.e. eat something, lay down.

My nails go purple as well (and sometime sthe base of them goe all the way to blue!)....when I happen to notice their color then I check my body temerature and it's always plunged to the 95 degree range (35 celcius). At that point the only thing that will raise my temperature back up is a hot shower, which does so almost immediately...it's a little entertaining to watch my fingernails and toenails change back to normal color. Sometimes this will happen several times a day for me. BTW normal temperature for me is 97.4 or 97.6.