I am Titanium-FAIL

[Becoming_Me]

Sometimes I think I am invincible, alas I am not.

 

Take today for instance. My friend and I went for a 90 minute bike ride this morning. The weather is getting colder so we both wore jackets and hats while riding. I didn't bother to wear gloves because it isn't that cold out. About 5 miles from my house I noticed my hands (mostly left hand) were getting quite white and getting a little waxy feeling. My internal thought process went thusly...

 

"Hmm...I wonder if my hands are getting frostbitten. Probably not, it's not even November yet. Besides, my friend isn't wearing gloves and her hands are fine. I could tell her, pull over and call someone to pick me up. Or take off my socks and put them on my hands but that would be gross and smell really bad. Nah, I'll be fine I don't want people to think I am paranoid or (horrors) not tough."

 

We finish our bike ride and she heads home. I put my hands in tepid water and when I start experiencing shooting pains up my left arm I realize I am incredibly stupid. As my hand continues to thaw out my body starts to sweat, my stomach feels strange and my heart starts to race. Then I feel like I am going to black out so I sit down on the floor groaning in pain.

Why am I so dumb? Who cares if my hands get cold easily?

 

Currently, the fingers on my left hand feel very tender and hot. I just hope this is a mild case of frostbite.

[doggie]

it happens. you don't notice it as it is slow but your hands get the brunt of it in cycling. me I only need at most really light gloves but my feet were very hard to get keep warm.

Frostnip. The first stage of frostbite is frostnip — a mild form of frostbite in which your skin turns red and feels very cold. Continued exposure leads to prickling and numbness in the affected area. As your skin warms, you may feel pain and tingling. Frostnip doesn't permanently damage the skin.

Superficial frostbite. The second stage of frostbite appears as reddened skin that turns white or very pale. The skin may remain soft, but some ice crystals may form in the tissue. Your skin may begin to feel deceptively warm — a sign of serious skin involvement. If you treat frostbite at this stage, the surface of your skin may appear mottled, blue or purple as it's warmed or thawed. With warming, you may notice stinging, burning and swelling. A fluid-filled blister may appear 24 to 36 hours after rewarming the skin.

Severe or deep frostbite. As frostbite progresses, it affects all layers of the skin, including the tissues that lie below. You may experience deceptive numbness in which you lose all sensation of cold, pain or discomfort. Joints or muscles may no longer work. Large blisters form 24 to 48 hours after rewarming. Afterward, the area turns black and hard as the tissue dies.

When to see a doctor

Seek medical attention for frostbite if you experience:

Signs and symptoms of superficial or severe frostbite — such as white or pale skin, loss of all sensation in the affected area, or blisters

Increased pain, swelling, redness or discharge in the area that was frostbitten

Fever of more than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius)

Dizziness, aching or feeling generally ill

New, unexplained symptoms

[Becoming_Me]

Thanks Doggie. My family tends toward bad hand circulation, so I think that is what caught up on me today.

From the list you posted I think I have superficial frostbite. I really hope I don't get blisters on my fingers though because I cook Fri, Sat and Sun. Quick order cooking and sensitive hands don't mix at all!

[doggie]

when I was learning to sharpen my tools I ended up sanding off the tops off all my fingers. I did not notice it till I saw red on the sharpening stones. man try typing with raw fingertips.

[Becoming_Me]

Ouch! At least you could feel better about shaking hands with people - less chance of giving them splinters with sanded fingertips.

Thankfully, it seems only the fingertips on my left hand got frostbitten. They feel like I burned them and they look like they are growing red spider webs. When I touch something too hard a shock goes up my arm. I went on a bike ride this morning and guess what I wore? Gloves, I know, I am a genius.

[Peas n carrots]

I'm a runner now getting into cycling, and I am learning the importance of dressing more warmly for cycling than biking.

Last weekend I took my bike out for a spin...it was probably mid 40's temps. I have windproof gloves, plenty of layers etc but I had forgone purchasing gaiters for bike shoes. I thought I would just wear a bit thicker pair of socks and I'll be fine.

Ummm...well my feet weren't as bad as your hands, but they certainly felt like blocks of ice by the end of the ride. Later on that day I went out and bought a pair of gaiters (I got lucky and got a pair of Pearl Izumi's at Marshall's for $20).

Hope your hand feels better!

[Becoming_Me]

Thanks!

My fingertips are sensitive because the outer layer of skin is peeling right off (looks kinda creepy actually) but the pain and weird nerve sensations are gone.

My guess is that cycling gets us colder faster than running because of the wind chill factor. Coasting down hills always makes me cold super fast.

[Peas n carrots]

Thanks!

My fingertips are sensitive because the outer layer of skin is peeling right off (looks kinda creepy actually) but the pain and weird nerve sensations are gone.

My guess is that cycling gets us colder faster than running because of the wind chill factor. Coasting down hills always makes me cold super fast.

Thankfully it doesn't sound like there is any permanant damage!

After this weekend I think it will be the indoor trainer for me. I tried my gaiters on this weekend and they kept my feet warm but I had a hard time getting clipped in as the gaiters made it harder for my feet to find the pedal/cleat lock.