could my freezing cold nose be symptomatic of the menopause? (Page 2)

Hi Wizadore

Sounds very similar to me.

It's crazy to think that there seems to be more and more people affected by this problem than I realised.

When my symptoms started (about 11 months ago now), the first thing I did was google "cold nose' - nothing. I couldn't find anything on the web about it at all. I did feel a bit silly going to my GP with this issue but anybody who suffers with this, knows how debilitating and painful it is therefore understands why I needed to find both cause and treatment. If you've been following this thread, you will see that it's been to no avail.

I have no idea what is causing it but now know that I'm not on my own with it and that alone is a bit of a relief.

Hopefully one day somebody will spot this thread and write " I had this problem and it was caused by...........and treated by........... and has now disappeared!"

Well I live in hope!!

Regards

Elaine

I too suffer from 'cold nose' disorder, but only in winter. For the past two years, it only has to be mildly cold and my nose will feel like it is in the freezer.

The pain associated with it is also debilitating and it is hard to get my nose warm.

I am only 40 years old and have no menopausal symptoms. My thyroid has also been checked?

It is driving me crazy, and besides being painful, narrows my social activities in winter.

Arrrgh! I hear all you fellow sufferers! If there are so many of us, why are health experts baffled when we approach them about it?

Michelle

Hello-

Just to add to everyone else--not in your head. I'm 50, suffer with migraines and allergies, premenopausal AND iceberg nose. I also have low iron levels--must be some connection.

Hi girls,

Im a 49 year old woman from Australia - This is my 2nd winter suffering from the dreaded cold nose. Mine occurs at night when I am asleep and wakes me several times in the night whereupon I have to rub and massage my nose until it warms up. I am also a nurse who works in General Practice (don't know what the US equivalent is - basically I am the local doctors' nurse) and I have asked all the doctors to not avail. I DO have hypothyroid disease, but it is well treated. In my opinion this is a form of Raynard's Phenomena (selective vasoconstriction of the blood vessels in the nose, reducing blood supply and causing coldness and sensation changes) which is related to hormonal changes.

My theory is supported by an experience I had in each pregnancy which was similar. During my pregnancies I would get extremely cold and painful nipples - and only my nipples, not my fingers or ears or toes or nose. I found a researcher who found this was occurring in some women related to hormonal changes during pregnancy - a selective Raynard's Pnenomena. It was a very debilitating condition that would resolve itself instantly upon delivery of each child.

My cold nose feels very similar and the diagnosis of Raynard;s is supported by the few women on this forum who have been prescribed Adalat (Nifedipine) - which is a drug that causes vasodilation and send blood into the peripheries - such as nose, toes and fingers.

Secondly - note we are ALL women and we are All over 40.

It's a shame we can't all get together and approach the medical world as one - this is a very real and debilitating condition and we want some answers and some action!!!

I will watch this post with interest and let you know what I find out from the other side of the world.

I am looking into a few different natural remedies for improving circulation to the extremities such as Ginko Biloba and Arginine cream or gel. Will let you know how it goes.

Hi Runinwild

Thanks for your interesting contribution. I started this thread in the first place because I was despondent at the fact that I got nowhere with the medical profession here in England. Now I see that other sufferers around the globe are having the same negative response because of lack of knowledge about this condition.

There are slight differences in people's symptoms. For example, migraines are not an issue for me and my symptoms are constant during every day but not during the night. However, the number off sufferers certainly seems to be growing - and that's just from the number of people who have found their way to this forum. How many more are there who suffer in silence?

Anyway, thanks for this. You are absolutely right about the fact we are all woman over 40 and I think you might have a point about the Raynauds link even though the specialist I saw discounted it for me.

I feel exactly as you do about approaching the medical world as one. Maybe we might eventually be lucky enough for somebody with answers to come forward!

Regards

Elaine

Wow! I am amazed with all these personal stories. Here is one more to add. I am 41 year women with no sign of menopause yet. At least that I don't recognize it yet. My husband always tell me my nose is too cold when we snug in bed at night. And I always thought that reason is because we keep low our ac in the house. But when I feel his, is warm. After many days hearing my hubby saying, your nose is too cold I have decided to google it. To my surprise I have found this posts. My nose doesn't bother me, but now I am very curious to know if there is an explanation to this symptom.

Wow, this is amazing. Like everyone else on this thread I have googled and discussed with MD. You're right, everyone treats it like a joke, but it is a really bad feeling! I am 65 and have regular blood work with no thyroid or iron issues noted. My other cold spots are my right arm (really, just the right!) and my right foot, but the nose thing is way worse (I guess because it's harder to cover up also). My MD said it's not circulation. I will ask about the Raynaud's during my visit tomorrow. And yes, people are always thinking my covering my nose means something else and I feel silly. It really only stays warm after I go to bed with covers over me for several hours. No other topical warming effects this feeling at all--have tried heating pad and hair dryer and hot liquids. I can be sweating all over and still have a frozen nose! Hope everyone keeps posting with any news they get!

Wow, this is amazing. Like everyone else on this thread I have googled and discussed with MD. You're right, everyone treats it like a joke, but it is a really bad feeling! I am 65 and have regular blood work with no thyroid or iron issues noted. My other cold spots are my right arm (really, just the right!) and my right foot, but the nose thing is way worse (I guess because it's harder to cover up also). My MD said it's not circulation. I will ask about the Raynaud's during my visit tomorrow. And yes, people are always thinking my covering my nose means something else and I feel silly. It really only stays warm after I go to bed with covers over me for several hours. No other topical warming effects this feeling at all--have tried heating pad and hair dryer and hot liquids. I can be sweating all over and still have a frozen nose! Hope everyone keeps posting with any news they get!

Hello all, I also suffer from ICY nose syndrome which started in April 2012. I'm 45 yrs old, in peri-menopause & other symptoms include: hair falling out for almost one year, constipation, lack of interest in sex, sudden weight gain, cold feet & hands, aching left hip joint & left knee & some fatigue.

I did go to my naturopathic doctor in June 2011 & she did saliva testing which showed I had a Cortisol imbalance. Cortisol levels were high when they were supposed to be low & the other way round. She suggested I take DHEA which I did & another herbal formula to adjust the Cortisol level. The two combined made me feel ill so I stayed on the DHEA alone & I seemed to feel better after awhile. Iron was recommended for the hair loss but iron pills caused the constipation to worsen so I switched to Blackstrap Molasses. Taking a small amount a few days a week has already improved the hair loss & new hair began growing in finally.

Fast forward to this spring & the nose freezing started & it has been very debilitating. Michigan winters are cold so that doesn't help much. I searched on the web to discover most people saying this was caused by thryoid imbalance & hormone problems. Natural remedy recommended was something called Iodora. Basically it's Iodine which is a natural remedy to get the thyroid working the way its supposed to. I did start taking that but found out Iodine causes constipation too so I have to chop the pills up in small pieces & take bits each day.
Then summer weather came & temperatures remained in the high 80's & 90's so the ICY nose calmed way down. I attributed it to the warm weather, not the Iodora.

Recently I went to my GP for my annual physical & told her my symptoms. She said if the Thyroid tests all come back normal, she wanted to investigate my endocrine system. Which is basically the same thing my naturopathic doctor said a year earlier.
Had all the thryoid tests run & they're all normal so I'm going in next week to start what sounded like a month long saliva testing kit which monitors the cortisol levels as it involves spitting in a tube 3 times a day.

I'll check back in after these tests are all finished up but I'm convinced the ICY nose is not related to my peri-menopause but the Endocrine system malfunctioning.

So sorry to hear there are so many other women out there suffering with this horrible malady. My kids touch my nose & cannot believe how freezing cold it is. I use a hot water bottle & hold it against my nose for some relief but it doesn't cure it. Unless the temperature is higher than 85 inside or out, my nose is frozen. I sometimes think to myself, it's so cold it's going to turn blue & fall off, but it hasn't yet.

I'll be praying for all my fellow sufferers & check back when I finish with the upcoming tests.

Hello there!
I'm a 47 yr old female. Had completere hysterectomy 6 yrs ago. Not on any HRTs. In good shape except: icy cold nose only at night even when the rest of me is warm and migraines and restless leg syndrome. Not sure if any symptoms are related to menopause. I don't have hot flashes. I've been to many doctors about the RLS and migraines. Not yet been to the Dr about my ice cold nose but I'm going to. My personal home remedy are these hand warmers I found at the hardware store. They're made by a company named Grabber. They're pretty cheap. Once you open the pack it heats up and stay hot for up to 8 hours. Its the only thing that's helped so far. As far as the menopausal symptoms, I refer to a website called Hystersisters.com. that site has been a saving grace for me. Hope any of this helps and I was thankful to find this site to learn I'm not the only one suffering from icy cold nose syndrome! My best to all! Laurie

Hi, I'm a 47yr old female and have just found this site whilst waiting for my bath to fill in order to warm up - my nose particularly!
Been suffering with a really cold nose for 5 weeks and thought I had a simple cold starting. Hasn't cleared, so thought maybe this was caused by hay fever (we have had an awful summer in the UK for this), however anti-histamines not made an iota of difference. Now find all you fellow sufferers!
Interested in the thyroid link since I have been diagnosed with an under active thyroid 6 months ago and take levothyroxine each day for thus.
I have put on over one stone in weight this year and feel very uncomfortable; not helped by herniated disc in my back requiring surgery 2months ago!
Our age does seem to be a common link ref the cold nose and will be reading your posts keenly for any tips or remedies. Nicky.

Hi everyone, I also have a cold nose problem! I am so happy I am not the only one. Nobody seems to know what it is, neighter my doctor or neurologue. Since 2 years I have, just like you all, a cold freezing nose, a few times a day, cold or warm weather, that is all the same! After I warmed my nose with my hand , it burns! I hate this and try to ignore it, but that is not possible.
I am 57 years and since 2 1/2. Year in the menopause. After reading your stories I more and more believe it is a menopause problem. I also have headaches and some burning pain in my neck ans right shoulder, all since a few months after my last period. I had several scans but everything seems to be allright.Also bloodtest gave no solutions and the iron was good.
I will keep in touch and share my findings. Kind regards

I also am suffering with the freezing nose, also sometimes right under mu nose and the top of the upper lip, along with a tingling sensation. The only thing I can think of different in my life is my blood pressure medication. I was wondering if anyone has started taking it as well. It is called Edarbyclor.? i have been suffering about 6 weeks now. It is horrible! Please let me know if anyone started taking this medication as well. Thank You all.

Hi Everybody! I'm so glad to find you! I have had a cold nose problem for about 6 years now. I"m 52, and peri-menopausal. My nose gets cold at night, when i am sitting down relaxing after work. My nose is definitely cold to the touch-my husband notices it. I've had my thyroid tested and it's normal. My doctor has suggested Reynauds, though my hands, feet, and ears are fine. One thing that happens to me that I have not seen anyone here mention is the tip of my tongue gets sore when my nose is cold. Weird, huh?
I'm just so glad to see that I'm not the only one. I have been googling "cold nose" for years with no success. It just feels good to not be alone.

Hi and thanks to everyone for sharing their nose symptoms. I have had this same problem and know how annoying it is! It is so good to know (from a sympathetic point of view) that there are others experiencing similar symptoms. I am 48 and this started a couple of years ago. My nose is more likely to be cold at night but randomly, can be anytime. Going to bed freezing and spending a lot of time under covers to warm nose before managing to drop off. Just good to know there are others out there!

I am 47 yr old female which makes me perimenopausal and have recently been experiencing various symptoms which I feel are hormonal related. One of these is a nose that can become icy to the touch. This is variable. It is happening now and I know my period is due. Hope this is helpful.
Allonsy

I, too, have a cold nose, usually in the evenings when I am relaxng inside next to a fire. I am 67, had migraines for 25 years until I lived in England and started taking Cyclogest (progesterone suppositories). I don't have cold hands or feet, but when I go to sleep, I have a cold nose. Then I wake up several times a night with a very hot body. I wouldn't really call this hot flashes because I am just hot all over for several hours, which means I cannot get back to sleep. My nose is not cold in the middle of the night. When my nose gets cold again, I can go back to sleep. I have just started taking progesterone again and I am sleeping better.
I believe my thyroid is fine. I don't seem to be bothered by my nose when I am outside in the cold-- just inside in the evenings. Baths help, but I would like to know why I now have a cold nose. Started maybe 3 years ago. Any ideas?

Hooray!! Sorry, I'm not at all happy that you're all suffering, but I am SO relieved to find that I'm not alone in my freezing cold nose misery!!
Just like many of you guys, I went on to Google to see if I could find any ideas about this weird phenomenon. I too had a full hysterectomy 8 years ago - I'm 47 now - and I've been on HRT (without any issues really) ever since.
Over this past couple of months my nose has been unbearably cold at anytime of every day. I can so relate to many of your posts. I just about fell off my chair when I saw that some of you have noticed hair loss and leg cramping too. I've also noticed my hair thinning, so much so that I've changed style to try disguise the bald patches, and I've had some really painful cramps, mostly in the evenings.
I had my bloods done a few months ago (for an unrelated issue) and was told that my thyroid level was low, but not low enough to be concerned about. I'm wondering if I should go back to the GP after reading your posts.
It's just so re-assuring to know that I'm not going nuts and that this is clearly some sort of medical issue.

Hi JRM1

OMG! When I first started this thread just over a year ago I thought I was completely alone in this. Not a single doctor or specialist had an inkling as to what was going on and nobody I saw had ever experienced a patient exhibiting these symptoms. The simple fact that so many people have responded to this thread experiencing the same symptoms tells me that this may be more widespread than I ever thought. How many more people are suffering who haven't even seen this site?

You made me sit up because I too am now experiencing leg cramps. This is relatively new to me and has only been happening for a couple of months, particularly during the evening or whilst I am sleeping.

Your description of re-arranging hair to cover thinning patches is exactly what I do too!

I am still suffering with my freezing nose every day and it is so tiresome. Even as I type this I am holding a heat pack over my nose. I just wish that somebody with medical expertise would read this and come up with a solution. I know that it's not life threatening but it is so debilitating.

Thanks for your comments

Elaine

Hi Elaine

Thanks for your reply. I'm going to make an appt with my GP this week; I'm definitely not expecting any answers as it sounds, from all the comments, as if the medical profession are none the wiser! But I do think it's important to have this noted on my records!

I'll keep you updated and if I find any magic solutions I'll let you know!

Stay cosy!

Jane

I posted this in the wrong area so here goes again:
Well I am joining the group. I am 69 and the menopause has been gone for years so its not that. I have had a cold nose for over 2 years, its cold all day and when I go to bed at night I have very warm hands so I cover my face with my hand to warm my nose. I wake up about 2 hours being in bed with a real bad headache (like migraines) mostly all to my left side which gives me an earache on top of that. I never get a full night sleep and have to take Advils and sometimes warm up a herbal bag to put on my forehead and ear until the pain goes away. I have had CatScan and Xrays and nothing is wrong. I'm in perfect health, no problems except for arthritis in my knees which I manage very well. My doctor seems to think its all coming from a bad circulation (don't know exactly what he called it) but he put me on ELAVIL 10mg. Apparently these pills are for migraines, depression etc... and sometimes are prescribed to kids. He said not to worry about taking them every day they will not harm me. Well, after being prescribed these I took them every day for 2 weeks and NEVER had one headache (don't remember about the nose). Then I stopped and felt fine for a long time and now its starting again so I guess I will go back on them. I just don't like taking pills except for vitamins. Oh yeah, when I get those awful headaches I also use NASONEX nasal spray.

It's no fun having a cold nose, in my case I was telling my husband I feel like my sinus is froze also.

I sure hope my little speech will clear some of your questions and maybe you will find a solution for your problem.

Hope to hear some comments on this. Good Luck!


Read more: Menopause Forum - could my freezing cold nose be symptomatic of the menopause? http://ehealthforum.com/health/could-my-fr eezing-cold-nose-be-symptomatic-of-the-men opause-t308245-a1.html#ixzz2CDddeRF6