Winter BMOQ with Raynaud's syndrome

[SarahVM]

Hi everyone!

So I'll be at st-jean for my BMOQ between November 21 and March 10.
I have a condition called Raynaud's syndrome (also called white fingers) and i'm a little worried about it. It's an overtraining problem (after a few years improving my grip strenght for obstacle course racing I managed to f**** up my capillaries) and my fingers get white and dysfunctional with temperature around 32°F.
If i'm active it's mostly ok but at the moment i'm more static, my fingers are done.
Do someone know if the gear they gave us is warm enough or i'll need to ask for extra equipment (or bring hand warmers)?

Thanks in advance,

Sarah

 

[Good2Golf]

Hi Sarah, firstly, good on you for working to prep yourself for course! Re: gloves, you should be in decent shape, I would say. Of all the gear I had the CAF issue, the gloves were amongst the best gear…when I released a few years ago, I wished I could have kept the gloves…the gore-tex CADPAT gauntlet gloves were great for snow blowing in a blizzard, or at the same time lower-level activity. Once on course, just monitor yourself when outside, and advise staff if you have issues. Gone are the days of ‘suck it up, and carry on,’ the staff will want to ensure to safety and health of all candidates during training.

Good luck on course!

Cheers
G2G

 

[Jarnhamar]

What trade did you end up going with Sarah?
Also what did the recruiters and medical staff say about the condition?

O celcius comes pretty quick.

I can't see the military providing you special equipment like hand warmers. You would have to pay out of pocket but outdoor research has some amazing gloves and mitts, some of them I've found to be too warm even. They have really good discounts up to 50% off for military members.

Gloves | Outdoor Research

Explore Outdoor Research gloves for every adventure including skiing, hiking, climbing & more. Stay warm, dry & protected with durable, high-performance gloves.

www.outdoorresearch.com

 

[SarahVM]

What trade did you end up going with Sarah?
Also what did the recruiters and medical staff say about the condition?

O celcius comes pretty quick.

I can't see the military providing you special equipment like hand warmers. You would have to pay out of pocket but outdoor research has some amazing gloves and mitts, some of them I've found to be too warm even. They have really good discounts up to 50% off for military members.

Gloves | Outdoor Research

Explore Outdoor Research gloves for every adventure including skiing, hiking, climbing & more. Stay warm, dry & protected with durable, high-performance gloves.

www.outdoorresearch.com

Hi there!

Yup, i told them about this problem at medical. I guess it was no big deal for them As it's an overtraining condition instead of a 'congenital disorder'?
Also, i'm signing as Aerospace control officier so i think my fingers will be fine i just need to crush it at cornwall

And i don't mind to pay for special gear if i need to!

Thanks a lot guys!!

 

[Jarnhamar]

Right on. The chances of you hanging out in an arctic tent for a few weeks at -40C are probably slim. I read that Raynaud's syndrome can also be triggered by stress, not sure if that's applicable for it caused by over training. In any case good luck!

 

[Blackadder1916]

, , , hanging out in an arctic tent for a few weeks at -40C . . .

Yes, that may be a slim possibility for your trade, but you never know . . . been there, done that. Having seen severe cold injuries on my Basic Officer Training Course (BOTC) in the mid-1980s (one of the females in my platoon actually froze her hands and feet - she may have had previous circulatory issues like Raynaud's), as well as my time previous to that as a medic, having "fancy gear" is not always the solution. You already have the number one protection measure - awareness. Being aware that you need to be on the look out when the temp drops and being prepared for that eventuality is number one. It will get cold on your course as well as wet, but more importantly you'll also get tired at the same time. That combination (cold, wet, fatigued) is usually what leads to cold injuries. Sometimes, you can't do a lot to change the cold and fatigue but removing the wet is a lot easier. How do you do that? Try not to get wet in the first place and when you do get wet (trust me, you will get wet) be prepared with plenty of dry socks and gloves (or liners).

 

[SarahVM]

That combination (cold, wet, fatigued) is usually what leads to cold injuries. Sometimes, you can't do a lot to change the cold and fatigue but removing the wet is a lot easier. How do you do that? Try not to get wet in the first place and when you do get wet (trust me, you will get wet) be prepared with plenty of dry socks and gloves (or liners).

Well, thanks a lot for the tip!! Going to farnham in february will be no joke for sure!

 

[OldSolduer]

Right on. The chances of you hanging out in an arctic tent for a few weeks at -40C are probably slim. I read that Raynaud's syndrome can also be triggered by stress, not sure if that's applicable for it caused by over training. In any case good luck!

Never hanging out in an 10 person tent is a good thing. I’m sure you know.

Congratulations Sarah. And monitor your digits.

 

[Weinie]

Never hanging out in an 10 person tent is a good thing. I’m sure you know.

Congratulations Sarah. And monitor your digits.

Good luck Sarah, with the course. I wish you every success, and hope you have a long and fulfilling career in the CAF.

 

[SarahVM]

Thanks a lot!!
Can't wait to begin this life changing opportunity!