So two weeks ago I was prescribed something called Nitro-Bid 2% to rub on my hands in order to help my Raynaud's Syndrome. The first true CH cycle I've had in 5 years began a few days later, and now that I've read a few older posts about the relationship between nitro for treating angina and inducing CH for research and the onset of an attack I'm wondering if perhaps this was the trigger for my current episode. The main difference is area of application - sublingual or chest vs. hands. Wonder if this makes a difference?

I should add that my historical trigger - alcohol - is something I gave up completely 3 years ago.

Has anyone had any experience with this stuff? The Raynaud's is a vaso-constrictive condition that causes cold and numb hands and feet. So treatment is designed to work just in reverse of what we're trying to do to stop our CH attacks, wouldn't you know!

Naturally my fondest hope is that if I stop the nitro applications, which I'm going to do as of now anyway, I can abort this current cycle or at least lessen it.

Many thanks, friends.
David

Thanks, Marc. Like any layman, particularly one who's grinding his teeth in pain, I'm casting about for any answers I can find. It's interesting to read about the deeper possible etiology; I hadn't heard of this but look forward to exploring it. Well, not look forward in the sense we usually use the phrase of course... you know what I mean!

I appreciate your weighing in.
David

So I finally had a brief convo with my rheumatologist last evening. He seemed to be of the opinion that the nitro cream could indeed be a contributing factor due to its dilating properties. File this in the for what it's worth category....