Oh how I hate the heat!!! My motto is "I would rather freeze my butt off any day then sweat it off!"
I found some great info on MS and heat tolerance.
For many of us with multiple sclerosis (MS), summer fills us with anxiety. Hot weather means MS symptoms and, well, suffering. As most people are going outside to enjoy the hot weather, we are drawing the blinds and resigning ourselves to cleaning out closets and reading novels. Even vacations are a challenge, as each year we look for places further from the equator or “adventures” that take place in air-conditioned coolness.
Heat intolerance in MS shows up as a "pseudoexacerbation" -- the experience of having symptoms appear or worsen due to heat exposure.
Threshold: Some people can be just fine taking a brisk walk in 90-degree weather, as long as they avoid the sun and drink cold beverages. Others start feeling symptoms at much lower temperatures and with much less activity. I am one of those people who can't even handle walking in 80 degree weather!
What Causes Heat Intolerance?
As people with MS, we have plaques on our nerves where demyelination has taken place. This slows the ability of the nerves to function, and heat further slows down nerve impulse transmission in demylinated regions. Even a very slight increase of as little as one-quarter to one-half a degree in the body’s core temperature is enough to cause symptoms of heat intolerance. Ya that's me!! 1/2 a degree is about all I can handle!
The people that are the most sensitive to the heat and develop symptoms the quickest are also the most responsive to cooling down and their symptoms disappear quickly. Ok I can break out in a sweat walking to my bathroom! Stop laughing....my house is 2300 sq. feet!! Lol
There are some people who are more sensitive to cold than to heat (I would trade in a minute!), and their symptoms - especially spasticity - worsen in cold temperatures. Some of us unlucky people with MS are sensitive to both cold and heat, usually with different symptoms appearing under different temperature extremes. Ok that is worse. It seems like you would never be comfortable unless you were in your home.
My Experience
If any of you ran into me outside of my air conditioned house you would think I was about to die! First of all I am German and Irish. Which means I am bright..ok I confess I am usually so red that I am a new breed....I am PINK! Lol I am prepared when I go out to a store. I have a handkerchief to delicately dab away the enormous amout of sweat. I have a beautiful Victorian fold out fan to fan myself. I do all this while pushing a shopping cart. I know what your thinking...that's sexy!! Ha Ha! As I push my way through the store people stare at me. It still bothers me and I stress about sweating. Which just causes more sweating!
I try to go shopping in the late evening or early morning. Since I don't sleep well I like to go at 2am. Less people to see me sweating like a pig! Which is a funny saying since pigs don't sweat! I only sweat on my face and back of my hair. I have even gotten Botox injections to sweat less. Didn't work but at least my insurance paid for them.
So next time your out shopping and you see a heavy pink sweaty lady it's ME!
I hope I made you laugh about my heat issues. Have a wonderful day!
ANSWER TO YESTERDAY'S TRIVIA.
Cats have 244...38 more than humans.
Today's trivia question:
Does driving a car with the windows down increase mileage?
I found some great info on MS and heat tolerance.
For many of us with multiple sclerosis (MS), summer fills us with anxiety. Hot weather means MS symptoms and, well, suffering. As most people are going outside to enjoy the hot weather, we are drawing the blinds and resigning ourselves to cleaning out closets and reading novels. Even vacations are a challenge, as each year we look for places further from the equator or “adventures” that take place in air-conditioned coolness.
Heat intolerance in MS shows up as a "pseudoexacerbation" -- the experience of having symptoms appear or worsen due to heat exposure.
Threshold: Some people can be just fine taking a brisk walk in 90-degree weather, as long as they avoid the sun and drink cold beverages. Others start feeling symptoms at much lower temperatures and with much less activity. I am one of those people who can't even handle walking in 80 degree weather!
What Causes Heat Intolerance?
As people with MS, we have plaques on our nerves where demyelination has taken place. This slows the ability of the nerves to function, and heat further slows down nerve impulse transmission in demylinated regions. Even a very slight increase of as little as one-quarter to one-half a degree in the body’s core temperature is enough to cause symptoms of heat intolerance. Ya that's me!! 1/2 a degree is about all I can handle!
The people that are the most sensitive to the heat and develop symptoms the quickest are also the most responsive to cooling down and their symptoms disappear quickly. Ok I can break out in a sweat walking to my bathroom! Stop laughing....my house is 2300 sq. feet!! Lol
There are some people who are more sensitive to cold than to heat (I would trade in a minute!), and their symptoms - especially spasticity - worsen in cold temperatures. Some of us unlucky people with MS are sensitive to both cold and heat, usually with different symptoms appearing under different temperature extremes. Ok that is worse. It seems like you would never be comfortable unless you were in your home.
My Experience
If any of you ran into me outside of my air conditioned house you would think I was about to die! First of all I am German and Irish. Which means I am bright..ok I confess I am usually so red that I am a new breed....I am PINK! Lol I am prepared when I go out to a store. I have a handkerchief to delicately dab away the enormous amout of sweat. I have a beautiful Victorian fold out fan to fan myself. I do all this while pushing a shopping cart. I know what your thinking...that's sexy!! Ha Ha! As I push my way through the store people stare at me. It still bothers me and I stress about sweating. Which just causes more sweating!
I try to go shopping in the late evening or early morning. Since I don't sleep well I like to go at 2am. Less people to see me sweating like a pig! Which is a funny saying since pigs don't sweat! I only sweat on my face and back of my hair. I have even gotten Botox injections to sweat less. Didn't work but at least my insurance paid for them.
So next time your out shopping and you see a heavy pink sweaty lady it's ME!
I hope I made you laugh about my heat issues. Have a wonderful day!
ANSWER TO YESTERDAY'S TRIVIA.
Cats have 244...38 more than humans.
Today's trivia question:
Does driving a car with the windows down increase mileage?
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