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Heat intolerance - common in ME/cfs

Thinktank

Senior Member
Messages
1,640
Location
Europe
Is heat intolerance a common symptom in ME/cfs?

It's currently very hot in my country and i just can't cope with it. Every year the heat intolerance becomes worse! It's not just the weather but also hot food or a warm shower that makes me feel ill.
One thing that really stands out is the vasodilation in my hands and feet, that in turn worsens my orthostatic intolerance. I also urinate more than normal and my muscles hurt. It's like my muscles are completely drained from any fluid. I just had a cramp in my neck! Magnesium doesnt help and makes the vasodilation worse.
ALso my neck is so stiff and hurts, like someone just hit me in the neck / base of skull.

So, anyone else with really bad heat intolerance?
 

Wolfcub

Senior Member
Messages
7,089
Location
SW UK
@Thinktank ...how are you with a little salt? If a little is okay for you it might help to have a small salt lick in extremely hot weather. Two months ago our heatwave started and I simply couldn't bear it. It made me feel twice as bad. Just generally physically oppressed. I would buck up a little after a tiny salt lick, some honey and water. I use only pure rock salt now, though something nice like genuine Himalayan salt would be better.
If you urinate more frequently you might be losing a lot of salt from the body.
 

Murph

:)
Messages
1,799
I can't handle too much heat either. But I get by understanding why. The reason we're heat sensitive is heat causes blood vessels to relax too much, which causes blood pressure to drop, which is dysautonomia our bodies can't handle.

You can partially manage this by using techniques to boost blood volume - hydration - and by tricks to reverse the vessel dilation - ice water and salt and medications - and by avoiding straining the heart - getting horizontal when possible so the heart isn't working overtime trying to pump blood around a saggy system and avoid raising your hands above your head.

It's also just about being hyper-aware that heat is risky and doing everything you can to avoid direct sunlight/exercise/hot showers on hot days.
 
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Wishful

Senior Member
Messages
5,679
Location
Alberta
I haven't noticed any increase in symptoms from heat, but I'm really happy to be living in my Alberta Foothills area. Presently wearing a fleece jacket and toque for warmth. It was 4C this morning (that's refrigerator temperature for those of you on the silly Fahrenheit scale). :thumbsup:
 

lafarfelue

Senior Member
Messages
433
Location
Australia
I haven't noticed any increase in symptoms from heat, but I'm really happy to be living in my Alberta Foothills area. Presently wearing a fleece jacket and toque for warmth. It was 4C this morning (that's refrigerator temperature for those of you on the silly Fahrenheit scale). :thumbsup:

I'm jealous, that sounds so perfect.:cry: Please enjoy it a bit extra for me :)
 

Moof

Senior Member
Messages
778
Location
UK
Yes! In my case it's because I have very low blood pressure, and of course heat makes it drop further. It was 27 degrees here yesterday, and I had a rheumatology appointment where they always start with weight and blood pressure. The nurse was really alarmed, and said if anyone came into hospital after a car accident with blood pressure that low, they'd be admitted to the high dependency ward! I said, "Welcome to the everyday life of an ME patient...." :rofl:
 

ScottTriGuy

Stop the harm. Start the research and treatment.
Messages
1,402
Location
Toronto, Canada
Not me, I am the opposite: heat is not a problem, love it, can bake in the sun all day...but am very sensititive to the cold, painfully so in my hands and feet, oncontrollable shivering and my muscles tighten or freeze...I guess the blood is leaving as my vessels constrict.
 

Thinktank

Senior Member
Messages
1,640
Location
Europe
@Thinktank ...how are you with a little salt? If a little is okay for you it might help to have a small salt lick in extremely hot weather. Two months ago our heatwave started and I simply couldn't bear it. It made me feel twice as bad. Just generally physically oppressed. I would buck up a little after a tiny salt lick, some honey and water. I use only pure rock salt now, though something nice like genuine Himalayan salt would be better.
If you urinate more frequently you might be losing a lot of salt from the body.
A bit of salt is helpful for my dysautonomia but it doesn't do much in terms of heat intolerance.
I have increased my salt intake and lowered my fluid intake as i don't sweat much. High fluid intake makes me sick, no idea why.
 
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Thinktank

Senior Member
Messages
1,640
Location
Europe
I haven't noticed any increase in symptoms from heat, but I'm really happy to be living in my Alberta Foothills area. Presently wearing a fleece jacket and toque for warmth. It was 4C this morning (that's refrigerator temperature for those of you on the silly Fahrenheit scale). :thumbsup:
That sounds great, wish it could be 4C all year round!
i'll soon be moving to a place where the average temperature in the summer is 19C and in the winter 7C. It does rain a lot over there but that's what i like! Some people think i'm crazy, i really enjoy the fall and winter with rain and snow.
I'm sure that an ideal temperature will have a significant positive impact on my quality of living. That and a pristine surrounding with little to no air polution, can't wait!
 
Messages
4
I hate the hot weather. After a couple of days my ME/CFS starts acting up. I've now invested in an air conditioning unit as I'm sick and tired of feeling ill, and having to cancel work (I teach at home). D ribose helps, but I have to reduce activity. I also get the symptoms of heat exhaustion quickly.