Reasons for autumn relapse?

[liquid sky]

Most autoimmune diseases get worse in the fall. Not sure why. I talked to a rheumatologist the other day and she said she disliked the fall because all her patients were feeling worse and not much she could do about it.

I totally have trouble with heat now also. I cannot tolerate the summer here.

 

[rlc]

Hi Jenny, I used to get a big worsening of symptoms in Autumn every year, But I fixed it with Vitamin D and Magnesium, but had to take very high doses of Vitamin D to fix it 50,000 iu a week for 12 weeks (this has to be done with a Doctors supervision) and I still take up to 5000 iu a day when the sun isnt shining. It also greatly improved and in some cases got rid of a lot of my symptoms. Unfortunately a lot of stupid doctors never thought that Vitamin D might be the cause of my autumn crashes, and I had to put up with it for almost twenty years, before I found out about it on the net and got it fixed.

The reference ranges used in labs for Vit D at the moment have been proven to be way lower than they should be, so a lot of people arent getting given enough supplementation to fix the problem. There a good article about it here http://www.thorne.com/altmedrev/.fulltext/13/1/6.pdf

If your Vitamin D levels dont go up with treatment the most likely cause is a magnesium deficiency see http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/news-...ds-co-factors/ if you get symptoms from taking more Vit D like the ones mentioned in this article the cause is normally a magnesium deficiency http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/about...ors/magnesium/ theres a lot good information on the vitamin D council web site.

Theres an interesting article on how vitamin D is crucial for the immune system to work properly here http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100307215534.htm I havent had an infection since getting my Vitamin D up to the correct levels, it also completely fixed my asthma.

If you can get your vitamin D tested and then find a doctor who will help you get your levels up to those mentioned in the first article, (it should be between 40- 70 ng/mL year round) you may find it fixes the problem, it worked for me.

All the best

 

[Nielk]

I have definitely declined since the end of October. I think that for me it's allergy (pollen) related. My sinuses were infected. I flew away to Florida from NY thinking that I will get better with the sun but, I didn't feel a difference. My sinuses kept being inflamed and I was feeling really sick. I know that I react to wind. Windy days are a terror for me and to my surprise, since i got to Florida it's been very windy almost every day! I can'r run away from it. Where can I hide?

 

[Jenny]

Hi Jenny, I used to get a big worsening of symptoms in Autumn every year, But I fixed it with Vitamin D and Magnesium, but had to take very high doses of Vitamin D to fix it 50,000 iu a week for 12 weeks (this has to be done with a Doctors supervision) and I still take up to 5000 iu a day when the sun isnt shining. It also greatly improved and in some cases got rid of a lot of my symptoms. Unfortunately a lot of stupid doctors never thought that Vitamin D might be the cause of my autumn crashes, and I had to put up with it for almost twenty years, before I found out about it on the net and got it fixed.

The reference ranges used in labs for Vit D at the moment have been proven to be way lower than they should be, so a lot of people arent getting given enough supplementation to fix the problem. There a good article about it here http://www.thorne.com/altmedrev/.fulltext/13/1/6.pdf

If your Vitamin D levels dont go up with treatment the most likely cause is a magnesium deficiency see http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/news-...ds-co-factors/ if you get symptoms from taking more Vit D like the ones mentioned in this article the cause is normally a magnesium deficiency http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/about...ors/magnesium/ theres a lot good information on the vitamin D council web site.

Theres an interesting article on how vitamin D is crucial for the immune system to work properly here http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100307215534.htm I havent had an infection since getting my Vitamin D up to the correct levels, it also completely fixed my asthma.

If you can get your vitamin D tested and then find a doctor who will help you get your levels up to those mentioned in the first article, (it should be between 40- 70 ng/mL year round) you may find it fixes the problem, it worked for me.

All the best

Thanks very much for your suggestions rlc. I do take both Mg and Vit D - have for years. I take 2500ius of Vit D a day, and 300mg Mg plus Mg oil. Tests for Vit D show it to be in the upper range of normal.

Jenny

 

[Artstu]

My guess is that the cold weather does something to my blood supply system as my physical ability to walk is better. I'm purring with pleasure in the cold and I particularly enjoy the cold nights.

I'm better in the cold too. I found the answer on here the other week, exposure to cold boost Mitchrondria cells.

 

[Jenny]

I'm better in the cold too. I found the answer on here the other week, exposure to cold boost Mitchrondria cells.

But why do some do worse in the cold? I know my mitochondria are affected (from test results), so why don't I get a boost from cold?

Jenny

 

[Artstu]

I'm not sure as to why there is a split like that. Those who feel the boost like myself are getting out in the cold and exercising, I think it needs the mitochondria system to be worked up to its current limits for the system to adapt to the demands being placed on it, and that forces the increase in mitochondria cells.

I have a feeling that if I wasn't going out exercising then I too would feel worse with the onset of Autumn, actually I did feel worse initially this Autumn.

For me the boost is always a slow build up, I seem to peak in the very cold frosty weather and then once the temperature goes up see a decline and return to a lower level of functioning.

However if you come back and tell me you are getting out exercising in the cold that blows my pet theory out of the water.

 

[Jenny]

No I'm not exercising in the cold Artstu. I've been too ill since October to do any exercise, even walking for more than a few yards. If I go out in cold weather it takes very little to get thoroughly chilled, and when I get like this I can be much worse for months on end.

Perhaps if I could exercise in the cold it would be helpful. In fact, when I was in remission I used to go ski-ing every winter and if I had mild symptoms before I went they would improve when I was there.

So I'm sure there is something in your theory.

 

[Artstu]

A few years ago I started off by just walking to edge of my garden, then a couple of houses down the road, then to the end of the road. I used to think what's the point I want to be doing a 20 mile walk. I've made progress, but it has been a very slow process, but I feel much better for doing so.

You have to start somewhere. I've also used an exercise bike to good effect in a cold room in the house

 

[Valentijn]

I have a feeling that if I wasn't going out exercising then I too would feel worse with the onset of Autumn, actually I did feel worse initially this Autumn.

For me the boost is always a slow build up, I seem to peak in the very cold frosty weather and then once the temperature goes up see a decline and return to a lower level of functioning.

Have you been checked for MS? They have something similar to PEM, but triggered by the body heating up instead of exercise itself.

 

[Artstu]

Have you been checked for MS? They have something similar to PEM, but triggered by the body heating up instead of exercise itself.

I'm not sure if I've been tested for MS to be honest.

 

[Jenny]

A few years ago I started off by just walking to edge of my garden, then a couple of houses down the road, then to the end of the road. I used to think what's the point I want to be doing a 20 mile walk. I've made progress, but it has been a very slow process, but I feel much better for doing so.

You have to start somewhere. I've also used an exercise bike to good effect in a cold room in the house

Yes, I do that when I'm coming out of a relapse. But I know there's no point doing that now when I'm in a relapse with severe flu-like symptoms. I've tried many times over the years and know even a few paces too much is very dangerous. I don't usually put much store by what Sarah Myhill says, but one thing is helpful - wait until you have no symptoms at rest before you try any exercise.

Jenny

 

[Artstu]

wait until you have no symptoms at rest before you try any exercise.

Couldn't agree more, it is very important to only exercise when your body feels up to it, I'm in tune with my body and when I'm not feeling too good my resting heart-rate is elivated by about 20 bpm, but I don't need my HRM to tell me that.

 

[Hip]

There is significant increase in geomagnetic storms around september every year. Geomagnetic storms are minute vibrational disturbances in the Earth's magnetic field (caused by the impact of particles of matter, ejected from the sun, when they hit the Earth's magnetic field).

Some people are very sensitive to geomagnetic disturbances (ref: here), particular those with bipolar. I have some bipolar tendencies, and even before getting CFS, I always found myself inexplicably depressed and anxious starting from around the last week in August, and lasting to around the end of September, or a bit later.

You can also get geomagnetic storms lasting for several days at any time of year, but the highest concentration of these storms is in September. There also a high concentration of these storms in April.

Geomagnetic storms are not so localized like the regular weather; rather they tend to take place across the entire planet's magnetic field, as a large and widespread disurbance.

For more info, Google geomagnetic storms, or space weather.

The intensity of geomagnetic disturbance is measured in a scale from 0 to 9, called the planetary K index (Kp). When Kp = 0, this is the calmest state of the Earth's magnetic field; Kp = 9 is the most disturbed state.

The current Kp geomagnetic disturbance level can be found here: http://mms.rice.edu/realtime/dials.html

 

[Jenny]

That's interesting Hip - website very difficult to follow though!

But could that explain my 4-5 month relapses starting in September?

Jenny

 

[Hip]

That's interesting Hip - website very difficult to follow though!

But could that explain my 4-5 month relapses starting in September?

Jenny

It's a possibility that the September geomagnetic disturbances are the reason. But in my case, the anxiety and depression symptoms would end after the September period was over, so it's not clear why your relapse lasts for 4 or 5 months.

Perhaps there is also some hormone cycle that syncs to the seasons that might underpin your relapses?

I should explain: in the above website, you just need to look at the traffic light to see what the current geomagnetic disturbances are; green is calm, red is the most disturbed.

 

[Jenny]

It's a possibility that the September geomagnetic disturbances are the reason. But in my case, the anxiety and depression symptoms would end after the September period was over, so it's not clear why your relapse lasts for 4 or 5 months.

Perhaps there is also some hormone cycle that syncs to the seasons that might underpin your relapses?

I should explain: in the above website, you just need to look at the traffic light to see what the current geomagnetic disturbances are; green is calm, red is the most disturbed.

What kind of hormone cycle would link to seasons do you think?

Jenny

 

[Calathea]

You mentioned that you got a lightbox but that you're doing slightly worse with it. Which sort do you have? The LED ones are becoming more popular, but the fluorescent ones are still the most common, and lots of people with ME can't tolerate fluorescent light.

I use an LED lightbox as treatment for sleep disorders, paired with darkness therapy. Improved sleep obviously helps the ME, but once my sleep is stabilised, it doesn't seem to make much difference whether I use the lightbox or not. So I don't think the lightbox is directly affecting the ME. It could well be that it would at a different dosage, for all I know. I don't find that the seasons make much difference to my sleep disorders, indeed any, as I'm almost entirely housebound and thus not receiving natural daylight signals.

 

[Dufresne]

I remember reading you'd been diagnosed with Lyme some time ago, a diagnosis you're suspicious of. Well for what it's worth Bryan Rosner writes in both his books that borrelia is at its most active in spring and fall. So those afflicted will feel worse, but also have the opportunity to get the bugs as they come out of hiding.

 

[Jenny]

Calathea - I use a LED lightbox. I don't think I'm worse because of the lightbox - I think it's more likely to be a result of the lymphatic drainage massages that I'm having at the moment. I am sleeping well at the moment though, so maybe the box is helping with this.

Dufresne - that's well remembered! Perhaps I should try some more Lyme treatment - I've been wondering about the Buhner herbs.

Jenny