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The November Factor

Messages
70
Location
Chelmsford, England
I was reading in a book by Dr Bell who said that in his experience November is the month in which all our symptoms worsen and relapse is more common. When he was seeing patients the phone would ring and ring as soon as the seasons changed. I am certainly on a downward spiral - anyone else?
 

boomer

Senior Member
Messages
143
My daughter always gets worse now and will feel a little better in the Spring. I don't know why.
 

soxfan

Senior Member
Messages
995
Location
North Carolina
I became ill in November 2004..This month I am definately overall feeling much worse. My PEM is much worse and it is taking me much longer to recover. Just going out to the store has sent me to bed..so yes for me November has always been a bad month.
 

Stone

Senior Member
Messages
371
Location
NC
I became ill in mid-September, 1995. I can say for certain that I have come to dread late September through November, as I always feel much worse. The same goes for the springtime, mid March through May are always good for a nasty flare. I attribute it to the big shift in weather patterns, as I'm incredibly sensitive to even slight changes in weather conditions so big changes cause big problems for me.
 

LaurelW

Senior Member
Messages
643
Location
Utah
December is always my worst month, and I start feeling better in April. I think it's lack of light.
 

Nielk

Senior Member
Messages
6,970
I was reading in a book by Dr Bell who said that in his experience November is the month in which all our symptoms worsen and relapse is more common. When he was seeing patients the phone would ring and ring as soon as the seasons changed. I am certainly on a downward spiral - anyone else?

Did he explain why? I mean why especially November? We have seasonal changes four times a year.
 

paddygirl

Senior Member
Messages
163
I've heard that lack of vitamin D is an issue for most people with ME/FM, makes sense to me, work to bed, bed to work.
 

justy

Donate Advocate Demonstrate
Messages
5,524
Location
U.K
I have allways had an illness every november, ever since i was a child. I know this because i am allways ill on my birthday at the beginning of november. I didnt realise it could be related tomy M.E.
 

shannah

Senior Member
Messages
1,429
November and April are our worst months. I've always attributed worsening in April because of all the moisture/mould in the ground after the snow melts - it's usually drying out by May.
 

urbantravels

disjecta membra
Messages
1,333
Location
Los Angeles, CA
I got sick in November 2009. So far November 2010 hasn't been great, after a few good weeks toward the close of October.

And I live in Los Angeles. Yes, we have seasons here, and it gets darker and colder in the fall, enough to bother a sick person - but we don't have some of the seasonal changes one might expect elsewhere - no rain in summe, and rain only in the winter, in occasional heavy rainstorms for the most part.
 

anne_likes_red

Senior Member
Messages
1,103
I was reading in a book by Dr Bell who said that in his experience November is the month in which all our symptoms worsen and relapse is more common. When he was seeing patients the phone would ring and ring as soon as the seasons changed. I am certainly on a downward spiral - anyone else?

For me it's April/May - though I'm on the other side of the world. So, perfect sense.

Autumn and Spring are the most challenging times for me. Endless viruses, sinus headaches, swollen glands. I have ways of minimising the discomfort but all in all those times of year are extra exhausting and do lead to a kind of relapse - or increased need for rest and care.
 

alice1

Senior Member
Messages
457
Location
Toronto
I definitely feel worse when the seasons change.I know when it's going to rain because of the low barometric and I know which trees and grasses are about to open.Too bad I couldn't make a living out of it! lol..
 

Sallysblooms

P.O.T.S. now SO MUCH BETTER!
Messages
1,768
Location
Southern USA
I hate summer. Too hot. Fall, winter and spring are wonderful. I do great with my POTS when it is cool.

With vit. D, you do have to get the level checked no matter what time of year it is.
 

dannybex

Senior Member
Messages
3,561
Location
Seattle
I agree. Just got my 'd' levels back -- 30.1. Waaay too low...should be up to 50 or higher, so gradually increasing the d supplement w calcium, magnesium, boron, k, etc......

Definitely have taken a bad downturn over the past six weeks.
 

jimbob

ME/CFS84-XMRV+
Messages
321
Location
myrtle beach, s.c.
tested for vit d, normal between 30 and 90. I was 28, so doc started me on 50,000 units twice a week. Only been 1 week, but feel somewhat better.
 

L'engle

moogle
Messages
3,196
Location
Canada
I'm similar to SallyBlossoms. Weather over 23c is very uncomfortable for POTS/OI in my case, so July and August are a time of some stress and limitation. The rest of the year I'm just relieved it isn't hot. I can be flat in bed on a sunny day and not bad on a rainy one, or the other way around. I do have to watch out more for my immune system in winter. This basically means not going out in the evening in winter, while in summer I can't go out much in the day. I like spring and fall best. So I guess this is another way the illness varies amongst us.
 

slayadragon

Senior Member
Messages
1,122
Location
twitpic.com/photos/SlayaDragon
The presence of outdoor biotoxins varies according to seasons.

In some places, especially agricultural areas (such as the Midwest), summer is particularly bad due to cyanobacteria growth.

Sometimes, in fall and spring, the wet weather outside can cause mold growth outside.

But in certain places, from mid October through mid February (roughly), an outdoor biotoxin that grows especially in sewers (and in certain other places) is particularly bad. Days when the barometer is falling (ie when skies are cloudy) tend to be particularly problematic.

I have called this biotoxin the "?" in other places on this board. We call the time of year it appears "Suicide Season."

More info about biotoxins is present on this thread.

http://www.forums.aboutmecfs.org/sh...l-Points-quot-Approach-to-Address-CFS-Viruses

Best, Lisa