Truth about symptoms part 5...Heat Intolerence

I am one hot momma! But not in a good way!

I've always wanted to be a "hot momma" but this is not what I had in mind. I always feel hot. I have severe heat intolerance. Heat intolerance is simply you cannot tolerate the heat. Causes physical symptoms that usually go away once you cool down. Cooling down is the hard part. You cannot just go in  air conditioned place and say  "oh that feels better". I wish it would work like that. Lol It may take an hour to cool off but it has taken days to recuperate because of the physical symptoms. Fatigue, of course, kicks my ass again when I am overheated.

I always joke that "my thermostat is broken". That isn't exactly a lie. I believe it truly is. I feel hot when it is 75 degrees (24 degrees Celsius). One evening, laying in bed with my hubby, he is down in his blanket shivering. I, sweating like mad. He asks "Why is it so cold in here? Is the window open?" I respond "Yes, it is". My annoyed hubby says "Jenn,  it's 45 degrees (7.2 C) outside! Shut the damn window!" What a wimp lol

Symptoms of heat intolerance include:

• Excessive sweating. I mean excessive! Sweating in places you didn't know that sweat! Good Lord...my boobs! You'd think I was lactating by looking at my shirt! My butt crack sweats!  Really, my butt crack! Gesh! Nothing is safe!
• Fatigue increases. Feels like you are going to pass out. Fatigue hits you hard! "I need to lay down NOW!" This sucks! I'm already fatigued as it is so now it's increased just because of the stupid heat. 
• Concentration worsens. Words seem to disappear. Sometimes I cannot say "I need to go lay down". My hubby and kids have become mind readers when I get to this point. 
• You're walking like you are drunk. "No Officer, I am not intoxicated,  just hot." Weakness and heaviness in my extremities. Very hard to move.   a feeling of laying down NOW! Once I get overheated, it seems like forever before I can cool down. 
• Loss of coordination. My hands and fingers do not want to work. My fine motor skills are out the window. Along with tremors. Texting is real entertaining let me tell ya!
• Vision changes and pain around the eye. I have had Optic Neuritis in the past. When I get over heated I experience something called Uhthoff's Phenomenon. Click on to see a great explanation. In short, Uhthoff's is usually a MS feature that increase of heat or exercise causes neurological symptoms to appear worse. After rest and cooling off, everything should go back to, lack of a better word, normal.

I just wanted to share this factsheet that I found from the MS Society in the UK. I don't think that it applies to only people with MS. Check it out here!

What to do to cool yourself off:

• Drink cold drinks as you are outside, exercising or doing housework. "Cold Drinks" does not mean strawberry daiquiri or yummy lime margarita on the rocks with delicious salt ever so generously around the rim of the glass...Oh, wait, what was I saying? Oh yeah...Drinking a bottle of ice cold water as I am vacuuming the living room had made a huge difference. I was able to vacuum the kitchen too. (My peeps who know what I am talking about know that vacuuming both living room and kitchen is a big accomplishment!) 
• Cooling products. I LOVE COOLING TOWELS! I could not make it through my daughter's softball games without them. My personal fav is Frogg Togg Chilly Pads. You can find them at Wal-Mart, Dick's Sporting Goods  Bed, Bath and Beyond and Bass Pro. I have found that Amazon has a great selection of patterns. My next purchase is going to be a Cool Lift Bra. Yes, I said Cool Lift Bra. The "girls" will be cool and perky for the first time in years! There are all sorts of cooling products out there. From vests (which your insurance may pay for if you have a prescription), inserts for hats, cooling bandanas. I wonder if they make socks??? Hmm..should look that one up.
• Stay out of the sun! Stay out of the heat! I know you're thinking "no shit Jenn". I just had to say it.
• Fans. Love fans. My hubby brought home this little misting fan. It was awesome!! I did get overheated this weekend and I am still paying for it. Did too much like an idiot. Outside to long like an idiot. So, Chilly Pad around my neck (BTW I call it my "woobie"!), go into A/C, laying down on the couch. Still miserable. Got up, cold wash cloth. Nope, still crappy. Plopped my butt in front of a fan pointed at my face, cold drink in hand. Finally, some relief. It took about a hour to feel better. But here it is 2 days later and the fatigue is still lingering. 

So, now you know how much I hate the heat, what I feel like and what I do about it. Sucks! Sucks! Sucks!

Hugs!!

Jenn

*Look, I am not getting paid for the products that I have listed above. I am not getting paid by the stores I have listed above. Yes, I am aware of trade mark, copyright, blah blah blah. The products, except the bra, I have personally tried. Now, if the stores or products want to pay me instead of free advertising then please see the "contact me" tab at the top! ;0)

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