Heat and your MS

[Sunshine]

We all know how heat affects us.

It has been in the 90's in Florida, like August in June. It seems like when I exit the air conditioned car to walk into the store, it impacts me almost immediately. I was wondering if it can really happen that fast or if it's psychological , that is, I am anticipating the legs get weaker, and perceive them instantly as weak when they're not yet weak.

So it brought me to wonder, how quickly are you affected by significant heat?

(As an aside, the ocean buoy shows the water has hit 85F for a few hours today, but mostly 83/84. I doubt I will last long this weekend, as soon as the air heats up above 80)... This hot ocean cannot be a good thing.

[agate]

Heat hits me very fast if it's bad enough heat. Over about 80-85' will do it. If it's over 90' I'm instant toast. I feel as if I've turned into jello but it's not chilled jello.

Going from an air conditioned environment directly into the heat is especially hard. I'm better off if I've been in a fan-cooled place and the heat outside isn't over 90'. The longer I've been in an air conditioned place, the worse the impact of the heat outside is when I go out in it.

It's scary when everything goes blotto suddenly. I've learned to avoid heat at all costs. There's nothing that I have to do so desperately that I have to be out in it. I cancel appointments if it's going to be too hot.

Riding on paratransit vans in the heat is no fun. Recently I learned that all of the vans are now air conditioned and I started rejoicing because I wouldn't need to cancel appointments so often.

Then I found out that sometimes that air conditioning all the vans now have isn't working. You can't win.

[stillstANNding]

My wedding day in late September turned out to be 83 degrees and very humid. Add that my bro and SIL came to my house 3 hours before the wedding. Not a great time for a tour.

After the outdoor receiving line, my face fell like a cake and TN moved in. Pictures after that were awful.

For me it depends on the humidity and sleeping in AC is like a treatment.
ANN

[Frog42]

I grew up in Kentucky and summers there were VERY humid. I can tolerate it to a certain extent but I'm really glad we got a/c with money Lenny inherited.

Summers in MA are hotter than they used to be, don't you think ANN?

[Catdancer]

I start feeling uncomfortable at about 75. Anything over 80 and I can't function. Humidity is a definite deal breaker. Humidity over about 50% and I start feeling weak. 60 % and I'm done. Yes, a short walk across a parking lot can be a killer. The surface of the lot is hotter than the air temperature. So you've got the air, the heat rising off the lot, your feet contacting the hot pavement, and you're toast.

I tried living in Georgia...found myself indoors under air for nine months of the year. Now I won't even go to visit unless it's December, January or February. It's been hot here in central Wisconsin....but I'm under air, with a fan blowing. I turn into a puddle in the heat, start getting anxious, disoriented, even weepy. I avoid it as much as possible.

[stillstANNding]

Summers in MA are hotter than they used to be, don't you think ANN?

Yes, Vicky! The world is gone crazy in many ways.
ANN

[Virginia]

I just plain can not take it, but if it is 85 degrees and almost no humidity then I can do a little more. Eighty degrees and high humidity and it seems like it is over 100 and it also seems like the end of me until I get back in A/C.

[SalpalSally]

We all know how heat affects us.

It has been in the 90's in Florida, like August in June. It seems like when I exit the air conditioned car to walk into the store, it impacts me almost immediately. I was wondering if it can really happen that fast or if it's psychological , that is, I am anticipating the legs get weaker, and perceive them instantly as weak when they're not yet weak.

So it brought me to wonder, how quickly are you affected by significant heat?

(As an aside, the ocean buoy shows the water has hit 85F for a few hours today, but mostly 83/84. I doubt I will last long this weekend, as soon as the air heats up above 80)... This hot ocean cannot be a good thing.

Take my word for it. Pretty darn quick!!!

[Sunshine]

Well, I was an idiot and I was smart today.

First, the smart part: something told me to pack a small cooler for with ice cubes for surfing, just in case,

Not so smart: I left the cooler in the shaded car and did not take to the very hot sunny beach. By 9:00 it was 88F.

The idiot part: after 90 minutes in the hot ocean and air I got into trouble. I road a small wave in prone and felt a twinge of the MS Hug starting, but it lasted only seconds. So I talked myself into thinking it was my imagination, and paddled back out in the heat.

I started to paddle for a wave and of course the shins and feet began to seize up. It was a small wave day, so the water would not be overhead...

But dang! It got worse as I tried to paddle to shore. I shouted out to a friend, and two of them came and took my board and then I put my arms around each ones shoulders and they dragged me out onto the waters edge, slowly lowering me. Oh the pain and anxiety!

Another gal ran to the car and got the cooler. I stuffed the cubes inside my suit top, suit bottom and onto my neck, head and rubbed the cubes on arms and legs. I was stunned that the cubes did not burn the skin or feel too cold. Within five minutes, the spasticity was gone, and I no longer felt hot.

These surfing buddies are angels, another dude also came out of the ocean to check out the situation, and he quietly stood between me and the sun to block it and shade me. How sweet is that?

I called it a day. I will try again tomorrow, but bring ice to the beach just in case, and get out immediately if there is any twinge.

[Pegakafarmgirl]

OMG.. that's scary,, a hard lesson learned, please be careful out there..

I don't do air,, was offered it,,but I was to much in and out and the temp change was hard on me and was relapsing, we have fans, / a whole house fan,, we are okay,, I love the heat, its the humidity that turns me into a wet noodle..

[agate]

Sorry that happened--but having people around who are aware of the way you are certainly helps!

Isn't that MS for you? You get a twinge of a symptom that can be crippling--and it goes away. You breathe a sigh of relief and keep on keeping on. Another twinge and you do the same. Then all of a sudden you're crumpled in a heap.

--And most of the time you may look so well.

[Sunshine]

Perfect description agate!

[SalpalSally]

Jesse what guts you have. I'm too much of a chicken!

[Howie]

Yesterday and Thursday, I was cleaning out my "junk room". It hit 85 yesterday, but perhaps because I was sitting in the floor most of the time, and because I really wanted to finish it, I didn't have the problems heat usually gives me.

I do have a window AC here in my bedroom, but you step out of this room, the heat hits you right away. Maybe there is a psychological aspect of how heat affects us. I wanted to get the job done very badly, and the heat didn't have the same affect.

[nuthatch]

That's scary! I glad you surf where there's other people around to help in case you have some trouble.

Wow, your ocean temp sure is higher than it is here. Today's ocean temp in Morro Bay, CA is 58, but it is 92 degrees outside with 23 percent humidity.
I am about 30 miles inland and it is 98 degrees with 13 percent humidity.
That's pretty normal for here but the ocean is much warmer further south, in San Diego. Average ocean temp is 72, but it is 69 outside with 68 percent humidity (not usually that humid). My son doesn't have to wear a wetsuit there, but always does here.

Humidity is what wipes me out. I don't think I could function in humidity. Just about every bodily function goes and it's not pretty, but downright scary!