Jump to content

Hot showers


Guest veryblue

Recommended Posts

If I'm going through a bad spell of POTS symptoms then I always have to leave the shower curtain open a little for cool air and keep the water temperature down lower than normal. However, when my symptoms are only mild, I can tolerate showers just fine.

I do know that other people with autoimmune conditions like MS or lupus also often have trouble with heat and humidity in general and hot showers. I'm not sure if it has anything to do with pooling or not.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

:blink: I can only take warm showers now - I cannot have them hot anymore or I will faint in the shower - I use a shower chair anyway just in case, but my doctor said its because the heat makes the blood vessels constrict(I hope I got that right-with my brain fog I think thats what he said anyway)and it lowers my blood pressure too much-I have already blacked out 2 times in the shower so I make sure to keep the water not too hot. Sorry my terminology is not great, but even on meds, your bp can still drop from the heat if it affects you this way with your POTS symptoms-Since everyone is different, I can only speak for myself. Beth :rolleyes:
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can't take hot showers at all! I really miss that too.

Very blue, (off topic) I haven't been on in a while so I know I am behind on reading messages but last I remember you were talking about how to get tested for POTS -- TTT etc. Have you had any luck finding a specialist in your area?

geneva

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest veryblue

Geeneva...I have had a tilt table test before...April I think...when I was a tad bit worse than I am now. I was off meds (beta blocker) for a week before it. I stood up there for 70 minutes and they couldnt produce symptoms in me. No purple feet...dizziness...changes in BP...the only thing was a fast HR...160...but in the supine posistion it was 145 so no 30 BPM increase...my heart dosent seem to go that fast anymore. Without meds in the 80s supine and low 100s (106-110) standing... so hopefully I am healing. Never knew what me standing HR was before all this...the only thing I can go by in the HR moniters at the gym...I would be killing myself on the eliciptal trainer (my PT said he was going to give me that machine when they got new ones cuz I lived on it anyway) and my HR was usually in the 140s t0 150s...as fast as I was going it should have been like 170s, but I was so conditioned that it was hard to get my heart up that high. My resting rate was high 50s. Now I just think that my HR can reach 140 just by playing softball...pathetic!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

HOT SHOWERS ARE A NO NO FOR ME BEFORE MY PACEMAKER I ALWAYS PASSED OUT NOW THEY JUST MAKE ME HAVE AN EPISODE I GET TO FEELING REAL SICK AND HAVE TO LAY DOWN.

HOWEVER I DO HAVE A HOT TUB AND CAN GO IN IT BUT JUST FOR A SHORT TIME OR ATLEAST HAVE TO STAND UP TO GET THE COOLER AIR FROM ABOVE BUT I USUALLY DONT STAY IN LONG BECAUSE I KNOW I START TO FEELLING BAD

JUST ANOTHER THING WE CANT DO :)

ROXANNE

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One trick that the hot shower lovers might want to try is to end the shower by spraying cold water on your legs. Just as the heat can pull blood to the extremities potentially triggering fainting, etc, that cold blast can send the blood scrambling back to the central organs. Might be the compromise needed to still enjoy a few minutes of hot water!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hot showers are one of my simple pleasures in life. I can take hot showers in cooler weather but NOT in the summer months. Crazy I think. Why wouldn't my body react the same?? I have central air and keep my house temp close to outdoor temps all year long. In summer months I have to keep the shower curtain and bath door open slightly. This helps to keep my hr down and stop the overwhelming feeling of nausea. If I do get overheated, sitting or lying on the bed a half hour or so will usually bring my hr down. I know I could never tolerate a hot tub or sauna... as much as I love a hot tub :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest tearose

I can tolerate a hot bath and shower better in the winter and actually feel like I need one on some days just to warm my body up. I actually have added extra hot water to my tub when the tap wasn't hot enough! I usually just let cold water run over my calves and feet just before stepping out to give me a shot of reverse blood flow. Afterwards, my heart rate will be very high for about one hour but I am very careful and never in a hurry. I can't take that kind of heat in summer at all and often will be in the shade of the garden running the hose over my legs and feet.

I feel like a frog sometimes...my body temperature wants to match the temperature of the air around me...okay for spring and fall but winter and summer are a challenge!

best regards, tearose

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...