artluvr09 Posted November 3, 2013 Report Share Posted November 3, 2013 My whole life I have been taking hot showers and hasn't affected me. But I was always quick in the shower before. Just recently i have been taking longer showers. Its colder out now and we don't have the heat on because its expensive and we don't have pellets yet for the pellet stove so after I wash up i stand in the shower for like 20 minutes until all the hot water is gone. Its so relaxing. The only downside is my legs get all red and blotchy and I feel so lightheaded all morning and disoriented and sometimes i get headaches like i have one now. I just feel so disoriented and out of it. How do i get rid of these symptoms?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artluvr09 Posted November 3, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2013 Its also hard for me to look at the computer as well. I don't understand why i am having trouble focusing on things and its so uncomfortable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KareBear Posted November 3, 2013 Report Share Posted November 3, 2013 What I do is sit in the bottom of the shower. Then maybe you wont get as symptomatic. I also dont take hot showers but if you need to warm up, sitting down on the floor of the shower helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hope Posted November 3, 2013 Report Share Posted November 3, 2013 Yeah, that's very typical of POTS. I use a shower chair, and tolerate the luke warm shower. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freaked Posted November 3, 2013 Report Share Posted November 3, 2013 Yeah, hot water has been a complete no for me since I developed POTS. Mostly now I have lukewarm baths, and if I get in the shower it has to be sitting down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleOne Posted November 4, 2013 Report Share Posted November 4, 2013 Hot showers and hot baths. Not yet needing to sit in showers but then I never linger and get it over with ASAP.I prefer baths and used to love them hot. Like inching yourself in gradually hot.POTS is such a party pooper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suds3630 Posted November 4, 2013 Report Share Posted November 4, 2013 YES, as well as hot bathrooms while trying to use a hair dryer. Also no more hot tubs or saunas!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artluvr09 Posted November 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 4, 2013 omgosh!!!! I feel the same way about hairdryers. I cannot use the hairdryer right after the shower or I feel so bad. I hate hottubs! never been in a sauna and never will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ctat333 Posted November 4, 2013 Report Share Posted November 4, 2013 Same here. I used to LOVE long, hot showers and baths. I can stay in the bath for 5-10 min now before I have to get out from lightheaded ness. I miss it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Relax86 Posted November 5, 2013 Report Share Posted November 5, 2013 Hot showers are history for me. Still a trigger and I'm nearly 2 years since my last bad flare. I call myself approx 85-95% recovered depending on the post topic or timing. Nonetheless I am much better but still have set backs with certain things: hot showers are absolutely one of them. We also have a hot tub which I have avoided for nearly 2 years. I recently got in twice in the last 2 weeks and struggled for the rest of the day when I did. I would usually get in with my youngest daughter early mornings on a Saturday...unfortunately I need to not get in...but bundle up and hang out with her (she's 15 and safe in there). Just wanted you to know you weren't alone with your response to hot showers. Good luck...hang in.... Tracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khaarina Posted November 6, 2013 Report Share Posted November 6, 2013 I also have had a hard time giving up hot showers. I not only get symptomatic in the shower, but I also lose my balance and fall a lot. It is super dangerous and I have come out with some major bruises. The hotter the water, the worse it gets. So frustrating! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sue1234 Posted November 7, 2013 Report Share Posted November 7, 2013 I'm the same...hot showers or baths make me feel like I'm pooling and my vision goes blurry. If we were to have seen a doctor before 1980 and told him about this fact of not handling a hot bath, we would have been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis! What is it about MS and us that are similar??? Anyway, it is called Uhthoff's Sign:http://www.themcfox.com/multiple-sclerosis/ms-symptoms/uhthoffs.htmScary how much we are similar to MS. Remember that article from the NYT magazine that talked about CCSVI, not as a diagnosis, but as the procedure to unblock the veins? In that article, the doctor who had been doing this procedure decided he wasn't "fixing" MS, but was getting rid of the dysautonomia symptoms that people with MS get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kay107 Posted November 17, 2013 Report Share Posted November 17, 2013 I have always hated hot tubs and inch into the shower or bath even when the water isn't that hot. Never knew it could be related to my POTS! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zomglawlz Posted November 17, 2013 Report Share Posted November 17, 2013 I also have had a hard time giving up hot showers. I not only get symptomatic in the shower, but I also lose my balance and fall a lot. It is super dangerous and I have come out with some major bruises. The hotter the water, the worse it gets. So frustrating!I never thought about the water temp aggravating my conditions until I read this. Showers are a nightmare time for me because my balance problems are way worse in the shower. I use a shower chair to help some, but still come out in rough shape. I always just figured it was my vestibular damage causing this. I'm going to have to try cooler showers now. Hmmm... Thanks for sharing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjensen Posted November 18, 2013 Report Share Posted November 18, 2013 I get symptomatic sitting up, so I lay back for a bath. I can tolerate it, if is not as hot as I used to like it. I have to take it easy pouring it on my head for some reason. The water that is ok to lay in, is not ok pouring it over my head. I do not get it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KareBear Posted November 18, 2013 Report Share Posted November 18, 2013 gjensen, it could be the fact that you are lifting your arms above your head and not the water itself possibly. It's common for symptoms to worsen when we raise our arms up and also affects our vitals. This has always been a big issue for me when bathing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faintinggoat Posted November 18, 2013 Report Share Posted November 18, 2013 Yeah, like hope said, this is pretty typical. I'm like medicgirl, I have to sit in the shower, and have to do lukewarm water as well since I've developed the POTS. My specialist told me that I couldn't shower, or take a bath when I saw him the first time. I asked him what I was suppose to do and he explained to me that when syncope is a symptom if you're standing there is too great a risk of falling in the shower, and too great a risk of drowning in the bath. Comforting first appointment lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjensen Posted November 18, 2013 Report Share Posted November 18, 2013 I did not think about the lifting my hands above my head. Learn something every day with this stuff. I will pay attention to that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KareBear Posted November 18, 2013 Report Share Posted November 18, 2013 Lol @faintinggoat, I do wonder what his solution would be. gjensen, you may notice when you lift your arms above your head to reach something on a high shelf also or things like blow drying your hair will make you symptomatic as well. Lifting your arms above your head can cause heart rate to increase for us with dysautonomia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjensen Posted November 18, 2013 Report Share Posted November 18, 2013 LOL. Medicgirl, everything makes my hr go nutty. Bumps in the road gives me fits.You know thinking back on it. The shower was one of the first things that told me something was wrong. It would suck the wind out of me, and I would have trouble breathing for a while. Hot water still will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KareBear Posted November 18, 2013 Report Share Posted November 18, 2013 I hear you, the shower was the first sign for me too. I would get out of the shower every morning and lay straight on the tile floor for 30 min, I was so weak and faint feeling. After doing that daily for a year my family finally said I think you need to go to a doctor. Lol you think?Sitting at the bottom of the shower and using cool water has helped a lot. And also a detachable shower head with sprayer makes washing hair much easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
banana Posted November 18, 2013 Report Share Posted November 18, 2013 yeahh showers make me feel worse too. i also have a shower chair & take short, lukewarm showers. i'm also always sure to open window/turn on fan before shower to reduce steam, & not use strong smelling soaps/shampoos. also, tilting head back to rinse hair sometimes makes me black out, so i use a handle shower sprayer i can hold and spray myself in the face w/ instead of leaning back lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faintinggoat Posted November 19, 2013 Report Share Posted November 19, 2013 @medicgirl, I never thought about the detachable shower head, that's a really good idea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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