The Heat Is Going To Be The End Of Me!

[sue1234]

Yesterday we traveled to another city for a few hours. Here in the south it was around 78-80 degrees and somewhat humid. Everytime we stopped at a store for my husband to run in to get us some things(some groceries, etc.), I sat with the windows open. No sun, just cloudy. Everytime, after about 10 minutes, my hands start swelling and every vein is engorged on my hands AND fingers. My eyes get blurry and feel strained. My heart was picking up. I feel like every vessel is just opening up to help me cool down, but I don't sweat. I didn't have a blood pressure cuff with me, but could guess that my blood pressure was dropping with all the vasodilation. Doesn't this scenario fall into a "shock"-like scenario?? You may ask why I didn't start the engine and a/c. Our car has been having some kind of funny idleing issue when the a/c is running, so I didn't want to run it(I'm afraid I'll ruin something and the car won't start at all!).

Anyway, anyone know if there is something a doctor can do to help me not vasodilate so much in the heat so I don't feel like I'm going to pass out?

[futurehope]

Bring a refrigerated bottle of water with you when it is going to be hot. I do this. Bring the cold refrigerated bottle to your forehead, your neck, your face. Hold it on the back of your neck. You would be surprised how this helps. Drink the cold water slowly as well to cool down your core.

You could wear a cooling vest. I do not own one but I have heard of them on this site. Spray yourself with water, especially your head and hair.

[Katybug]

Hi, sue. I can relate. I planted 6 small plants in my garden last week at 65 degrees and you'd have thought it was 100 degrees. I have the opposite problem though.....I get all your symptoms but I sweat profusely. (Lime I look like I've wet my pants from the sweat. Ugh!)

I don't know if the docs can do anything but if you think you don't sweat, I would talk to the doc before trying to stop the rest of the reaction as you don't want to stop whatever mechanisms your body has left to cool down.

[sue1234]

I had iced water with me, but it only does so much. And I actually own a cooling vest, but it never seemed to help in the past, so I don't use it anymore. To me, the cooling vest doesn't touch the skin tight enough to feel the coolness.

I feel like a hopeless case with the heat. I'm noticing it is worse than last year. It seems to be progressively getting worse.

[sue1234]

Yea, Katy, I understand that point about cooling down.

Being in a warm/hot environment is my WORST problem with POTS. Everything else I can moderate. If I am ever in a situation where I cannot cool down, I think I will be in a serious situation.

[Becia]

Last year near the end of the summer, I got to the point I would pack an insulated lunchbox with ice, water, and a washrag that I could wet and start sponging myself with to cool off. Ice water only did so much, but this seemed to help a bit.

[Freaked]

Ugh, heat intolerance. I used to absolutely love the heat and sun, and now it's a torment. I get the incredibly veiny hands too. And annoyingly, since I got sick at the start of 2013, Ireland seems to have turned downright tropical. Can't imagine living in the South. The only thing I found to cool me down last summer other than AC was to wear wet clothes and sit in front of a fan, and that isn't doable out and about. But a little hand-fan or one of those mist fans they sell at Disneyworld can be very cooling.

[Bigskyfam]

Thanks guys. Learning lots for my first summer with POTS. It's still late winter here in the northwest US

[sue1234]

Thanks for all the tips. Bigskyfam, all I can say is good luck. In the beginning of my POTS for the first few years, I didn't seem to have a problem with the heat. Now it is intolerable.

[Katybug]

I have found a couple of therapeutic ice packs that have velcro straps so you can put them around your back. I use these when I want to go outside and it's hot. It does help keep my core body temp a bit lower. My assumption is that it works because I have it strapped around my belly area near my vital organs. I also find an ice pack on the back of my neck helps me recover faster from moments when I do overheat. I think that must keep the blood going to my brain stem cool. But it still a pain in the tushy!

[yogini]

can you lie down in the car? or maybe it's better to go inside and sit down?

[artluvr09]

I hate the heat as well. even here last night it was 66 degrees in our house and I woke up sweating last night and the night before. Also I went to a year round boarding school and I am done there now but last summer we had two classes in the morning then camp after lunch. I looked ridiculous but I did not care. I carried around my desk fan so when I went to art or music I would plug it in.

Have you ever thought of getting those portable misting fans? they come in like squirtbottles with a fan. they are really helpful.

[kayjay]

Heat does a number on me. I actually adjust my meds a bit seasonally. I don't know if that is something you could consider asking your doctors about. I suspect many of us have more pooling in the summer heat.

I was going to second the cooling vest idea but it sounds like it's not for you so I have 3 other suggestions.

I've actually been able to attend little league games in mid summer with a silly little fan/squirt bottle my husband found a Walmart. It has a neck strap and runs on a battery. It was super cheap and really helpful.

I also have bandana type things that were recommend by another member here. They are filled with some type of gel beads that absorb water. When you wear it around your neck it has a cooling action. If you are interested I can try to find out the brand name. I have a pink one and a blue one

My third little trick is a wide brimmed white hat that has a gel filled ring around the inside. When you soak to in water it can keep your head cooler.

[Birdlady]

I am the same way Sue. I've made posts about my heat intolerance as well because it's very debilitating. Last summer, my husband and I went to visit a friend a few states over.... It was tough, but we made the drive. It ended up being some of the hottest days of the year there and simply walking from the car to the hotel or from the hotel to the car, I immediately started going into shock. I think it was 95 and as soon as I stepped out, it was all over. My husband had to hold me up as he got me to the car and we blasted the AC on. I get into big big trouble if I'm in the heat..It's so bad that I can't even speak for myself or even tell ppl what's wrong.

A car even when it's 80, will get hot inside very very quickly.

[blueskies]

Hi Sue,

Heat intolerance has been a big problem for me. Especially when my ability to sweat was impaired for about 6 years. It got worse with menopause (you are in those years, I think) and I still feel the heat intensely -- I hate it -- but one of those things that I can be grateful for is that my ability to sweat came back. Slowly, increasing over a year. Now I sweat way too much and my clothes are always nearly ringing wet in summer but I know, from sort of being both ends of the sweating spectrum, that the ability to sweat, even too much, feels a lot better than not seeming to sweat at all.

I have problems with the external temperature but also problems with hot sunburned skin feeling (and I often look like I've been sunburned) as well as hours each day when I feel like I'm radiating heat from the inside. But at least my ability to sweat is back, albeit it's swung to the too high side.

I have a shower when I can, sit in a very tepid bath and in between doing that I wash myself down with cool water and a wash-cloth -- and then sit in front of a fan.

We are in autumn now in Australia and although warmer this year than usual, the nights are finally turning cool and it's helping me a bit. I dread next summer already...sigh. I still get too hot in winter. I'm the person you see walking down the street in a t-shirt when others are dressed in woollens but at least the winter feels kinder in regards to this over-heating business.

The first paper I read on pots about 8.5 years ago post diagnosis (before joining a forum) was written by Dr Grubb and he mentioned how people with pots really need to have air-conditioning. It's a must if we can afford it.

blue

[spinner]

Im dreading it too. I HATE heat and it makes me weak and dizzy and sick.

Early on I learned to get a good quality portable thermometer to carry in your backpack. You can check temps various places.

Gatorade is your BEST FRIEND if you cant avoid heat. Or powerade zero.

Clothing is essential for me. I wear only cotton, light shortsleeve thin shirts and light khakis.

Drinking water is huge. A little salt if needed.

Places like the Cleveland clinic can perform sweat tests. You might want to rule out anhidrosis.

INFLAMMATION for me was also crucial. Dr. Hyman's "inflammation is burning up your body" is good.

I suspect vessel constriction is key here.

[LastUnicornLady]

I definitely, definitely, definitely agree. I am really worried about what the summer is going to be like for me, health wise. I started getting really bad once the heat of the summer came, and there wasn't any respite until autumn started shifting the weather to be much cooler. (Around 70 or below) It ends up being really hard for me to get out at all when it's sunny and hot outside, and all of my symptoms are much worse. Fluids are definitely a must, and if I think I've got enough, I should probably drink a bit more.

[MarkA]

I LOVE my cooling vest. I also use evaporative towels and small ice packs on the bald head. I even have had to use my vest in the winter indoors under my heavy Santa Suit.