This Is New -- I Now Hate Winter -- And A General Rant.

[blueskies]

When I was healthy I used to be a summer person. Now, I've had pots for many years. I also have erythromelalgia (EM). Up until this winter (I'm in Australia) I've spent the summers hanging out waiting for winter because I tend to feel a bit better in the cold weather both pots- wise and EM-wise. Only, this winter, I've been absolutely miserable with symptoms of POTS and EM. The cold air coming off the snowy mountains and ocean is horrible and there's been a lot of wind. I've stayed inside as much as possible but the cold still seeps in. I don't want to turn on a heater because that will cause my EM (hot burning skin) to flare.

The thing is, where I live, we don't get much of an autumn or spring. It's usually summer and winter with a few temperate days in between.

I was thinking today that maybe summer is now better than winter for me because at least I can swim in the ocean in summer and that helps with POTS, EM and has been known to stop a migraine. The water now would be too cold for me. I get hives from cold water and also can't warm up for hours after swimming in it.

I'm just being a complainer today. I've had one symptom after another today plus I've got really itchy skin on my back that is caused by the cold dry air and I can't scratch it because I get welts when I scratch and I can't take an antihistamine because they make constipation total. Stop my whole digestive system working completely.

I'm hitting brick walls and going around in circles with all this stuff. I know many of us are. This has been the way of my life for the past 12 years. Yet, I know I'm lucky in that I'm not bedbound with POTS and hopefully I never will be. I'm mostly housebound and couch-bound and have been for a while, but so far I've been able to stop myself from spending days in bed -- I am able to make myself get up in the mornings. If only to move to the couch on many days.

blue

[Katybug]

Sorry you are experiencing this. Could it possibly be something besides "winter" that is causing your flare of symptoms? ....new meds, meds you've stopped, supplements stopped or started, foods you've recently been trying? Also, if you can't take oral antihistamines, can you tolerate the topicals, for example, benedryl cream or gel? They do absorb a little into the bloodstream but wouldn't be nearly as potent systemically. I look forward to winter, too, so I really would be bummed if I suddenly suffered then as well, so I feel for you. Chin up. :-)

[blueskies]

Thanks Katy bug,

I hadn't thought of topical antihistamines. I'll look into your suggestion. Good one!

The one thing that has changed in my life is my dad dying late December. He was old and very sick so it wasn't a shock but it's definitely had me churning a bit. I think we all hung in there when he was so ill for years and then his death ..... I suspect the stress might be hitting me now. I don't know.

Otherwise, I've tested and rejected so many other possible causes.