Worse In Late Winter

[Machair]

Has anyone noticed their symptoms get worse towards the end of winter? I read somewhere that some patients need to increase their meds in times of bad weather as they are more symptomatic. I certainly get a lot worse with dysautonomia after a long period of winter even though I take vitamin D and have optimum levels. Heat is of course a trigger ,but sunlight and gentle warmth seem to improve symptoms a bit whereas long winters makes thing a lot worse. Anyone else have an insight into this or has found they too suffer more? I am in the UK where we really do have 4 seasons! Lately I have pronounced symptoms on lying down at night again as well as dreadful mornings with low BP and high heart rate - plus heaps of anxiety brought on by palpitations and all the usual symptoms.

[MomtoGiuliana]

That is an interesting question.  My two worst flare ups in the last 10 years began in early spring.  Could be coincidence but I have wondered if there was a seasonal reason.  I do not have seasonal allergies.  Generally I feel worse tho in summer and do better with cold weather.

[Jyoti]

1 hour ago, Machair said:

Has anyone noticed their symptoms get worse towards the end of winter?

Yes.  There are other provocations that occur, but that is the seasonal one for me.  Mid-January through March seem to be my toughest times of the year and each year,  I think--I'm going to escape it this time--and each year---I don't.  

Sorry you are suffering, @Machair  Hope it passes quickly and you can get back to baseline or ....better yet...summer baseline!

 

1 hour ago, MomtoGiuliana said:

Generally I feel worse tho in summer and do better with cold weather.

I have a good friend who absolutely dreads the spring and summer because she feels so much worse, so I guess we all have our environmental vulnerabilities. 

[MikeO]

My bad flair ups are april - june and late fall. they are almost like clock work

[Pistol]

@Machair I DEFINITELY become worse depending on the seasons. In the fall my BP usually goes up and I have to increase my calcium channel blocker for the winter. Then, around April or May, my BP drops lower again and I decrease the dosage. Summers are definitely my worst season - I cannot go outside to even sit when it is hot, and even the bright sunlight causes problems for me. Fall however makes me the best version of myself - that is the high point of my year! 

I contribute these changes to temperature and barometric pressure changes. I have read articles that claim barometric pressure changes will affect the pressure in our vasculature as well as how much oxygen gets carried on the blood cells, so I think that is the reason. 

[Brian]

Yes,  my son got POTS at 14 and he is now 24 and EVERY winter his POTS symptoms worsen.  We have tried Vitamin D Happy lights, you name it.  So far nothing has helped.  Wish I had better news. Hopefully some day we will figure this out.